Clemson eventually kicked it into gear over the weekend to stay unbeaten with a road win over Boston College. And with it, the Tigers officially reached the halfway point of their regular season.
With the first six games of the Tigers’ season in the books, The Clemson Insider is handing out midterm grades for Clemson’s performance so far in all facets. First up is each position on offense.
Quarterback
There was a universal truth about Clemson heading into the season: The Tigers weren’t going to return to contender status without significantly better quarterback play.
So far, so good.
Whether it be accuracy, mobility or just sheer comfortability and confidence in operating first-year coordinator Brandon Streeter’s offense, D.J. Uiagalelei has looked like a different signal caller than the version that quite literally limped to the finish line a season ago.
Uiagalelei’s 64% completion rate is nearly 10 full percentage points higher than last season, his touchdown-to-interception ratio is 7-to-1 (14 touchdown passes, two picks), and he’s leading an offense that, unlike much of last year, has shown it can go win Clemson a game if needed. Look no further than that double-overtime victory over Wake Forest last month, one the Tigers don’t get without Uiagalelei’s career-high five passing touchdowns.
Playing 30 pounds lighter and with a healthy knee, Uiagalelei has also been a newfound weapon in a running game that’s needed his contributions on the ground. Uiagalelei is the Tigers’ second-leading rusher (311 yards) and has already rushed for more yards than he did all of last season (308).
None of this is to say Uiagalelei has been perfect. There’s been the occasional misfire or questionable throw into a tight window given the confidence he has in his plus arm strength, but those mishaps have been more the exception than the norm this season.
Simply put, Uiagalelei is playing the best football he’s played over an extended stretch since he’s been at Clemson. And Clemson, already with a pair of top-15 wins, has a resume that’s as appealing as any for a spot in the top 4 when the initial College Football Playoff rankings are released next month. Correlation? You bet. Grade: A
Running back
This group has been solid but not much else to this point.
Will Shipley has been the workhorse with nearly twice as many carries as any other back. He’s already scored eight rushing touchdowns and has shown his explosiveness at times with a 5.9 yards-per-carry average. But he’s only rushed for more than 68 yards twice this season, and there hasn’t been much to speak of in terms of production behind him.
Phil Mafah has emerged as the No. 2 back but is averaging less than seven carries a game. Kobe Pace has just 20 carries through six games, though he’s been slowed by an ankle injury that will keep him out for at least the next few games.
Clemson has just eight “explosive” runs (20 yards or more) to this point, and some of those have come from Uiagalelei. As for pass protection from the backs, it’s alternated between solid and shaky, resulting in some of the sacks the Tigers have allowed.
As a whole, the group’s performance has been in the range of average to slightly above average, though there are factors out of their control that have played into that (more on that later). Grade: B-
Receivers
A quarterback is only as good as the help around him, and Clemson’s receivers have largely done their part in that regard.
The group has stayed healthy through the first half of the season, which has aided in terms of chemistry and rhythm between Uiagalelei and his pass-catchers. Beaux Collins has emerged as one of Uiagalelei’s favorite targets (team-high five touchdown catches), Joseph Ngata has provided more consistent big-play ability (15.9 yards per reception), and true freshman Antonio Williams has burst onto the scene as a difference-maker in the slot (team-high 22 catches).
Brannon Spector (11 catches, 123 yards, two TDs) has also been steady in his return to competition this fall after a year-long hiatus. There’s been the occasional drop, including what would have been a touchdown for Collins to cap Clemson’s opening possession at Boston College last week. And the perimeter blocking has been spotty at times.
But the receivers are producing at a much higher level than last year. Clemson ranks 56th in passing offense this season (254.8 yards per game) after finishing in the hundreds last fall. Grade: B
Tight ends
This group has made a significant jump from last season.
Davis Allen and Jake Briningstool have already combined for 29 catches, a testament not only to their abilities but the Tigers’ willingness to implement them more into the passing game. They’ve often been red-zone targets for Uiagalelei with five of their receptions going for touchdowns. Compare that to last season when the Tigers’ tight ends combined for just 37 grabs and four scoring receptions.
Their contributions to the running game have been solid, too. While Davis is the more polished blocker as a 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior, Briningstool has held his own in that regard. Sixth-year senior Luke Price is used primarily in that role as well, so it’s hard to complain about the production Clemson has gotten from the collective at this point. Grade: A
Offensive line
If Uiagalelei’s turnaround makes quarterback the most improved position in Clemson’s offense, the offensive line is next on the list.
While there have been more shakeups from a position standpoint (Will Putnam moving from guard to center and Walker Parks moving from tackle to guard), the starting five has been the same all season, making cohesion far more realistic than it was at any point last season when the line had eight different starting combinations. Clemson has performed like it, particularly in pass protection.
The Tigers have allowed nine sacks through six games, but, as mentioned earlier, even all of those haven’t been the line’s fault. Uiagalelei has also held the ball too long at times, which also speaks to the time he’s been given by the line to operate in the pocket and survey the field for open receivers.
There’s still some work to do, though. Clemson hasn’t been able to consistently move opposing defensive fronts off the line of scrimmage in the run game. The Tigers rank in the middle of the pack in the ACC in rushing, and while the backs share some responsibility for that, there also hasn’t been consistent push, particularly on the interior.
Still, Clemson has held up far better up front this season, and it’s done so with a true freshman at right tackle in Blake Miller. The unit hasn’t been nearly the liability that it was last fall. Grade: B-
Overall
Clemson is a year older at some key positions, relatively healthier and more confident as an offense. It’s showed through the first half of the season.
And with the third-most plays of at least 20 yards in the ACC, the Tigers are also more explosive, a component that was sorely lacking last season. The unit hasn’t been without its flaws, but there have far less of them so far. The Tigers haven’t been solely dependent on their defense to win games. Will that give Clemson staying power atop the ACC’s Atlantic Division the rest of the way? Grade: B
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