The battle to replace James Skalski in the middle of Clemson’s defense continues.

Nine spring practices in, and there’s been little separation among those competing for the top spot on the depth chart at middle linebacker, a position Skalski manned the last three seasons. Skalski led Clemson in tackles last season, but after six years with the program – and more than 1,900 snaps over 69 career games – he’s exhausted his eligibility.

That has left a massive void at the second level of the defense for first-year coordinator Wesley Goodwin to work on filling. Even with additional attrition, there’s no shortage of viable candidates.

Clemson lost its top three mike linebackers off last year’s depth chart when Kane Patterson (transfer to Vanderbilt) and Jake Venables (stepping away from football) opted not to return next season. But rising juniors LaVonta Bentley and Keith Maguire are still around and have gotten the majority of the first-team reps this spring, Goodwin said.

Bentley and Maguire, who have combined to play in 55 games at Clemson, are among the most experienced ‘backers still on the roster. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the coaching staff is close to making any long-term decisions at the position.

“Just mixing and matching guys, per se,” Goodwin said. “It’s been a great competition. We’ll see how it all works out, but all of those guys in the linebacker room have been great. They’re unselfish. They’re team guys. They’re learning to play every day with more confidence and being more vocal.”

In fact, the number of options appears to be expanding. Goodwin said rising sophomore Jeremiah Trotter, a former blue-chip recruit who contributed primarily on special teams last season, has progressed to the point that he is legitimately competing for a starting job.

Even Trenton Simpson is splitting time between the mike and will, where he was initially moved at the start of the spring after starting 12 games at the strongside ‘backer position last season. Simpson, who finished second on the team in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (6) last season as a premier edge rusher, made the move to replace another departing member of the linebacking corps, Baylon Spector, but Clemson coach Dabo Swinney hinted that Simpson has also gotten his fair share of reps in the middle.

“We’re rolling those first four guys pretty consistently,” Swinney said. “Maguire, Trotter, LaVonta and Simpson, those four are kind of splitting all of those reps, competing, battling and doing a good job.”

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