Dabo Swinney wants his punt returner to first possess the football. Then make sure he holds onto the ball and finally, he wants him to make a play.

Those are Swinney’s three rules when it comes to returning punts. There is only one time Swinney can remember when not obeying those rules worked.

On the first punt return of his career, former Clemson standout Jacoby Ford, a freshman at the time, went back to field a punt against Florida Atlantic and dropped the ball. The ball bounced to the eight-yard line before he was able to pick it up.

The good news for Ford was he was able to make a play as he raced 92 yards for touchdown, still the second longest punt return in Clemson history.

“He overcame his coaching. That is living on the edge there,” Swinney said jokingly following Thursday’s practice.

Ford went onto become one of the Tigers’ all-time great return specialist before graduating from Clemson in 2009. Swinney hopes someone this year will follow in Ford’s footsteps and help turnaround a return game that was one of the worst in the country a year ago.

Swinney says Ray Ray McCloud will get the first shot to be Clemson’s new punt returner, followed by Artavis Scott. Freshman Cornell Powell may also get an opportunity, and then of course Hunter Renfrow will continue to help out as well.

“I’m really pleased with Ray Ray and Artavis and how they have worked handling the punts,” the Clemson coach said. “Ray Ray had a very good camp. He is a natural. Artavis was very consistent for us. We trust him a lot. This is a very veteran guy.”

Swinney said the coaches have also settled on who will return kickoffs. Scott and McCloud are the leading candidates once again, but they have not decided between the two on who they want to return the first kick at Auburn when they open the season a week from Saturday against those Tigers from the SEC.

“We are all very confident in Artavis. Here is a guy that had a 50-yarder against Alabama. He is a good football player,” Swinney said.

Swinney followed by saying McCloud, Powell and running back Tavien Feaster will also return kicks this season.

“Those will be the main guys you will see us working in there. You will see some of our off returner guys still like (C.J.) Fuller and those guys.  Hopefully, we will really emerge in a big way in that area,” Swinney said.

Clemson recruited Powell and Feaster to eventually take over in the return game. Feaster was a state champion sprinter and has breakaway speed, while Powell was one of the best return specialists to ever come out of the state of North Carolina.

However, despite Powell’s abilities, Swinney wants McCloud or Scott to take the first kickoff of the season at Auburn with 90,000 plus screaming against him.

“I don’t know if I want that to be (Powell’s) first snap. He is going to be a great player, but that is a pretty tall task right out of the gate,” Swinney said.