CLEMSON -- Put yourself in the shoes of Dabo Swinney at this exact same point a year ago.

Your players are gone to parts unknown for spring break. The realities of the pandemic are starting to settle in, but one of those is probably not yet a months-long shutdown of football operations.

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If you're told at the time what the rest of the spring and summer would look like, as the head coach your first thought probably turns immediately to the guys protecting the best player in college football and opening holes for arguably the best running back in college football.

Ah yes, the offensive line. Less than three months removed from the end of the 2020 season, it's easy to focus solely on the results and the offensive line deficiencies that were costly in the Tigers' two losses of the season.

The broad context of not just a season but a preseason doesn't draw much attention, but it probably should.