CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney and the other Clemson coaches call Keith Adams, Jr., “Hammer Head.”

“He is just unique. When he runs the ball, he punishes people,” Clemson’s head coach said. “He rarely ever gets stopped.”

However, one of those rare instances came in Saturday’s Orange & White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. Adams took a handoff and hit the hole along the left side of the line and ran into a brick wall.

The brick wall was linebacker Jeremiah Alexander. The Alabama transfer stoned Adams and quickly brought him down.

“Thirty-five got up under him and it was kind of like two bulls running into each other. It was good to see,” Swinney said. “He is physical. He is a thumper. Again, I thought he had a really productive day.”

Alexander finished the day with a team-high seven tackles from his middle linebacker position.

“Last year was my first year actually playing inside linebacker,” Alexander said. “So, to come here, and being able to continue that improvement, learn the defense, learn the offensive schemes…playing inside is like the quarterback of the defense, so just being able to fully understand the defense and with guys around me has been exciting.”

Swinney says Alexander has put together a good back half of the spring.

“The hard part for him is over,” the Clemson coach said. “He had not really played backer, and he did the transition at Alabama, but he comes here, and he is still transitioning to the position. Now it is a new scheme with new terminology and all of that, so now I will say he kind of gained his confidence and consistency as he went.

“I thought he had a really good day today.”

As a whole, Swinney says his linebackers have all improved this spring, including starters Sammy Brown and Wade Woodaz.

“The group has made some strides, but they have to keep doing it,” he said. “It is a big summer. They have to go through all the installation, again. They got to go and get through all of their skills and drills. This is where a lot of the growth comes.

“Then, just do a lot of the work on their own. I always tell them, ‘Champions are made, and championships are won when no one else is watching.’”