The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – INSIDE SLANT
When Clemson’s defense yielded 180 rushing yards against Auburn in the season opener, it was cause for raised eyebrows.
But when the Tigers surrendered 254 yards against Ball State on Sept. 8, raised eyebrows elevated to genuine concern.
“It’s unacceptable,” Clemson defensive tackle DeShawn Williams said. “We can’t give up 200 rushing yards to anybody. That’s not our standard at all.”
It may not be the Tigers’ standard, but it’s certainly their reality — through two games, Clemson’s run defense ranks 98th nationally, which is not a good place to be, particularly given the team’s upcoming schedule.
On Sept. 15 Clemson plays Furman, which rushed for 233 yards in a loss at Florida last season. After that, the Tigers face Florida State, which ranks 28th nationally in rushing, and Georgia Tech, which ranks fifth, in two of its next three games.
That doesn’t bode well for a youthful unit still trying to find its footing.
“We have to show that we can stop the run because Florida State is going to be licking their chops,” Williams said. “We have to take more pride in wrapping up and holding on and gang tackling.”
And being in the right positions.
“You’ve got to be in the right gaps,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “We’ve had some fundamental mistakes that are very correctable. But in the running game, it only takes three or four plays and the next thing you know you’ve had a bad day.”
The Tigers’ defensive front also is young. Ten of the top 11 defensive linemen are underclassmen, which is a source of optimism for Swinney.
“This is a young group on the defensive side and they’re going to get better,” he said. “We’re going to improve, no doubt about it.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – NOTES, QUOTES
–Freshman defensive lineman D.J. Reader is having a busy fall. The 6-foot-3, 330-pounder has played 31 snaps over the Tigers’ first two games and appears to be assuming an increased role on the defensive front behind starting nose guard Grady Jarrett. But he’s also been working out with the Clemson baseball team twice a week as well as doing some hitting on his own. Reader is a pitcher and designated hitter who has been clocked with a 93 mph fastball; he also batted over .500 each of his last two seasons of high school ball.
–Quarterback Tajh Boyd continues to solidify his status in Clemson’s record book. Boyd threw three touchdown passes against Ball State on Sept. 8, which moved him into a tie for third place on the school’s all-time list in that category. He needs just two touchdown passes to overtake Cullen Harper for second place and nine to supplant all-time leader Charlie Whitehurst.
–Clemson is a perfect 25-0 against FCS schools since the NCAA formed the division (then Division I-AA) prior to the 1978 season. The Tigers, who play FCS opponent Furman on Sept. 15, have outscored FCS opponents 928-172, which is an average victory margin of 37-7. Their closest game against an FCS opponent came last season when the Tigers slipped past Wofford 35-27.
SERIES HISTORY: Clemson leads Furman 41-10-2 (last meeting, 2007, 38-10 Clemson)
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Clemson’s offense has clicked on all cylinders in its first two games, and now the Tigers get to add star receiver Sammy Watkins to the mix. Watkins, who missed the first two games of the season while serving a suspension as punishment for his arrest last May, is a player who shreds defenses in a variety of ways, so the offense — which has averaged 537 yards over two games — should be even more effective. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has completed 75 percent of his passes this season and had a career-best 209.3 passing efficiency rating in last Saturday’s win over Ball State. Throw in running back Andre Ellington, who’s averaging 7.1 yards per carry, and it’s easy to see why coach Dabo Swinney has no complains about the Tigers’ offense.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: It’s a much different story on the defensive side, where Clemson seems to get one problem fixed only to expose another. The secondary, which gave up some big plays against Auburn, was improved against Ball State, but the Tigers’ run defense yielded 254 yards. “It’s a lack of consistency,” said defensive coordinator Brent Venables, pointing out that 27 of Ball State’s 40 carries were for four yards or less. “They’ve shown they can do it. It’s not a lack of talent; they just have to be more consistent.” Sophomore linebacker Stephone Anthony continues to make big strides and leads the team with 17 tackles. He also had his first career interception against Ball State.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I told him, ‘We’re 2-0, Sammy. Don’t mess it up.'” — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on what he said to star receiver Sammy Watkins before activating him for the Tigers’ Sept. 15 game against Furman.
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NCAAF Team Report – Clemson – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK’S GAME: Clemson vs. Furman, Sept. 15 — Furman is Clemson’s oldest rival in football — the teams played the first game in Clemson football history in 1896. Clemson won that game and has won most games since; in fact, Clemson has dominated the series against its backyard rival, winning all 29 meetings since Furman’s last victory in 1936. Both teams have won national titles, with Clemson taking the crown in 1981 and Furman winning the then-Division I-AA title in 1988. Furman has been an FCS power since the 1980s, but enters this year’s game 0-2 after suffering two losses by a combined five points.
KEYS TO THE GAME: Get off to a good start. Furman can’t allow Clemson to separate early, although that may be easier said than done as the Tigers have scored 58 first-half points in their 2-0 start. Furman, on the other hand, has been outscored 17-0 in the first quarter this season. Expect Furman to rely heavily on running back Jerodis Williams, a 1,000-yard rusher last season, to eat time off the clock and keep the ball out of Clemson’s hands. An effective running attack by Furman also would take some pressure of freshman quarterback Reese Hannon, who will be making the first start of his career. Clemson’s improving defense is youthful, but has a distinct size and talent advantage over Furman. If the Tigers can thwart Furman’s running game early, the Paladins don’t have the firepower to keep up with Clemson’s offense.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
WR Sammy Watkins — Watkins will be making his season debut after missing the Tigers’ first two games while serving a suspension. “I think you’ll see him pretty early,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “I don’t think it will take him long to get going.” After 82 catches for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, Watkins needs to get untracked with a big game if he hopes to match or surpass last year’s numbers.
RB Roderick McDowell — “Hot Rod” is hot indeed. He has 71 yards on just 12 carries this season and is the only running back to score in each of the Tigers’ first two games. McDowell has earned the coaches’ respect with his dependability and although he’s no threat to unseat star Andre Ellington, he’s the leading candidate to relieve some of Ellington’s workload, particularly considering Ellington’s penchant for injury.
DB Travis Blanks — Blanks is a freshman who isn’t playing like one. After getting in for 23 snaps in the Tigers’ season opener, he started against Ball State and played 42 snaps. He’s quickly proving his worth, ranking fourth on the team with 10 stops. “He’s not afraid,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “And he plays at a very fast level.”
ROSTER REPORT
–OG David Beasley, who started each of the first two games, is questionable for the Furman game with a knee injury.
–LB Tig Willard is questionable this week after suffering a shoulder injury against Ball State on Sept. 8.
–OT Gifford Timothy, who suffered a knee injury on the last play of the game against Auburn on Sept. 1 and missed last week’s game against Ball State, is questionable for the Furman game.
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