Joseph Ngata – Page 11 – Syndication Server

Clemson vs. UConn: Who has the edge?

Clemson (6-3) will take a break from seven consecutive ACC games to play its final non-conference home game against Connecticut (1-8) on Saturday. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for noon. The game will be televised by the ACC Network. …

Clemson’s defense vs. UConn’s offense: Clemson had one of its poorest showings of the season on defense last week against Louisville’s dual-threat quarterback Malik Cunningham, who had more than 100 yards rushing by early in the third quarter before an ankle injury slowed him down.

The Cardinals finished with 223 rushing yards against a top-25 run defense nationally and 397 total yards, but Clemson won’t be facing any kind of rushing threat against UConn, whose quarterback, Steven Krajewski, is averaging just 12.3 yards on the ground. The Huskies’ leading rusher, Nathan Carter, is averaging just 52.1 yards per game.

In fact, there’s just not a whole lot UConn is doing well offensively. The Huskies rank 113th or worse out of 130 FBS teams in rushing, passing and scoring. Only four teams are averaging fewer yards than UConn (281.6 per game).

Meanwhile, Clemson is in the top 50 in nearly every major defensive statistical category and still owns the country’s No. 8 scoring defense (16.2 points per game). Oh, and UConn is playing its backup quarterback after Tyler Phommachanh, who has family ties to Clemson’s backup, recently suffered a season-ending knee injury. Advantage: Clemson

Clemson’s offense vs. UConn’s defense: The objective for Clemson’s offense this week, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said, is to build on the breakthrough of sorts it’s experienced of late.

There’s more improvement the Tigers need to make. But with back-to-back fourth-quarter comebacks, Clemson has shown its most consistent signs of life this season over the last two weeks.

The offense followed up its 24-point performance against Florida State — the first one this season against an FBS foe in regulation — with a season-high 30 points against Louisville. Clemson did it without a consistent running game, which produced just 125 yards behind an offensive line that started its sixth different lineup.

D.J. Uiagalelei helped by having arguably his best all-around performance against the Cardinals, throwing for a season-high 220 yards and accounting for three touchdowns. His first scoring toss — a 46-yarder to Beaux Collins in the first quarter — was a perfectly placed deep ball that hasn’t always been there from the sophomore quarterback this season.

Uiagalelei is still dealing with that sprained knee, so there’s a chance Taisun Phommachanh could see his role increase Saturday. Clemson will also be without receiver Joseph Ngata, and other injured players are questionable. But the Tigers’ roster is filled with the kind of talent and athleticism that UConn’s defense simply won’t be able to contend with.

The Huskies have only held one team to fewer than 24 points this season, and their schedule to this point has included Wyoming, Vanderbilt, UMass and Holy Cross, which put up 38 points in a 10-point win back on Sept. 4. Advantage: Clemson

Special teams: Not much to analyze here. Clemson has Will Spiers (43.4 yards per punt) and B.T. Potter, who bounced back from that uncharacteristically off night against Florida State by making all three of his field goals against Louisville. UConn doesn’t.

The Huskies are averaging 13.5 per punt return, good for 16th nationally in that department. But it’s hard to envision any of UConn’s returners running away from the caliber of athlete they’ll see Saturday. Advantage: Clemson

Bottom line: How bad have things been for UConn this season? The program’s hiring of former NFL coach Jim Mora Jr. as its next head coach earlier this week has gotten far more attention than anything the Huskies have done on the field. For Clemson, this is all about executing, getting up early, getting its starters out of the game and avoiding any more serious injuries.

Prediction: Clemson 38, UConn 10

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

Clemson’s offense is about to get a lot more ‘Beaux time’

He came off the line, gave Chandler Jones a shimmy to the outside and then darted back inside toward the end zone, leaving Louisville’s cornerback in the dust. After hauling in D.J. Uiagalelei’s 46-yard touchdown toss in the first quarter against …

He came off the line, gave Chandler Jones a shimmy to the outside and then darted back inside toward the end zone, leaving Louisville’s cornerback in the dust.

After hauling in D.J. Uiagalelei’s 46-yard touchdown toss in the first quarter against the Cardinals last week — a rare explosive play for the Tigers this season — Beaux Collins repeatedly pointed to his wrist in celebration.

“It was Beaux time,” Clemson’s freshman receiver explained. “I kind of picked up that phrase the past couple of weeks. Guys around the facility have been saying it, and it just felt like it was my time to shine.”

Collins is about to be on the clock more than he’s been at any point this season.

A four-star recruit and high school teammate of Uiagalelei’s at St. John Bosco in California, Collins said Clemson’s coaches told him he had a chance to have a “pretty good role” in the offense during his first season with the Tigers. But being a starter isn’t exactly what Collins envisioned.

“I would say the opportunity is bigger than I thought it would be,” he said.

Circumstances outside of Collins’ control have played a part in him finding himself at the top of the depth chart as Clemson hits the home stretch of its season. Joseph Ngata, the Tigers’ second-leading receiver, sustained a foot injury late in Clemson’s win over Louisville last week and won’t be available to play against UConn on Saturday, adding to the attrition at the position. Fellow receivers Frank Ladson (groin) and Brannon Spector (COVID-19 complications) have missed most or all of the season.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the earliest Ngata would likely be able to return is the Tigers’ regular-season finale at South Carolina on Nov. 27. With Ngata out, that leaves Justyn Ross, E.J. Williams and Collins as the Tigers’ top three receivers, Swinney said.

Ngata has played exclusively on the outside while Ross and Williams have gone back and forth between the outside and the slot. But Ngata’s absence means Ross and Williams will fill in at the outside receiver positions with Collins sliding in as the starter in the slot, a position usually reserved for smaller, twitchier receivers in the mold of Hunter Renfrow and Amari Rodgers, who’ve manned that spot for the Tigers in recent years.

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Collins possesses a body type more prototypical of an outside receiver. But as he showed by turning Jones around and creating easy separation on what Collins called a “home-run post,” the precision in his route-running will play wherever he lines up.

“I was really excited about being able to run that route. That’s one of my favorites,” he said. “We got Ross coming in and motioning, and then we had an off corner, so it was wide open for me just being able to see that route develop while running it and then just D.J. putting it on the money.

It’s something Uiagalelei has seen in Collins going back to their prep days together.

“He’s real fundamental with all of his route-running,” Uiagalalei said. “He’d run really good routes. That’s the main thing. And then he had really strong hands.”

Collins put it all together against Louisville for his best game in a Clemson uniform to this point. He caught five more passes to finish with season-highs in receptions (6) and receiving yards (104). His touchdown grab was the Tigers’ second-longest pass play of the season.

Collins has been with the program since January after enrolling early and going through spring practice, so he said he feels like all of his preparation since then has also helped put him in the position he finds himself now. Repping in the slot isn’t completely new to him since the Tigers had been cross-training him there just in case.

In fact, it’s a spot where Collins said he’s been wanting to line up more in order to try to create as many advantageous matchups as possible against opposing defenses.

“I’ve been really wanting to play that position since high school,” Collins said. “Just getting in there and having mismatches against linebackers and safeties and things like that. Being able to come here and learn that position, it’s really a good position.”

He’ll have even more chances to do that now.

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

Clemson’s ‘heart of a champion’ resonated in win over Louisville

Clemson’s offensive line has been banged up throughout this season, and last Saturday at Louisville, the Tigers started their sixth different O-line group in nine games. From left to right, Jordan McFadden, Marcus Tate, Hunter Rayburn, Mason Trotter …

Clemson’s offensive line has been banged up throughout this season, and last Saturday at Louisville, the Tigers started their sixth different O-line group in nine games.

From left to right, Jordan McFadden, Marcus Tate, Hunter Rayburn, Mason Trotter and Walker Parks comprised the first-team OL in Saturday’s game. And with Matt Bockhorst (torn ACL) out for the season and Will Putnam missing the game due to an injury, each of the starting offensive linemen played virtually every offensive snap in the 30-24 victory over the Cardinals.

Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said during his media availability Monday that the O-line showed the “heart of a champion,” and it had a carryover effect on the rest of the team.

“They played just about every play. … Just heart of a champion,” Elliott said. “We talk about ‘the eye of a Tiger, heart of a champion.’ Coach (Swinney) says it all the time – you know it when you see it, you know it when you don’t. So, what you’re seeing out of those guys is a heart of a champion. They’re going to do whatever it takes because they love each other, they love the team, they love the program and they’re willing to put it on the line.

“I think that Bockhorst had established that over his career and what he’s played through, and then you’ve got Putnam who was battling. Obviously he was out last game, but the game before that (vs. Florida State), he’s battling on a swollen ankle. So, I think it’s just a mindset that whatever it takes, for 60 minutes, play Clemson football. No excuses, no explanations, just do your job. And when you have that, especially in the trenches, it resonates to everybody.”

Elliott added that he believes the fact that junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata, freshman running back Will Shipley and sophomore quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei all battled through injuries during the Louisville game is an example of what the Clemson football program is all about.

“Joe’s out there playing on a foot. He’s out there,” Elliott said. “Shipley goes in the locker room, he comes back, he’s playing on a foot. D.J. puts a daggone knee brace on and says let’s go. And when we needed it, big call right there, quarterback run (for the 8-yard, go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter), and no flinch.

“So, I think that’s just the essence of what the program’s all about that you can see. A lot of times that get missed just because the focus is on sometimes stats and points and all those pretty things. But for us as coaches, that’s when you know what kind of football team you have when you see things like that.”

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

Swinney gives the latest on injuries Monday night

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave the latest on the injuries for his team coming out of the Louisville game during his Monday night radio show. Unfortunately the Tigers have lost another key player on offense. “Again it seems like every week we …

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave the latest on the injuries for his team coming out of the Louisville game during his Monday night radio show.

Unfortunately the Tigers have lost another key player on offense.

“Again it seems like every week we lose somebody and this week we lose Ngata. So he is going to be out a couple of weeks or who knows. I don’t know if he will be back for South Carolina or not. That is probably best case scenario. So it is just kind of the way the year has been. Kind of crazy. It was a hard turf up there that is for sure.

Dabo went on to update the rest of the injuries from the game.

“But outside of him hopefully we will get everybody else back this week,” said Swinney.

Swinney gives Sunday injury update on Ngata

During his Zoom conference call with reporters Sunday evening, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an injury update on junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata. Ngata battled through a foot injury in Saturday’s win at Louisville, catching two passes for …

During his Zoom conference call with reporters Sunday evening, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an injury update on junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata.

Ngata battled through a foot injury in Saturday’s win at Louisville, catching two passes for 34 yards.

“The biggest injury for us is Ngata,” Swinney said. “He’s probably going to be out at least a couple weeks with a foot injury.”

Swinney was asked if the game vs. South Carolina on Nov. 27 is the best-case scenario for Ngata’s return.

“That’s what it sounds like,” Swinney said. “I guess that always depends on each individual player and how they respond to it and stuff. Just looks like he’ll be out for sure this week, most likely next week, and we’ll see where he is. That’s where we are.”

This season, Ngata has recorded 23 receptions for 438 yards and a touchdown.

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

Elliott comments on Ngata’s injury

Following Clemson’s 30-24 win over Louisville on Saturday night at Cardinal Stadium, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott gave an update on junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata. Elliott said Ngata battled through a foot injury during the game. …

Following Clemson’s 30-24 win over Louisville on Saturday night at Cardinal Stadium, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott gave an update on junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata.

Elliott said Ngata battled through a foot injury during the game.

“He found a way to get out there and give us as many snaps as he could,” Elliott said. “I haven’t had a chance to get the actual diagnosis postgame here … But just proud of him, too, of battling through. He’s had ups and downs for the last couple years, but to see him just continue to battle and give us what he gave us, and he had some big plays for us, too, that we needed.”

Ngata finished the game with two catches for 34 yards.

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

Clemson’s plan to utilize Ross going forward

Justyn Ross’ return has been a methodical one. After missing all of the 2020 season because of spinal fusion surgery that threatened his playing days at one point, Clemson’s star wideout has gradually gotten back into the routine. He leads the …

Justyn Ross’ return has been a methodical one.

After missing all of the 2020 season because of spinal fusion surgery that threatened his playing days at one point, Clemson’s star wideout has gradually gotten back into the routine. He leads the Tigers in catches (38), yards (416) and touchdown receptions (3), though the bar hasn’t been set all that high for an offense that still ranks in the hundreds nationally in yards and points heading into Saturday’s game at Louisville.

Ross is still working to regain the form from early in his career when he combined for 112 catches for 1,865 yards during his freshman and sophomore seasons, making a case as college football’s top wideout two years into his Clemson career. He had five catches last week in the Tigers’ win over Florida State, but while that number may appear pedestrian, it was a showing that was as explosive and consistent as any the former five-star signee has had this season.

And it came almost exclusively at his more natural outside position.

With quality depth at receiver heading into the season, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney announced in the spring Ross would move from the outside to the slot in order to try to get the Tigers’ best receivers on the field at the same time. The Tigers were still going to move him around to different spots, but, ideally, the plan was for Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr. to be Clemson’s primary outside receivers.

Ladson recently underwent season-ending surgery on his groin. And with E.J. Williams, another option in the slot, also banged up some this season, Ross has largely remained inside. But Williams returned from his knee injury against the Seminoles while freshman Beaux Collins has also emerged in the slot, so for the first time this season, Ross got most of his snaps back outside.

His first catch there went for 18 yards on a screen pass. Late in the second quarter, on a free play in which FSU jumped offsides, Uiagalelei spotted Ross isolated on a corner and threw it up to him. Ross hauled it in for a 19-yard catch. Ross again had man coverage to the field early in the fourth quarter with the Tigers facing third-and-6 at their own 34-yard line. Uiagalelei went to him with a back-shoulder throw, and Ross spun around for a 25-yard snag — his longest catch of the day — that moved Clemson into FSU territory.

“Ross is probably most comfortable on the outside just because that’s where he started his career, but we moved him to the inside because we had a bunch of guys coming into the season,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “He’s had to play all of (the receiver positions), but I think you saw just some of the things, if you watched him, he was playing a lot faster. He was much better with his releases. He was making the back-shoulder catch. So it was good to see him back out there on the perimeter.”

Ross has had more catches in other games this season. He had seven receptions against Georgia Tech and a season-high eight at North Carolina State, but his 15 yards per catch Saturday was his highest average of the season.

Still, Clemson’s coaches aren’t ready to keep Ross exclusively on the outside. Swinney said they will continue moving him around to try to find matchups the Tigers can exploit.

“He’s really done that his whole career,” Swinney said. “If you go back, one of his biggest plays early in his freshman year was from the slot. So we’ve moved him around, and we’ll continue to do that.

“I thought Ross had a heck of a game last week. Made some plays that either we’ve missed the throw or we just hadn’t finished the catch when the throw was there consistently. So it was really good to see that last week. He’s a guy that we’ll continue to formation him where we need him to be.”

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

The good, the bad and the ugly from Clemson’s win over Florida State

Clemson finally cracked the 20-point mark in regulation against an FBS opponent Saturday against Florida State, staying above .500 on the season in the process. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the Tigers’ 30-20 win. The good Following …

The good

Following Jermaine Johnson’s strip, scoop and score that put FSU up 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter, it was easy to assume the worst for Clemson given the way the offense has performed for most of this season.

But instead of defense or special teams bailing the Tigers out, it was the offense that answered the ball when it had to. Clemson got some assistance with pass interference and a personal foul on Florida State on its next-to-last possession, but the Tigers still marched 58 yards in just three plays and took the lead on a 21-yard run by Will Shipley that’s got to be at the beginning of his collegiate highlight reel.

Clemson moved the ball pretty consistently (377 total yards; eight drives ending in FSU territory) thanks in large part to a running game that’s starting to find its groove. Shipley’s touchdown run was part of of a 128-yard day for him, a season-high. Fellow freshman Phil Mafah ripped off Clemson’s longest play from scrimmage all season (63-yard run). And the Tigers finished with 188 rushing yards despite not having their leading rusher, Kobe Pace, who’s in COVID-19 protocols.

Meanwhile, Clemson never let the nation’s 13th-best rushing attack coming in get going. FSU began the day averaging more than 230 yards on the ground, and its 6.91 yards per rush in October were tops in the country. FSU finished with just 65 yards on 34 carries.

Maybe most impressive of all for the Tigers was containing a fast, slippery quarterback like Jordan Travis, who had minus-4 yards on 16 carries. Most of those stats were a result of six sacks, a season-high for Clemson. Myles Murphy was particularly active for the defense up front, tallying two of those sacks and also blocking an extra-point attempt after FSU’s first touchdown.

Joseph Ngata and E.J. Williams returned at receiver, but Justyn Ross was D.J. Uiagalelei’s go-to receiver Saturday. Ross, who’s had an up-and-down season in his first season back from spinal fusion surgery, appeared to be as engaged as he’s been all season, making some contested catches en route to six receptions for 85 yards, both game-highs. Punter Will Spiers was also a weapon on special teams with a 51.5-yard average, which included a 56-yarder in the final 30 seconds that pinned the Seminoles at their own 9-yard line with no timeouts.

The bad

Dabo Swinney’s decision to briefly bench D.J. Uiagalelei during the second half against Pitt a week earlier led to a competition between Uiagalelei and backup Taisun Phommachanh during practice last week. Swinney said he decided to stick with Uiagalelei as the starter based on what he’d seen from the sophomore during those practices.

While Uiagalelei didn’t play bad, per se — he finished 19 of 31 for 189 yards with a well-placed ball to Davis Allen on a fade for an 11-yard score in the first half — the decision-making is still suspect at times. Like when Clemson was facing third-and-13 from its own 13 while clinging to a 17-13 lead midway through the third quarter. Uiagalelei looked for Joseph Ngata on the outside but forced the pass into double coverage. It was also underthrown and easily intercepted, giving the Seminoles a prime chance to take the lead that was thwarted by the defense.

Clemson led by the same margin early in the fourth quarter while facing second-and-8 from FSU’s 39. The Tigers dialed up a screen that the Seminoles had sniffed out, forcing Uiagalelei to hold on to the ball. Instead of eating it, Uiagalalei threw late to Williams, who was hit as he caught the ball and fumbled.

“It was kind of a screwed-up deal,” Swinney said. “Maybe we just throw that in the ground and let’s live for second-and-10. but he’s trying to make a play. And E.J.’s just got to hang on to it.”

Clemson also had trouble extending its lead at times because of an uncharacteristically off day from senior kicker B.T. Potter, who missed three of his four field goals after entering the game having missed just one kick all season.

It also wasn’t the most clean game on defense in the penalty department. Clemson was only flagged six times, but four of those were offsides penalties in the first half, including a couple during FSU’s first touchdown drive late in the first quarter.

“It’s embarrassing. A total lack of discipline in those moments,” defenisve coordinator Brent Venables said. “At times this year, that’s who we’ve been where we’re charged up and we’re excited, but you’ve got to have more than that. You’ve got to be poised and disciplined.”

The ugly

Clemson’s three turnovers tied a season-high. And for the second straight week, one of them led directly to points for the opposition. That can’t keep happening if the Tigers hope to keep the wins coming in November.

“We’ve got to get a rabbit’s foot or something because we’ve got to turn those tides,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “We’ve scored too many points this season or the other team. We don’t want to give it bigger life than what it is, but we’ve just got to focus in on the fundamentals.”

Meanwhile, injuries continue to pile up, particularly up front. Mason Trotter was the latest offensive lineman to get banged up as the sophomore wasn’t able to finish the third straight game he started at center. Guard Will Putnam, who dealt with a foot injury earlier in the season that forced him to miss a game, had to leave at one point, but he did return.

Mafah was limited to just nine carries after watching the fourth quarter from the sideline, where he was spotted limping.

Swinney didn’t have an update any those players’ statuses after the game, though he said he’s hopeful Mafah’s injury isn’t too serious. It would certainly help Clemson’s cause if none of them fell in that category at positions where depth is already becoming dire.

Which players does Swinney expect to get back this week?

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said during his Zoom conference calls with reporters Sunday evening that while the Tigers have 14 players who are out for the season, there are four players he expects to return to action this week. Swinney said they …

Swinney said they hope to get junior wide receiver Joseph Ngata, sophomore wide receiver E.J. Williams, redshirt offensive lineman Hunter Rayburn and redshirt junior linebacker Jake Venables back this week.

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

Clemson braces for ‘biggest challenge’ from Pickett, Pitt

PITTSBURGH – With one close call after another, Clemson has done just enough to hang around in ACC contention as the Tigers get set to begin the back half of their league schedule. Whether that’s still the case after Saturday will depend on how …

PITTSBURGH — With one close call after another, Clemson has done just enough to hang around in ACC contention as the Tigers get set to begin the back half of their league schedule.

Whether that’s still the case after Saturday will depend on how Clemson handles a major step up in the level of competition it’s seen so far in the conference.

“If we’re going to be the best version of ourselves this year that we can be right now, this is a game that we’ve got to go play our best game in for sure,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Because this will be the biggest challenge to this point.”

The 24th-ranked Tigers (4-2, 3-1 ACC) head to Heinz Field on Saturday to take on No. 23 Pittsburgh (5-1, 2-0) in a matchup of teams that have taken drastically different paths to their win-loss records. With an offense that continues to sputter, Clemson has made living on the edge the norm with the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense bailing the Tigers out more often than not. Clemson has played in four straight one-possession games, winning three of them by a combined 15 points.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is humming offensively behind one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Kenny Pickett, who’s thrown 21 touchdown passes and just one interception. The fifth-year senior leads an offense scoring the second-most points in the FBS (48.3 per game) that also ranks in the top 5 in total offense (530.5 yards) and passing offense (358).

Clemson, an underdog against an ACC opponent for the first time since 2016, hasn’t yet cracked the 20-point mark in regulation against an FBS opponent. Last week against Syracuse, the Tigers went three quarters without a touchdown and survived the Orange thanks to a B.T. Potter field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei had what Swinney called his best game of the season, completing nearly 62% of his passes with a touchdown and no turnovers for a second straight game. But the offense continues to be marred by its own miscues with penalties, drops and missed blocking assignments that fail to even give the offense a chance to get going at times.

Up front, the Tigers have started eight different linemen and three different centers, including Mason Trotter, who’s in line for his second straight start with Hunter Rayburn still out because of COVID-19 protocols. The offense was dealt another major blow this week when leading receiver Joseph Ngata also went into COVID-19 protocols, making him unavailable for Saturday’s game.

It’s another hit to a receiving corps that’s already dealing with injuries. Neither E.J. Williams (knee) or Frank Ladson (groin) played last week, and it’s doubtful Williams suits up against Pitt. The offense will have to find a way to overcome all of that to give themselves a chance to keep up with one of the nation’s more explosive offenses on the other side.

“I don’t know if there’s a number, but we’ve got to consistently score points and we’ve got to make plays,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “We’re going to have to make some plays, some big plays. That’s how you beat this defense because they’re structured to make you really, really work if you want to nickel and dime down the field. It’s going to be tough.

“What they give you because they’re so aggressive, the way they’re structured, is the big plays down the field. So we’ve just got to protect well. The quarterback is going to have to be accurate with his throws, and then guys are going to have to go make contested plays.”

Pitt’s defense has been overshadowed by what the Panthers are doing on the other side of the ball. With an aggressive front seven, Pitt is ranked in the top 35 nationally in points allowed (20 per game) and yards allowed (319.3). The Panthers’ 7.2 tackles for loss on average are also 11th-most in the FBS.

“They’re going to force the issue,” Swinney said. “The don’t give you any opportunity to figure things out. They’re not a group that’s going to sit around and wait on anything to happen. They’re going to challenge you.”

Clemson’s defense will have to do its part, too, to keep the Panthers to a manageable number. The Tigers have done more than that against Pitt’s Pickett-led offense before, forcing the quarterback into six turnovers in blowouts wins over Pitt last season and in the ACC championship game back in 2018.

Pressuring Pickett will be key to try to repeat those performances and help Clemson stay afloat in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. The Tigers enter the weekend two games behind unbeaten Wake Forest and one behind North Carolina State, a team they lost to last month.

With no more room for error, the time is now for the Tigers to put it all together. Doing that against one of the hottest teams in the league on its home field, though? Easier said than done.

“They’re playing with a ton of confidence,” Swinney said of Pitt.

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