The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – INSIDE SLANT
Knowing he had to break in four new starters on his offensive line, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney realized there might be some growing pains. There indeed were a few in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic on Saturday in Atlanta, but there also was considerable progress.
Clemson’s offensive front struggled in the first half, committing two false-start penalties and allowing four sacks. But things changed dramatically in the second half.
“It was them bringing more than we could block and bringing some things we hadn’t seen,” senior center and Rimington Award candidate Dalton Freeman said. “But we were able to make some adjustments at halftime.”
Apparently the adjustments worked, because the unit played considerably better in the second half, allowing no sacks, committing no penalties and intensifying its blocking. The Tigers, who averaged 5.4 yards per rush in the first half, averaged more than 7 yards per rush in the second half.
“They just blocked better,” Auburn linebacker Daren Bates said. “They made some openings and they got downfield and made big plays.”
The primary concern heading into the season’s second week is depth on the offensive front. Clemson’s first-team line played all but one play against Auburn, with Shaq Anthony filling in for injured Giff Timothy on the game’s final play.
Tyler Shatley, a newcomer to the offense after playing defense his first two seasons, performed admirably in his new role at right guard, as did left guard David Beasley. If they continue to progress as rapidly as they did in the opening game, the Tigers’ youthful offensive line could emerge as one of the team’s strong suits.
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NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – NOTES, QUOTES
WHAT’S AHEAD: Clemson’s up-tempo offense allowed the Tigers to run 87 plays against Auburn, the most it had run in a game since running 92 in last year’s win over Auburn. More of the same could be in the offing next week when Ball State visits Clemson. The Cardinals play an up-tempo style as well and ran 96 plays in their opening game against Eastern Michigan, so both teams may keep the statisticians busy.
–Senior running back Andre Ellington’s 231 rushing yards against Auburn represented a career high and the fifth-best total in Clemson history. His previous best was 212 at Maryland last season. Ellington now has three consecutive games with at least 100 yards and 10 career 100-yard games, more than any other active ACC player.
–Freshman Daniel Rodriguez played on Clemson’s kickoff-coverage teams in the first half against Auburn. Rodriguez received national attention as a U.S. Army veteran who sought to play college football after he returned from serving in Afghanistan, where he earned a Purple Heart. It was the first career action for the 24-year-old Rodriguez since the 2005 high-school season.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The Clemson offense. Despite an inexperienced offensive line, the Tigers put up some impressive numbers against an Auburn defense that should rank as one of the better units in the Southeastern Conference. Clemson amassed 320 yards rushing and had 528 total yards, and even better numbers are possible the next two weeks with Ball State and Furman as the opponents.
LOOKING GOOD: Tajh Boyd. Boyd has shed 20 pounds since last season, and the weight loss seems to be serving the junior quarterback well. He appeared more nimble and evasive against Auburn, avoiding several potential sacks and even establishing a career high with 58 yards on the ground. “We’ve talked to him about making plays with his legs,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “That was the difference tonight.”
STILL NEEDS WORK: Clemson’s secondary. Poor coverage led to Auburn’s only touchdown – a 54-yard bomb to a wide-open receiver – and the secondary also yielded several other “chunk plays.” Auburn only completed 11 passes but maximized their effectiveness by averaging 17.6 yards per completion. Clemson will have to shore up its play in the secondary before it enters ACC play because the league is loaded with good quarterbacks.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Everybody talks about Sammy (Watkins), but nobody talks about DeAndre. He’s a great ballplayer and had a heckuva night tonight.” – Clemson coach Dabo Swinney after DeAndre Hopkins broke a school record with 13 catches against Auburn.
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NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES:
–WR DeAndre Hopkins did a good job filling the void left by star receiver Sammy Watkins, who missed the Auburn game while serving the first of a two-game suspension as punishment for his on-campus arrest last May. Hopkins had a school-record 13 receptions for 119 yards, including a leaping, twisting, 4-yard touchdown grab in the corner of the end zone with 9:17 remaining to give Clemson the lead for good.
–LB Tig Willard had eight tackles in Clemson’s win over Auburn and contributed several other big plays. He had 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass.
–PK Chandler Catanzaro made all four of his field-goal attempts against Auburn. The junior made each of his last eight attempts last season and is now a perfect 12 of 12 in a span of six games. The Clemson record for consecutive field goals is 14 by Obed Ariri in 1980.
ROSTER REPORT:
–Sophomore tackle Giff Timothy’s status for next Saturday’s game against Ball State is uncertain. Timothy, who had knee surgery on Aug. 9, suffered an apparent knee injury on the next-to-last play of the Auburn game and had to be helped from the field.
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