The tuneups are over for Clemson.
As expected, the Tigers are unbeaten through their first three games, though the first quarter of the season didn’t exactly come against the stiffest competition. Georgia Tech, Furman and Louisiana Tech, which Clemson pulled away from late Saturday night, are a combined 4-5 heading into the second half of September.
What wasn’t necessarily expected is how Clemson has looked in achieving its unblemished start.
Many of the questions surrounding the Tigers heading into the season focused on an offense that ranked among the nation’s worst in several statistical categories in quarterback D.J. Uiagaleiei’s first season leading the unit. Yet while it’s the Tigers’ star-studded defense that hasn’t met expectations so far, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said there are strides his team needs to make on both sides of the ball – and quickly – with the Tigers’ first ACC road test looming Saturday.
It just happens to come against the league’s reigning Atlantic Division champion, No. 21 Wake Forest, in what will be a matchup of ranked unbeatens. After that comes a date with No. 12 N.C. State, the lone home game for Clemson over the next four weeks.
“We’ve got to really improve this week with a great week of practice,” Swinney said. “This will be a tough road game against a really veteran, experienced, very competitive and championship-caliber team in Wake Forest. They’re the Atlantic Division champs (from last season). They know what it looks like and they’re confident in that.”
Clemson’s defense continued to show some vulnerabilities against Louisiana Tech, particularly in pass coverage. After allowing a season-high 311 yards to the Bulldogs, Clemson is allowing the third-most passing yards in the ACC on average (244.7).
Injuries forced the unit to play without its share of significant contributors in the Tigers’ 48-20 win, including four starters. But Tech had eight pass plays of 19 yards or more, more than half of which Swinney said were a result of mistakes the defense inflicted upon itself.
“There were three plays that were just good, competitive plays, but the other five of the eight big plays are things we’ve really got to clean up,” he said. “It‘s communication. It’s leverage. We had two (coverage) busts. It’s discipline with having our eyes on the right things and playing with the right techniques.”
Offensively, Clemson owns the ACC’s third-best scoring offense at 41.3 points per game. The Tigers racked up more points and yards than they have all season against Louisiana Tech, which included a season-best 280-yard rushing performance. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who threw for 221 yards and ran for 68 more against the Bulldogs, is completing nearly 65% of his passes so far.
“I just love how he’s competing,” Swinney said of Uiagalelei. “He’s not perfect – nobody is out there – but he is really competing his tail off.”
Clemson’s offense also had its first turnover-free day, though Swinney acknowledged the Tigers were fortunate in that regard. Uiagalelei had a couple of all-advised throws that could have been interceptions if not dropped by Tech defensive backs. The Tigers also had to settle for field goals on two of their first three red-zone trips, contributing to just a 13-6 halftime lead before Clemson reached the end zone on four of its six possessions in the second half to create some breathing room.
“Just needed to convert at least one of those field goals into a touchdown, and it probably would’ve felt a little different,” Swinney said.
A win Saturday would be a major early hurdle for Clemson to clear in its quest to return to the top of the division this fall, but Swinney reiterated it will take a different level of execution to pull it off on the Demon Deacons’ home turf.
“We’ll have to correct some of these mistakes to have a chance to go and find a way to win this one,” he said.
Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.
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