Clemson won’t officially hit the halfway point on its 12-game regular season until after its game at Syracuse next week, but it’s close enough. With an open date to take a step back and evaluate where the Tigers are as a team, TCI is handing out midterm grades for Clemson’s performance so far in all facets.
Let’s hand out some grades for special teams through five games:
Kicking game
B.T. Potter and Will Spiers began the season as one of the nation’s top kicking duos and haven’t disappointed. Potter had not gotten a lot of opportunities before last week when he finished a perfect 4 of 4 on field goals. He’s 5 of 6 on the season with his only miss being a 58-yard attempt at the end of the first half against South Carolina State that would’ve been a career-long.
Spiers is averaging more than 40 yards per punt with more than half of them (11 of 21) being fair caught. Grade: A
Kick returns
The Tigers have beens solid when they’ve had opportunities to return kickoffs, averaging 20.5 yards on six returns. Grade: B+
Punt returns
The only real negative on special teams so far has been the loss of freshman Will Taylor, who had given the Tigers a spark as a punt returner before sustaining a season-ending knee injury last week. With Justyn Ross (concussion) also out for most of the game against Boston College, Clemson had to use reserve receiver Will Brown in that role. But Swinney is optimistic Ross will be back against Syracuse. Grade: A-
Overall
Clemson’s special-teams unit has performed like an experienced group should. There’s nothing to indicate the Tigers won’t have one of the stronger groups in the ACC throughout the season. Grade: A
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
