Markus Strong embracing Clemson’s daily grind: ‘We gonna sharpen each other every day’

CLEMSON — Markus Strong knows there are questions.

Clemson’s new defensive tackle has heard them about his position group. He knows the Tigers enter the 2026 season with uncertainty from the outside surrounding the interior of their defensive line.

Inside Clemson’s practice facility, though, Strong sees something else.

He sees iron sharpening iron.

“It's been nice. It's definitely like sharp iron, sharpening the iron every day, coming out to compete,” Strong said. “That's what you really wanna see. So it's like, okay, boom, I gotta go harder, I gotta go harder for this.”

Strong is one of the new faces Clemson is counting on up front this season. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound junior from Raiford, Fla., is now a part of a group attempting to establish its own identity after Clemson lost several prominent pieces from last year's defensive front.

Strong isn't interested in what people think the group might be.

If anything, he's using it.

“Chip on the shoulder, it's nothing new,” Strong said when asked about defensive tackle potentially being viewed as a weakness.

“I would say it is new for Clemson coming from the history that they've had. But that just makes us go work harder every day. We don't listen to it, but if that's how people feel, we just gotta go shock them every day, that's all.”

For Strong, some of the most important work toward changing that perception is happening against Clemson's own offensive line.

He singled out veteran Harris Sewell as one of his toughest daily matchups.

“He's very sharp, keen at center, he's really smart,” Strong said. “Everything he does is very critical with his movement, so you gotta come with it every day with him.”

The competition doesn't end when the rep does.

Strong said he and Sewell recently discussed the importance of pushing each other because both understand the questions being asked of their respective groups.

“We literally were just talking that we were gonna sharpen each other,” Strong said. “They are looking at us like the question mark is on us, but me and him both know it's a connection where we gotta go sharpen each other. If they are gonna say that, boom, I'm gonna go at you hard. He’s gonna come at me hard today. So it's like, I appreciate that, we are gonna sharpen each other every day.”

Sewell isn't giving Strong many easy reps.

Neither are the rest of Clemson's offensive linemen.

Strong also pointed to Elyjah Thurmon and Tucker Kattus while describing an offensive front that has brought physicality into Clemson's inside periods. 

“The offensive line, they've been doing a great job as well. They're just showing their physicality,” Strong noted.

Those battles are taking place during a camp Strong readily acknowledges hasn't been easy.

That's by design.

Clemson opens next Saturday at LSU and a 7:30 p.m. kickoff in Baton Rouge is destined to be a hot and steamy evening. Dabo Swinney has emphasized making Clemson's practices uncomfortable enough to prepare his team for what it will encounter when it walks into Tiger Stadium.

Strong believes Clemson has accomplished that.

Asked whether one recent practice might have been among the hardest of some players' careers, Strong didn't hesitate.

“For sure, I definitely do,” Strong said. “It's an adjustment. Not everybody's used to this weather, so it's like, you come in, it's just gonna be a mental thing. You gotta just push yourself through.”

Strong, a Florida native, hasn't experienced a game at LSU himself. But he doesn't need firsthand experience in Baton Rouge to understand what's likely waiting for Clemson.

“Honestly, I've only heard the story, I've never been to Baton Rouge,” Strong said. “I know it's probably gonna be hot, humid down there. Every time you gotta tell yourself, I gotta keep going.”

Clemson doesn't have to look far for evidence of how small the margin could be against LSU.

The Tigers fell to LSU, 17-10, in last season's opener at Memorial Stadium. Clemson led 10-3 at halftime, but LSU produced touchdown drives of 69 and 73 yards in the second half to win the game.

Now the matchup moves to Baton Rouge and Tom Allen’s defense will need to answer the bell.

Strong believes the work Clemson is doing in the August heat, in full pads, against relentless competition is preparing the Tigers for precisely those kinds of moments.

And when it gets tough, Strong's approach remains the same.

Go harder.

Sharpen the iron.