CLEMSON — This year’s edition of the annual Orange and White Spring Game was a little different.

Instead of the two teams being split up, we saw the offense square off against the defense.

The first, second and third strings all saw plenty of action, and while spring games certainly aren’t the be-all, end-all, when it comes to evaluations, there were some things that stood out.

– Tristan Smith has Arrived: Smith is going to help the Tigers’ offense in 2025. He might not be one of the guys running out there first, but he looks like he will most certainly be in the rotation. The 6-foot-5 transfer wideout led all pass catchers with six catches for 137 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown catch from Trent Pearman. And Smith made some of those catches against tight coverage. His length is going to give opposing defensive backs fits, particularly in the red zone.

– Wide Receiver Room: After watching Smith, it feels a little easier to say that the receivers are going to be a strength for this offense. We already know what Bryant Wesco, TJ Moore and Antonio Williams bring to the table, but adding Smith and getting Tyler Brown back healthy should take this room to a whole different level. Cade Klubnik has to be salivating waiting on the season to start.

– Other Transfers: Will Heldt and Jeremiah Alexander are both going to make impacts. That isn’t earth-shattering news when it comes to Heldt, but there have been questions regarding where Alexander fits in. He was working with the second-string at MIKE in this one, and he had a solid afternoon.

– Gideon Davidson Looks the Part: We saw a lot of good from the freshman back on Saturday. He has really soft hands and can be a dangerous weapon in the passing game. Davidson had four catches out of the backfield for 43 yards, with one of those going for 31 yards. Davidson also looks like a natural running the ball. He only rushed for 31 yards, but you can see that talent. He still has some work to do with his pass protection, but Davidson is going to help this offense.

Eziomume Taking Next Step: We didn’t see much of Adam Randall, but by all accounts, he has had a really good spring transitioning to running back. That meant more action for guys like Eziomume and the redshirt freshman looks like he is coming along quite nicely. Still runs a little high at times, but the game has slowed down for him and it’s allowing him to see the field much better. He finished with 11 carries for 69 yards, including one 30-yard run.

– Vizzina Continues to Progress: We got an extended look at the backup quarterback on Saturday, and Vizzina looks much-improved compared to what he looked like in the spring game last year. The redshirt sophomore was in control of the offense, hitting 7-of-8 for 83 yards. He also showed off the wheels on a 10-yard scamper that would have gone for much longer had the quarterbacks been live.

– Tom Allen Effect: Clemson’s run defense is going to be much-improved next season. The defense allowed 3.7 yards per carry, and with the starters on the field, that number was much lower. The Tigers look to have improved in all facets, most notably when it comes to the tackling. It is obvious that an emphasis has been placed on the fundamentals this spring. And let’s not forget that Khalil Barnes, Tyler Venables and Joe Wilkinson each recorded interceptions, as well.

Deep Defensive Line: We got to see a lot of the younger guys on Saturday. Vic Burley finally looks to be ready to take that next step, and Amare Adams is going to be a really good player for this team. After redshirting last season, Darien Mayo flashed on Saturday. Mayo had seven tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. Jahiem Lawson had a couple of sacks, and Markus Dixon, the former tight end, also had a sack in the second half.

– Who’s the Punter: Jack Smith had two attempts, and neither traveled 40 yards. Will McCune punted once, and his went only 40 yards. It will be interesting to see if the staff looks to address this position during the spring portal window.