Tag: Kobe Pace

The 4-1-1 on Clemson’s win over Furman

No. 4 Clemson dispatched of Furman this afternoon at Memorial Stadium to improve its record to 2-0 on the young season. Here are four sequences that went a long way in determining the outcome, a turning point and a telling stat from the Tigers’ …

No. 4 Clemson dispatched of Furman this afternoon at Memorial Stadium to improve its record to 2-0 on the young season. Here are four sequences that went a long way in determining the outcome, a turning point and a telling stat from the Tigers’ 35-12 win.

  • Unlike its opener five days earlier, Clemson’s offense got off to a fast start when D.J. Uiagalelei went up top to connect with Beaux Collins for a 40-yard completion on the third play of the game. Three snaps later, Uiagalelei again exploited Furman’s man coverage when he found Joseph Ngata over the middle for a 26-yard connection to Furman’s 1-yard line. Running back Will Shipley capped a seven-play, 75-yard opening drive with a 1-yard scoring run on the next play to quickly put the Tigers ahead, 7-0, less than four minutes into the game.
  • The Tigers wasted little time answering Furman’s first points on their second possession. Clemson, behind four more completions from Uiagalelei, didn’t face a third down on the drive until it reached Furman’s 27. Uiagalelei then found freshman Antonio Williams on the money down for a 14-yard gain inside the Paladins’ 10. After Phil Mafah got the Tigers a little closer with a 6-yard run on the next play, Uiagalelei whipped a second-down pass out to tight end Jake Briningstool, who trotted untouched into the end zone for a 2-yard score to make it a 14-3 advantage for Clemson late in the opening quarter.
  • After getting Furman’s offense off the field for the first time early in the second quarter, Clemson’s offense again went to work adding to its lead, though it took a little more effort than the first two drives. The Tigers converted their initial third down of the possession when Uiagalelei found tight end Davis Allen over the middle for a 23-yard strike, but Shipley was later stuffed for no gain on third-and-short in Furman territory. Clemson elected to go, and Uiagalelei picked up 3 yards on fourth down to keep the drive going at the Paladins’ 28. A holding penalty on Ngata later pushed the Tigers behind the chains, but Shipley erased the miscue by weaving through Furman’s defense for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Clemson a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter.
  • Furman took the opening kickoff of the second half and used a big gainer on a screen pass to convert a long third down, which set the Paladins up with a fresh set of downs near midfield. But quarterback Tyler Huff tried to fit his next pass into a tight window underneath. Cornerback Fred Davis deflected the pass into the air and into the waiting arms of linebacker Barrett Carter for the interception. Clemson was in the end zone a few plays later on Uiagalelei’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Collins, giving the Tigers a comfortable 35-9 lead with 10 minutes, 8 seconds left in the third quarter.

Turning point

Furman continued its rather easy first half moving the ball on Clemson’s defense when Huff connected with Ryan Miller for a 25-yard touchdown to cut the Tigers’ lead to two scores late in the first half. But after a three-and-out with freshman Cade Klubnik at the controls of the offense the previous possession, Clemson reinserted D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback and took back the momentum. Uiagalelei led the Tigers on their fourth touchdown drive of the opening half, which included a third-down conversion to Brannon Spector and a long completion to Antonio Williams on a broken play. Kobe Pace finished it with a 1-yard scoring plunge to give Clemson a 28-9 halftime lead, the start of 14 straight points scored by the Tigers to quell any thoughts of an upset despite some late miscues by the home team.

Telling stat: 77.7

That was Uiagalelei’s completion percentage, making for the highest completion rate of his career at Clemson when playing extended snaps. The Tigers’ starter set the tone for his strong day with six straight completions and went 15 of 18 on the first four drives he led, all of which ended in touchdowns. Two of his completions went for touchdowns, which included a well-placed ball over the shoulder of Beaux Collins near the front corner of the end zone. It continued a strong start to the season in the accuracy department for Uiagalelei, who has completed 67.7% of his passes through two games – 12 percentage points higher than last season.

 

Social media reacts to the first half of Clemson-Furman

A look at how Twitter reacted to the first have of Clemson’s matchup with Furman.

The first half of Clemson’s first home game of the season is in the books as the Tigers hold a 28-9 lead over Furman heading into halftime.

The Clemson offense led by starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei had a strong showing to open the game as the junior quarterback looked comfortable under center. He was efficient to start, completing 15-18 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown while adding 33-yards on the ground on four carries.

DJ led the Tigers downfield on a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a Kobe Pace one-yard touchdown run to finish the half off. The drive took Uiagalelei and the offense just 87 seconds.

The Tigers’ defense, however, did not fair nearly as well, as the group performed well below expectation in the first half. Allowing 149 passing yards and 65 rushing yards for a total of 214 yards is not suitable for this defense. The group left a lot to be desired heading into the locker room.

Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted to the first half of the Clemson-Furman game:

 

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The two Clemson units that need to show up the most against Furman

These two Clemson units need to have big performances against Furman.

Heading into its Week 2 matchup against Furman at Death Valley, two groups on the Clemson offense need to show up and perform.

The offensive line and the wide receivers need to have strong performances.

Of everything I watched from the Tigers’ Week 1 win over Georgia Tech, it was these two groups I walked away wanting to see more from. While many people are putting a great deal of blame of the early offensive struggles on starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, it isn’t necessarily warranted. At least not to the extent I’ve seen.

Uiagalelei definitely struggled early, but neither of these units did him any favors. As DJ started getting things going, the offensive line still seemed to struggle to win the battle up front, while the wide receivers failed to make many plays for their quarterback.

There were quite a few passes from Uiagalalei where I couldn’t help but think, “wow, what a beautiful ball”, that fell incomplete as a receiver failed to make a play on the ball. On the running side of things, Shipley, Pace and Mafah struggled to find any holes as the offensive line failed to supply them.

I’m not here to defend DJ because I expect more from him, just like everyone else. I think people need to take a step back and acknowledge the issue is deeper than just one player because he plays the most important position on the field.

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Five reasons Clemson gets the win over Georgia Tech

5 reasons why the Tigers should handle business against Georgia Tech.

Today is finally the day. Clemson football opens up its season with a Labor Day night matchup against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff.

Dabo Swinney and the No.4 Tigers have playoff aspirations once again this season, and the first step is getting through an ACC matchup with the Yellow Jackets. The team’s first opportunity to make a statement will be in a neutral site matchup, though the Tigers still enter the game as heavy favorites. 

Clemson enters the game as a -23.5 point favorite over Georgia Tech per Tipico Sports, suggesting that the Tigers shouldn’t struggle in this matchup. If last season taught Swinney and this program anything, it is not to take any opponent lightly. Swinney has this group ready to start the 2022 season in a big way. 

Here are five reasons why Clemson will walk away with a win:

5 Offensive keys for the Clemson Tigers against Georgia Tech

Here are five keys for the Clemson Tigers offense to start the season strong in week one against Georgia Tech.

Week one in college football is upon us with Clemson’s Labor Day night matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against Georgia Tech fast approaching.

There are some powerhouse matchups early, with No. 2 Ohio State playing a national contender in No. 5 Notre Dame to kick off their season in a possible season-defining game while the Tigers, on the other hand, stack up as heavy favorites against the Yellow Jackets. While it may not be the toughest week one matchup, we all know crazy things can happen any given Saturday… or, in this case, Monday.

Expectations for the Clemson defense are incredibly high and for a good reason. Most of the questions surrounding this team heading into their first game of the season is whether the offense can take that next step and bounce back to the form Tigers fans have grown accustomed to over the last decade.

Clemson’s defense is the team’s evident strength, though the team will only go as far as the offense allows them to. They’ve got the tools to put it together, but having the ability to do it and actually doing it are two very different things. It is time for the Clemson offense to prove that they can get things done.

Here are five keys for the Clemson offense against Georgia Tech.

Streeter asked how Tigers will split carries between Shipley, Pace, Mafah

Clemson heads into the 2022 campaign with a “three-headed monster” at running back in the form of sophomores Will Shipley and Phil Mafah, and junior Kobe Pace. Shipley, a former five-star prospect, is the starting running back after leading the …

Clemson heads into the 2022 campaign with a “three-headed monster” at running back in the form of sophomores Will Shipley and Phil Mafah, and junior Kobe Pace.

Shipley, a former five-star prospect, is the starting running back after leading the Tigers in rushing as a true freshman last season. But health permitting, he’ll once again share backfield duties with Pace and Mafah, both of whom figure to get their share of carries as part of Clemson’s primary running back rotation this season beginning with Monday’s opener against Georgia Tech.

So, how will the Tigers divvy up carries between the trio?

Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter was asked that question Wednesday during his media availability.

“I feel confident with all three of those guys, and that’s what so special about the group is they all three can be put into any situation, and I feel really, really confident with that,” Streeter said. “So, you always, going into a game, you want to see what the flow is like for some of these guys. Some guys get the hot hand, and then you want to get the ball to them a little bit more.”

Streeter reiterated that Shipley — who got 45 more carries than anyone else on the roster last season despite missing three games with a leg injury and finished as Clemson’s leading rusher (738 yards, 11 rushing TDs) — sits atop the depth chart at running back and will be fed the rock.

But with two talented backups in Pace and Mafah, Streeter and the Tigers have the luxury of being able to ride the hot hand depending on who has it in any given game.

“Obviously, Shipley’s our starter, so he’s going to get the ball. It’s important for us to do that, to feed him,” Streeter said. “But man, those other two guys are really, really special. So, I really think it depends on the flow of the game, it depends on who has the hot hand.”

Pace has 716 career rushing yards on 122 carries entering his junior season, the most of the group.

Mafah, who accounted for 342 yards on 75 touches as a true freshman last season, got all of the first-team work in the spring while Shipley and Pace recovered from injuries.

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Streeter goes in-depth in Clemson’s ‘three-headed monster’

Will Shipley is the ring leader of a Clemson backfield that’s picked up a certain moniker, one that indicates just how lofty the expectations are for the Tigers’ top three running backs this season. “The three-headed monster, I’ve seen that on …

Will Shipley is the ring leader of a Clemson backfield that’s picked up a certain moniker, one that indicates just how lofty the expectations are for the Tigers’ top three running backs this season.

“The three-headed monster, I’ve seen that on Twitter and a couple of things,” Shipley said during preseason camp. “I love it.”

Shipley, a former five-star signee, sits atop the depth chart at the position after leading the Tigers in rushing as a true freshman last season. But assuming Clemson can stay healthy, he’ll once again have help from Kobe Pace and Phil Mafah, who figure to see their share of carries as part of Clemson’s primary backfield rotation once the games start Monday against Georgia Tech.

How does the group compare to each other? And what are some of the different skill sets each brings to the table? Offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter recently weighed in on that.

“You start with Will, and he’s just a tough, hard-nosed leader,” Streeter said. “Very physical and just a hard-to-tackle running back. He can do it all. He’s got great hands. He’s got great protection responsibilities. Understanding the big picture, and that’s what’s very impressive about a young guy. He’s only been here a year and a half, but he understands the big picture very, very well.”

When it comes to Pace, Streeter first noted the experience the Tigers’ oldest back brings to the position. Pace has 716 career rushing yards on 122 carries entering his junior season, the most of the group.

“He’s awesome with his vision and making north-south cuts when he needs to and not losing ground and not going east and west,” Streeter said of Pace. “Very dependable guy. Very, very good running back.”

Mafah, who accounted for 342 yards on 75 touches as a true freshman last season, got all of the first-team work in the spring while Shipley and Pace recovered from injuries. At 230 pounds, Mafah is the biggest back among the group, but Streeter said that shouldn’t be taken to mean his skill set is limited.

“Got so much better with understanding the big picture (during the spring),” Streeter said. “He’s been anywhere from 220 to 230, and he can do it all. He really can. I trust him in every situation.

“There’s probably more similarities of the three than differences, but those would be some of the aspects I would say of those three guys.”

Dear Old Clemson has loaded up the online store with items like Myles Murphy signed cards and many items from our event for Clemson softball.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Healthy, lighter Pace embraces leadership role among running backs

He wasn’t the only one sidelined this spring. Still, with a running back room high on top-end talent, it bothered Kobe Pace that he wasn’t able to start competing for reps. “I hated not practicing, but that’s things you go through,” Clemson’s junior …

He wasn’t the only one sidelined this spring. Still, with a running back room high on top-end talent, it bothered Kobe Pace that he wasn’t able to start competing for reps.

“I hated not practicing, but that’s things you go through,” Clemson’s junior running back said. “That’s part of football. Injuries happen.”

Toe surgery, an injury he sustained late last season, kept Pace out of action, leaving the Tigers without their top two running backs during the spring. Will Shipley, who dealt with a leg injury last season, was also held out as a precaution, but both were back to full strength at the start of preseason camp last week.

Pace said he’s about as healthy as can be expected through eight practices.

“It’s camp, so I’m not going to say I’m pain-free,” Pace said with a smile. “But I feel good. Better than I was after the surgery.”

Pace is also down some pounds, weighing in at 205 pounds during the team’s pre-camp weigh-ins last week. He played at north of 210 pounds for much of last season, but Pace said he intentionally shed some weight so that he could “feel better” at the position.

“I like playing at different weights,” Pace said. “Throughout the season, I may be 210, 205 or 208, somewhere in between there. But I just like playing at different weights depending on how I’m feeling that week.”

Pace entered camp as a bonafide part of the backfield rotation after serving as the Tigers’ No. 2 back for much of last season. The question is, how many carries is he actually going to get? Shipley, the former five-star signee who led Clemson in rushing as a true freshman last season, is back at the top of the depth chart while another rising sophomore, Phil Mafah, is also competing for touches after getting all of the first-team reps in the spring.

The trio’s health throughout the course of the season may help answer that, but the competition hasn’t stopped Pace from helping his younger backfield mates, including true freshman Keith Adams Jr. Pace has just 122 carries entering his third season with the Tigers, but with Darien Rencher, Lyn-J Dixon and Michel Dukes no longer around, Pace suddenly finds himself as the veteran of the group.

No other scholarship back on the roster has been in the program longer than 19 months. Pace said he’s taken on the role of mentor, something he said he learned from some of the backs he used to share the position room with.

“Travis (Etienne), he taught me a lot. Darien taught me a lot,” Pace said. “I’m still young, but it’s like I’m the vet in the room. I’m the oldest in the room out of all the gguysus, so I try to be there for anyone who needs me. And I try to tell them it’s going to be all right and it’s just one day at a time. Because that’s how I was taught coming in a freshman.”

As for the competition, Pace described his position room as one that doesn’t have any egos. He’s confident it will all work itself out.

“I don’t think any one of us care who runs out there first,” he said. “I don’t care who has the most carries or nothing. I’d rather see all my brothers in the room feast than me going out there having the most carries or anything like that. That’s just something we’ve built with each other.”

Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Running back gets pleasant surprise

A walk-on member of Clemson’s football program has received a pleasant surprise a couple of weeks into preseason camp. Domonique Thomas is no longer paying his own tuition. The Tigers’ sophomore running back has been put on scholarship. The news was …

A walk-on member of Clemson’s football program has received a pleasant surprise a couple of weeks into preseason camp.

Domonique Thomas is no longer paying his own tuition. The Tigers’ sophomore running back has been put on scholarship. The news was announced to the team Saturday night following Clemson’s first camp scrimmage, a team spokesman told The Clemson Insider.

He joins Will Shipley, Kobe Pace, Phil Mafah and Keith Adams, Jr., as Clemson’s scholarship backs for the 2022 season.

A native of Ohatchee, Alabama, Thomas walked onto the team in January after beginning his collegiate career at Union College, an NAIA school in Kentucky where the 5-foot-8, 195-pounder has six rushing touchdowns and accounted for more than 800 yards of offense (527 rushing) in 2020.

Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Clemson RB feels offense got tired of criticism last season, ‘picked up our slack’

Kobe Pace knows that criticism comes with the territory of playing big-time college football, and Clemson’s offense certainly had its share of critics during last season in which the unit struggled before kicking into a higher gear down the stretch. …

Kobe Pace knows that criticism comes with the territory of playing big-time college football, and Clemson’s offense certainly had its share of critics during last season in which the unit struggled before kicking into a higher gear down the stretch.

While Pace doesn’t tune into sports talk shows and sticks to watching games, he told reporters Friday that he didn’t get to the point last season where he had to quit watching TV completely or stay off social media to try to block out criticism of Clemson’s offense.

“Nah, I ain’t worried about it,” the junior running back said. “People are going to talk. It’s life. People talk good or bad about you no matter what. So, TV or social media doesn’t have nothing to do with anything. I really don’t even watch SportsCenter or anything, all the talk shows. I just watch games and stuff.”

Last season, Clemson’s offense ranked ninth in the ACC and 82nd nationally in scoring offense (26.3 points per game) while averaging 359.2 yards per game of total offense, which ranked second-to-last in the conference and 99th in the country.

However, the Tigers turned it up offensively for the most part over their six-game winning streak to end the season, averaging 33.7 points per game across that stretch.

The most points Clemson scored in that span came in a 48-27 victory over Wake Forest at Death Valley on Nov. 20, and Pace feels that’s the contest in which the offense really grew up.

“For sure. I’d say we grew,” he said. “I mean, it’s just all the criticism that we got, I feel like everyone was tired of it. So, I feel like we picked up our slack and just (dealt) with all the criticism that we got from each other. So, hearing all the outsiders saying that we can’t put up points — I mean, I know what we can do as an offense and I believe in them.”

Pace enjoyed a breakout season in 2021 with 641 yards and six touchdowns on 104 carries, adding 131 yards on 12 receptions over only 273 snaps in 11 games (six starts).

Although he doesn’t feel like last season was really a trying one for him individually, he feels good about how Clemson’s offense stepped up in the latter part of the campaign, amid the criticism, to help the Tigers reach at least 10 wins for the 11th year in a row.

“I mean, not me personally. But as a whole team, I felt like that people sometimes didn’t believe in us just because of we couldn’t put points on the board,” Pace said. “But to me, we still had a great season. No one goes 4-3 and comes back and win 10 games — I mean, I think that’s a good team right there. We had to put points up somehow to be 10-3. You can’t win with 0 points. So, I think we just stayed focused and just stayed the course and got it done.”

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