On ESPN’s College GameDay show Saturday morning, there was a discussion about whether Clemson can flip the switch after a disappointing start to its 2021 season.
The Tigers (2-2, 1-1 ACC) enter Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against Boston College at Death Valley having lost two games in the month of September for the first time since 2014.
Heading into Week 5, Clemson’s offense ranks 122nd nationally in total offense (296 yards per game). After beginning the season at No. 3 in the AP Poll, the Tigers came into this weekend ranked 25th – their first time outside of the top 10 since 2015.
ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard, a former Heisman Trophy winner who played for Michigan before an 11-year NFL career, had a message for Clemson fans during the College GameDay segment on Dabo Swinney’s program.
“I just want to tell the Clemson Tigers fans that Clemson will be OK – just not this season,” he said. “It’s going to be a rough season.”
Howard pointed to Clemson’s offensive line, combined with the departures of stars like Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne from a year ago, as why he thinks it will be a turbulent season for the Tigers the rest of the way.
“It started in the trenches,” he said. “When you had to start (a true freshman in Marcus Tate) on the offensive line, especially against this Georgia defense, it was baptism by fire. And then they weren’t able to gel to get their confidence, hoping they had a guard to play center. They’re trying to find their way. They’re trying to find an identity. When you lose the type of talent that they lost in the draft, and then you start with almost from scratch on the offensive line that isn’t used to playing together, these are some of the issues and problems that you’re going to have. So, this year’s going to be a rough year for the Clemson Tigers.”
Howard expects Swinney and the Tigers to get things turned around, but not until next year.
“Dabo hasn’t forgotten how to coach,” he said. “They’re going to be OK – just not in 2021.”
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