CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says his team has some really good veterans but points out that this season's freshmen players are going to give the Tigers "a great starting point."

Freshman running back Mike Bellamy and a handful of other newcomers made their debut Friday evening as Clemson opened practice in preparation for its season opener against Troy.

Swinney says the freshmen are displaying a lot of speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball.

As far back as November, he suggested that help would be on the way to immediately rectify the ills that culminated in Clemson posting a 6-7 record, its first losing season since 1998.

Among the anticipated players is blue-chip receiver Sammy Watkins, a 6-foot-1 player who was already lining up with the second-stringers.

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