(Editor's note: Clemson sophomore linebacker Chad Carson will periodically check in with ESPN.com as he and the Tigers continue to prepare for the Peach Bowl. For more information on Clemson, visit the Tigers' official athletic site.)

Dec. 16, 1999

Today was the second day in a row of full pads/full hit practices. The schedule was pretty much the same as yesterday, but I think both the offense and defense turned up the intensity a little bit. I think I can speak for most of the players in saying that we hate to lose in anything, and it shows during the drills and scrimmages.

The last two days we have done ten minutes of one-on-one challenges that we call board drills. The linebackers go against the running backs, the defensive ends against the tight ends, and the interior defensive linemen against the offensive linemen. This drill starts the grudge match of offense vs. defense, and it continues throughout the practice into inside drill (a running game scrimmage), pass skeleton (a passing game scrimmage), and an all-out scrimmage.

On the defensive side of the ball, we can usually count on (junior safety) Robert Carswell to get the troops fired up (and talk a little trash to the offense). Robert gets in on every single play, whether it's making a tackle, grabbing an interception, or tackling another defensive player when he makes a good play. During intense practices which require a lot of work and focus, rivalries against the offense make the work a little more fun and exciting.

After practice was over, we once again ran some conditioning. Most of the team also went straight to the weight room to spend some quality time with the weight coaches (otherwise known as a workout). Workouts are not as long after practice, but they still work us out to keep us from losing all the strength we've gained during the offseason.