Lavonta Bentley – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Grading Clemson’s defense through the first half of the season

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 …

Let’s hand out some grades for each position on defense through five games:

Defensive line

The front was expected to be the strength of the defense coming into the season given the mix of talent and depth the Tigers had there. Both have taken a hit because of some significant injuries, but the line is still holding its own.

Not many defenses would be able to lose both starting defensive tackles and keep rolling the way Clemson’s has. First, it was Tyler Davis who had to have surgery on his bicep that will keep him out until November. Then it was Bryan Bresee, who went down with a torn ACL against North Carolina State. Ruke Orhorhoro and Tre Williams have now become starters on the interior, and the Tigers have developed some depth with Darnell Jefferies, Etinosa Reubun and true freshman Payton Page having to be part of the rotation, too.

Meanwhile, the Tigers still have their numbers intact at end. Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas (10 tackles for loss and six sacks) have been terrors off the edge while K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll and Justin Foster (who’s also slid inside some) are there as well. Clemson has ranked in the top 30 nationally in points allowed, yards allowed and rush defense all season, and the front four is a big reason why. Grade: A

Linebackers

Clemson began the season with a strong blend of experience, athleticism and high football IQ at the second level of its defense. The first five weeks have shown the Tigers have more quality depth than they may have initially thought, too.

Super senior James Skalski and Baylon Spector, a fifth-year player, lead the Tigers in tackles with 80 combined stops. Skalski, whom the Tigers consider the heart and soul of the defense, showed his knowledge and instincts in a big way when he snuffed out Georgia Tech’s goal-line shovel pass late in that game to help preserve the victory. Spector has quietly been a productive player on the weakside.

If there’s a weakness for Skalski and Spector, it’s pass coverage. But sophomore Trenton Simpson helps there. The sophomore strong-side ‘backer has shown the physicality to play in the box and the speed to run with tight ends when needed. And then there’s LaVonta Bentley, a backup who hasn’t played like one when filling in for Skalski and Spector, who have been slowed by injuries at times. Bentley is fourth on the team with 24 tackles and has three tackles for loss. Grade: A-

Secondary

Andrew Booth and Mario Goodrich have answered most of the questions about Clemson’s cornerbacks coming into the season. Both have not only played well in coverage, but they’ve been some of the ACC’s top tackling corners when attacking the line of scrimmage. Booth is the Tigers’ third-leading tackler (26 stops) while Goodrich is right behind him (23).

Goodrich has produced his stats in four games after not playing last week against Boston College with a groin injury, forcing Sheridan Jones into a starting role. Jones had seven tackles in that game.

Sixth-year senior Nolan Turner is holding down one safety spot while true freshman Andrew Mukuba has been a revelation for the Tigers at the other. Mukuba is tied with Goodrich in tackles and leads the team with four pass breakups. But there’s depth at the safety position, too, with Jalyn Phillips, Joseph Charleston and R.J. Mickens, who has two of the Tigers’ five interceptions.

The group hasn’t been perfect. Boston College threw for more than 300 yards last week. But the Tigers are still in the top 50 nationally in passing yards allowed (203 per game), and they’ve done it without nickel Malcolm Greene (shoulder injury) for the last two games. Grade: B+

Overall

Even with the attrition, the defense has been one of the ACC’s best and has carried Clemson while the offense gets things figured out. The Tigers have yet to allow more than 14 points in regulation, though depth will be something to watch going forward if injuries continue to mount. There isn’t a glaring weakness at any level of the defense. Grade: A

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Swinney: Bentley is ‘such a great example to everybody on the team in being ready’

LaVonta Bentley found out during pregame warmups that he’d be starting. The hard-hitting redshirt sophomore linebacker was thrust into the starting lineup against Georgia Tech after Baylon Spector was ruled out due to knee inflammation. Talking with …

LaVonta Bentley found out during pregame warmups that he’d be starting.

The hard-hitting redshirt sophomore linebacker was thrust into the starting lineup against Georgia Tech after Baylon Spector was ruled out due to knee inflammation.

Talking with reporters during Tuesday’s media availability, Bentley admitted that Spector told him to be ready. According to Bentley, Spector was “shaky” about his status heading into the week, so Bentley prepared as he usually does.

“Knowing Spec, he be trying to push through all the small tweaks that you have,” Bentley said Tuesday. “We talk in the meeting room daily. So, we had a conversation about if someone goes down, then you gotta be ready. So, we just be on each other about knowing what to do when that time presents itself.”

Bentley took first-team reps in the week of practice leading up to Ga. Tech, just in case Spector wouldn’t be able to play through his injury. When Spector was unable to go, that opportunity presented itself to Bentley.

“It was very important,” Bentley said when asked about receiving first-team reps. “The standard is the same. It shouldn’t be no drop-off when one person or the starter goes down. That’s what I look up to. You need to be consistent, play a great game so we can win.”

Bentley racked up a team-high 13 tackles, including a team-high three tackles for loss and a sack, en route to being named the ACC Linebacker of the Week. His performance helped Clemson’s defense hold an opponent without an offensive touchdown for the third straight week.

“I would say it was great,” he said when asked to evaluate his performance during Saturday’s win. “Supposed to make those plays and things like that…I had said the week before what I should do if I go out there and get that opportunity to play a lot. How many tackles? Write it down. I know I had said like 15 tackles I’d try to get…It was just crazy how everything worked out.”

“LaVonta, he’s just such a great example to everybody on the team in being ready,” Dabo Swinney said Tuesday. “He’s a redshirt sophomore. He comes in redshirts, he’s got a lot to learn…He’s got veteran guys in front of him. I always say, what are you doing when nobody’s paying attention? What are you doing when nobody’s watching? Are you preparing for your opportunity? Or are you just distracted?

“LaVonta is one of those guys where every rep is his rep. That’s the mentality he’s always had. Every rep is his rep, whether he’s in there or not. He’s always listening. He’s always paying attention. He is about his business. He’s definitely one of the most respected guys on this team. He’s that way in the weight room. He’s that way with his academics. He’s that way with his meetings. He’s that way with his practice habits. He’s just an incredibly committed young man. And when you have that and you’re talented, it’s just a matter of time. What a great example of being ready…He’s one of those guys who stays ready.”

While Bentley has had to be patient and wait his turn, he’s had the opportunity to learn from two consummate professionals in Spector and James Skalski. Two guys who know the standard and are quite familiar with what it takes to see the field from a preparational standpoint.

Who better for Bentley and his fellow linebackers to learn from?

“We always together. [When] practice is over with, we go up and watch film, Bentley said. “Making sure we know the little details about each play, what’s going on around us and then, they make sure that we know what’s going on. They know the playbook like the back of their hand, like a coach. They just help me and help the other linebackers that’s in the room.”

Bentley’s kept that next-man-up mentality, all while waiting in the wings. He said that it starts and ends with film study.

“Everything’s a process,” he added. “Stuff that we do off the field, not being in the room with Coach, just taking the time aside to study on your own. Have those guys like Spec and [Skalski], if I need something or need help on a play, I can go to ‘em and they’ll tell me right away. It’s just a little process just to know all those things and tackle it.”

Now, you may be asking yourself how a young man from Birmingham (Ala.) ended up at Clemson?

“I would say the family vibes that’s here,” Bentley said. “It’s just something different and also I wanted to get away from home. Bama’s like 45 minutes (away) and I just wanted to get outside, see things different. And, the coaches up here, they be real with me.”

Bentley was obviously recruited by both Alabama and Auburn. As a four-star recruit, he was ranked as the No. 16 inside linebacker and No. 10 prospect in the state of Alabama for the 2019 class, per the 247Sports Composite. While he grew up watching former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster and emulates his playstyle, that didn’t keep Bentley from wanting to leave his home state.

He’s embraced the local atmosphere that Clemson has to offer and it’s paid off.

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The good, the bad and the ugly from Clemson’s escape of Georgia Tech

Clemson’s navigation of its ACC schedule got off to a white-knuckle start Saturday as the Tigers hung on for a 14-8 win over Georgia Tech at Memorial Stadium. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the Tigers’ survival (not counting that 1-hour, …

The good

What can you say about the defense at this point? And, if you’re Clemson, how much more can you realistically ask of that group? The Tigers limited Tech to 2.7 yards per carry, 4.3 yards per play, got to Tech quarterback Jordan Yates for four sacks, pressured him countless other times and pitched another touchdown shutout on a day when they had to have it. Clemson is the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivision that still hasn’t allowed an opponent to reach the end zone.

Tech certainly had its chances. Three of the Yellow Jackets’ drives reached Clemson’s 5-yard line or deeper. They were turned away each time, none more timely than the Tigers holding on four straight plays from their 3 with less than 2 minutes left to keep Tech from potentially drawing even in what was an eight-point game at the time.

Clemson may also have more linebacker depth than it thought. The Tigers didn’t have Baylon Spector (knee inflammation) and played most of the game without another starting linebacker after Trenton Simpson was ejected for targeting late in the first half. But LaVonta Bentley filled in for Spector on the weak side and racked up a game-high 13 tackles (2.5 for a loss) and a sack.

And Will Shipley continued to make a strong case as the Tigers’ top running back. The freshman got more carries (21) than Kobe Pace and Lyn-J Dixon combined (12) in a game that was tightly contested throughout, an indication of what Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff think of Shipley’s talent and maturity. He scored Clemson’s only two touchdowns.

The bad

D.J. Uiagalelei wasn’t asked to do much in the passing game — and there’s certainly an argument to be made as to whether the Tigers should be doing more through the air — but the misfires on the mid-to-deep throws are starting to become a pattern for the sophomore quarterback.

Numbers-wise, Uiagalelei had his most efficient performance of the season by completing 72% of his passes (18 of 25), though almost of them were short to intermediate throws against a Tech defense that often dropped seven or eight defenders in coverage in an attempt to keep everything in front. But on the few shots Clemson did take down the field, whether they were deep crossing routes, seam routes or back-shoulder throws, Uiagalelei was well off the mark, something that’s going to have to change if the Tigers’ offense is going to reach its full potential at some point.

But on a night when the Yellow Jackets’ defense sagged off, it was a prime opportunity for Clemson to get its running game going, right? Eh.

While Shipley (4.2 yards per carry) and Uiagalelei (5.8) used speed, power and brute strength at times to turn what would’ve been short gainers into longer runs, Clemson averaged just 3.9 yards per carry as a team against a Tech defensive line that’s smaller than most it will go against this season and, again, a box that wasn’t all that crowded. In other words, the push from the offensive line was decent at best, which isn’t a great sign considering the Tigers will see better defenses in the future than what they saw Saturday.

The ugly

Swinney reiterated afterward that the Tigers are going to do whatever is needed to try to win each week, but there’s no identity to Clemson’s offense right now. The Tigers ran for 166 yards Saturday but needed 41 attempts to do it. In the opener against Georgia, Uiagalelei threw it nearly 40 times.

And the explosiveness for an offense that’s been among the most explosive in the country in recent years is sorely lacking. Uiagalelei’s longest completion went for 17 yards, and that was on a broken play where the quarterback found Pace out of the backfield for a catch-and-run first down in the first half. The Tigers’ longest run? 15 yards.

The Tigers also put the ball on the ground far too many times, which is starting to become an uncomfortable pattern. Clemson technically only had one turnover, but Uiagalelei’s fumble inside Tech’s 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter was a drive killer. It easily could’ve been more with the Tigers fumbling three other times, including one by Shipley in the shadow of his own end zone in the waning seconds of a one-possession game that nearly turned disastrous.

Of course, it was also a head-scratching coaching decision for the Tigers to still be lined up in the shotgun and start a play three yards deep in its own end zone in that situation.

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!