On the unit on the team that needs to improve the most

Clawson: "That's a good question. I'd like to tell you what units have improved the most. I think that the receiver position is really upgraded from a year ago. I think we're healthy at running back - that will be upgraded. You'd certainly say from the last two years that the position that has to improve the most is the O-line. Now having said that, from what I see, it really has improved. If we can stay healthy there, I think we can take a jump. The concern at that position is that you're a couple of injuries away. Last year we started three freshmen on the O-line at times. This year, the good news is instead of freshman being starters, freshman are being backups. Guys like Jake Benzinger, Nate Gilliam, and T.J. Haney are now 2's. In some cases, you're an injury away from those guys being 1's and now you're back to playing freshman on the O-line. Again, I think those guys maybe they can get ready at some point this year, but you never like the idea of playing freshman, especially at that position."

On depth at the O-line, status of Phil Haynes

Clawson: "Phil was cleared to go to meetings and watch practice. We will probably have him work out (Friday) not with a helmet. He'll maybe get a little individual on Saturday and if everything goes well, we're hoping to get him back on Monday.

"It's great news. We're better one-to-nine than we were a year ago. If you get to seven, eight, and nine, then you're back to playing freshman. If those guys have to play 15-to-20 snaps, that's great. I just hope we don't get to the point where they're playing 80 snaps."

On how far he can get into that rotation and feel comfortable

Clawson: "Jake Benzinger is going to be a really good player. I think Jake right now, where he is a year ago, would've competed to be the starter. I think he's progressing in a way that he's certainly where those guys were a year ago. Fortunately, with Jake this year, we have the luxury that he can be a back up and maybe play him 15-to-20 plays a game and not put him in a position where he has to play 80. It's just a real hard position for a freshman or a redshirt freshman to play that many snaps at that position. In an ideal world, you take a guy like (Benzinger) or Nate Gilliam and you get them involved in the rotation and let them play 10, 15, 20 snaps a game early in the year and maybe by week four or five, if something happens, they're a lot more ready as opposed to last year when they just go thrown into the fire."

On which young O-linemen he'd feel comfortable plugging into the lineup if there war injuries

Clawson: "Well, you don't want to because the five starters are the five starters. They're the five best. Anytime you lose one-to-five and put in six, you lose a little bit. A'lique Terry is a much stronger, much improved player. I think Nate Gilliam is getting very close to becoming a playable player. Jake Benzinger, Patrick Osterhage is improved. Again, I think one-to-nine, we're in much better shape than we were a year ago. You just played all those young guys last year and you'd really like the benefit now of them been through that whole year and got all those snaps. They worked so hard in the offseason and have a better idea what to expect and how to prepare. If they stay healthy, we'll be better. Even if we get nicked up, I still think we'll be better, but that's the position that we need to take a big jump. I'm confident that we will, but knock on wood, you hope you stay healthy there."