Dabo Swinney and the Tigers head into their Week 3 matchup with Florida Atlantic with a lot on their minds as Florida State is just a week away, and the team needs to prepare for the big one.
Even with that being true, you still need to take things one week at a time, and this week, the Tigers need to handle their business against FAU. It is a great opportunity for both the offense and defense to improve themselves and find consistency.
For our defensive X-factor this week, Xavier Thomas was the first person that came to mind. Clemson’s defense has been solid to start this season, but the Tigers pass rush will need to turn things up for them to compete at a high level.
That is where Thomas comes in. Clemson’s defense has two sacks through two games this season, with Thomas having one. The pass rush will be a significant key against FAU, averaging 35 pass attempts a game. The defense must create pressure if the Tigers want to dominate this matchup and set the tone for Week 4.
No one on this team is more fit to get to the quarterback than Thomas, who will need to have a strong performance.