Much of the attention on Clemson’s secondary coming into the season was focused on Andrew Booth, and for good reason.
During his first two seasons with the Tigers, Booth teased teammates, coaches and fans with the flashes of athleticism and playmaking ability at cornerback that made him a five-star recruit coming out of Archer (Georgia) High in 2019. But nagging injuries limited him to just four starts during those seasons, prompting Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to point to availability as the only thing holding the 6-foot, 200-pounder back from becoming a lockdown type of player at his position.
Outside of being a late scratch against Syracuse because of a tight hamstring, Booth has been available and productive in the seven games he’s played this season, tallying the eighth-most tackles on the team (31) and a pass breakup for the nation’s 45th-ranked pass defense. Yet he might not even be the best corner on the roster this season.
That distinction — or at least a strong argument for it — goes to Mario Goodrich. A groin injury sidelined Goodrich against Boston College on Oct. 2, but other than that, the fourth-year senior has regularly lined up opposite Booth as the Tigers’ other starting corner and broken out as arguably the top cover guy in the ACC.
“I’m really proud of him,” Swinney said. “He’s been a real bright spot for us this year.”
With another pass breakup against Florida State last week, Goodrich is up to eight on the season, tied for second-most in the conference. His best performance came against Syracuse when the 6-0, 190-pounder broke up four passes, becoming the first Clemson player to have that many in a game since 2014. It was one shy of the school record set in 1985 by Perry Williams, who had five breakups against Virginia Tech that season.
But a deeper dive into the numbers shows exactly how well Goodrich has performed in coverage.
According to stats compiled by ESPN, Goodrich had only had six passes completed on him in 161 coverage snaps heading into Clemson’s game against FSU. He’d only been targeted 22 times, and those targets combined to cover just 50 yards. That’s just 2.27 yards per target, the fewest in the ACC.
Who’s been the ACC’s best corner this season? Lots of competition, but hard to argue with Goodrich and Mathis. pic.twitter.com/cAwiD4hrFn
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 29, 2021
Goodrich is getting more opportunities than Booth, who isn’t being thrown at as often as his teammate. Booth had only been targeted one more time than Goodrich heading into the FSU game despite playing 32 more coverage snaps, but targeting either one hasn’t worked out well for opposing quarterbacks.
Teams are throwing for 211 yards on average against Clemson, and most of that yardage has come against the Tigers’ linebackers and safeties in coverage. Goodrich’s emergence has given Clemson perhaps the league’s best cover tandem on the outside.
Neither is shy about helping in run support either. Goodrich’s 33 tackles are tied for sixth-most on the team. He began the season with a career-high 13 stops against Georgia, which is when he began to solidify himself as Booth’s sidekick after some offseason attrition at the position.
Goodrich played sparingly during his freshman and sophomore seasons before injuries and disciplinary action forced him into the starting lineup for four games last season. The latter was usually tied to Derion Kendrick, an All-ACC performer who was ultimately dismissed from the team in February. It created an opportunity alongside Booth.
Goodrich has run with it, which Swinney credited to one thing in particular during a time in which patience isn’t always practiced among college football players.
“Maturity,” Swinney said. “In today’s world of college football, he wouldn’t be here. He would’ve been gone. That’s what I hate about today’s world. A lot of guys won’t hang in there, develop and stick with it. And that’s what you love to see in Mario because he has. He’s had a heck of a year for us.”
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