(Photo: Ticketmaster)
There was once a time when the Clemson Tigers were one of the most feared teams in the country. I’m talking about a team that was basically a lock to win the ACC division title, reach the conference championship game (and win it), make the playoffs, and either reach or win the National Title game. Even when the Alabama Crimson Tide were dominating under Nick Saban, these Tigers were often considered the second-best team in the country behind Alabama. The last few years, however, have been tough for Dabo Swinney and company, as they’ve struggled to maintain that same level of consistency. Entering this season, they were ranked fourth in the polls, and some even considered them a legitimate title contender. But after their first four games, they sit at 1-3 — and I wasn’t impressed with them after their battle against the LSU Tigers. On Saturday, they fell short to Syracuse, a team that always seems to give them problems. So, let’s dive in and look at what’s going on with this football team.
When I look at the Clemson offense, they’re far too inconsistent for my liking — and quite frankly, they don’t have an identity. Back in the Trevor Lawrence days, or even going back further to Deshaun Watson, this was a balanced team that could run the football effectively. Even after those two quarterbacks moved on, they managed to maintain that balance. But now, they struggle to run the ball — up the middle or anywhere else. They didn’t adequately replace Phil Mafah, who was a key piece of their offense last season. Instead, they converted a former wide receiver, Adam Randall, into a running back — and it shows. Sticking with the offense, Cade Klubnik is lacking confidence. He’s not protecting the ball well, and he doesn’t make the plays his team needs when the moment calls for it. I saw what he was capable of last year when he threw 36 touchdown passes to just six interceptions. But now, Cade is too in his own head, and his body language says it all. Lastly, the offense is coming away with too many empty drives. They can move the ball up the field, but once they get into the red zone, they fail to convert and often settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.
Clemson has always been known for having a strong defense loaded with NFL talent. When Brent Venables was the Tigers’ defensive coordinator, they consistently ranked as a top-three scoring defense nationally. But since he left for Norman, Clemson hasn’t even finished in the top 20. Looking at the tape against Syracuse, their defensive front was pushed off the line of scrimmage, and Syracuse averaged over seven yards per carry. This year, I’ve noticed Clemson struggles to get stops, can’t get off the field on third down, and they’re missing too many tackles for my liking. I’ll be blunt: they look soft. Opponents recognize that and are taking full advantage of it. When you pair the offensive struggles with defensive inconsistencies, you get a team that isn’t playing complementary football. Even Dabo himself admitted they’re working against each other rather than with one another. At 1-3, the College Football Playoff is all but out of reach.
