1. Camp is over, and another page turns.
The early signing period is less than four months away, and for all intents and purposes, we've entered the final phase of this recruiting cycle.
As we annually frame, Clemson's coaching staff works to have roughly three-fourths of its recruiting class completed before August camp so that thereafter, it will have only a select few remaining targets upon which to focus while also juggling the regular season as well as laying the foundation for the next recruiting class.
Having accrued eight commitments in June and July -- all but the placekicker priority four-stars going in -- the big-picture mission was accomplished.
In many respects, a reset button is now hit.
Clemson carries 12 pledges into the fall for a class we've long predicted to be relatively smaller in numbers. Initial estimates -- always conservative -- put the figure at around 16.
But Dabo Swinney has since expressed that he intends to be even more conservative in scholarship allocation with the unknown for which seniors will want to use the NCAA's additional season of eligibility granted because of the pandemic.
By our unofficial count, the Tigers have 12 scholarship spots currently available for the class unless any of eight eligible seniors elects to ask for another year.
There will be attrition between now and next summer, certainly. But this is how the rules have made the scholarship math picture murkier.
Clemson could add as few as three more, based on our intel, although we believe five to be a more realistic figure, if not one or two more than that total.
We'll get into plenty of the logistics and details as we go along in this edition.
2. First, there's a pretty big game to play.
Clemson places a recruiting premium on getting prospects to its campus. That's where and subsequently -- via the people -- the Tigers typically make their move.
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So it is a bit notable that they are deviating from the playbook with Saturday's clash against No. 5 Georgia in Charlotte, N.C.
Both schools have an allotment of complimentary tickets they can give to recruits and their families. But all they can do is get them in the door; prospects are not allowed to communicate with the coaches while there.
Many times, coaching staffs don't even bother because of the arrangement.
Yet in this instance, Clemson jumped out before UGA in extending invites to various targets -- mostly mutual ones.
None more decorated than Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher high-four star receiver Andre Greene Jr.
Two weeks ago, Rivals.com reported that Greene (6-3, 180), ranked No. 36 nationally, would be in the audience.
As foreshadowed, he released earlier this month a top-six featuring Clemson, UGA, North Carolina, Penn State, LSU and Oregon.
