Tag: Tyler Davis

PFF names 16 Tigers to their 2023 Preseason All-ACC Team

A total of 16 Tigers were named to PFF’s 2023 Preseason All-ACC Team.

Heading into the 2023 college football season, the Clemson football program will battle to remain the top dogs in the ACC with Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles. 

The ACC will be strong next season, but at the top of the conference should be the Tigers and the Seminoles. Two programs with a ton of talent and much to prove in 2023. 

The amount of talent these two programs have is prevalent in Pro Football Focus’ 2023 Preseason All-ACC Team, where Clemson and FSU had the most players make the team. However, it was the Tigers who had the most members, with 16 names making the cut. 

Here is a look at every Tiger who made PFF’s 2023 Preseason All-ACC team.

FIRST TEAM

RB Will Shipley

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

CB Nate Wiggins

SECOND TEAM

WR Antonio Williams

TE Jake Briningstool

G Marcus Tate

DI Tyler Davis

DI Ruke Orhorhoro

LB Barrett Carter

S R.J, Mickens

RS Will Shipley

THIRD TEAM

QB Cade Klubnik

T Blake Miller

C Will Putnam

Edge Xavier Thomas

S Jalyn Phillips

Flex Andrew Mukuba

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Clemson players who will attend the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff have been announced

These Clemson players will attend the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Wednesday the 42 student-athletes who will attend the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff, July 25-27, at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the third consecutive year, each of the league’s 14 teams will bring three players to the annual event.

ACC Network will broadcast live from the ACC Football Kickoff. The three days of expansive coverage will begin at 9 a.m. every day and the 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports will provide the event’s most robust television coverage to date.

Among the offensive players in attendance at ACC Kickoff will be 11 quarterbacks, eight offensive linemen, three tight ends, two running backs and a wide receiver. Defensively, eight defensive linemen are scheduled to attend, joining five linebackers and four defensive backs.

The ACC continued to establish itself as the Conference of Quarterbacks in 2022, and many of the leading players return this season. Four of the quarterbacks at this year’s event ranked among the ACC’s top five in passing yards per game last season – North Carolina’s Drake Maye (308.6 – 1st), Florida State’s Jordan Travis (247.2 – 3rd), Duke’s Riley Leonard (228.2 – 4th) and NC State’s Brennan Armstrong (221.0 – 5th; while at Virginia).

Maye, the 2022 ACC Player of the Year, tied for the ACC lead with 38 passing touchdowns, two scores shy of the conference freshman record set by Florida State’s Jameis Winston in 2013. Maye’s 4,321 passing yards was the most ever by a freshman and ranks fifth all-time in the ACC.

Travis, who has thrown for nearly 5,900 yards in his time at FSU, returns after being Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) highest-graded FBS quarterback and the ACC’s highest-graded offensive player in the ACC (91.7). The West Palm Beach, Florida, native accounted for 32 touchdowns a season ago, the third-highest total in program history.

On the defensive side, the ACC’s top tackler in North Carolina’s Cedric Gray will be at this year’s event. Gray posted a Power-5 best 145 tackles with 82 solos in 2022, 27 tackles higher than second place. Miami’s Kam Kinchens, who paced the conference with six interceptions a season ago, will represent the Hurricanes at this year’s event. Kinchens was the first Miami DB to lead the ACC in interceptions since Artie Burns had six in 2015.

The ACC Kickoff student-athletes hail from 14 states with eight from Florida and six from North Carolina and Virginia. Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania will have three student-athletes apiece, while Maryland and New York will have two players each. Five states are each represented by one player, along with Ruisbroek, Belgium (Georgia Tech defensive lineman Sylvain Yondjouen).

The ACC celebrates its 71st season of football, as the conference continues to build off its storied tradition. The ACC has had a team in either the College Football Playoff or the BCS National Championship Game in eight of the last 10 years, including two teams in 2020. The ACC has the second most CFP appearances of any conference. The ACC posted five bowl victories in 2022, which tied for the second-most among all conferences.

The complete list of 2023 ACC Football Kickoff attendees include:

Boston College
Head Coach Jeff Hafley
Emmett Morehead, QB, Woodside, Calif.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, DL, Williamstown, N.J.
Christian Mahogany, OL, Elmwood Park, N.J.

Clemson
Head Coach Dabo Swinney
Cade Klubnik, QB, Austin, Texas
Will Putnam, OL, Tampa, Fla.
Tyler Davis, DL, Apopka, Fla.

Duke
Head Coach Mike Elko
Riley Leonard, QB, Fairhope, Ala.
DeWayne Carter, DL, Pickerington, Ohio
Jacob Monk, OL, Clayton, N.C.

Florida State
Head Coach Mike Norvell
Jordan Travis, QB, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Jared Verse, DL, Dayton, Ohio
Kalen DeLoach, LB, Savannah, Ga.

Georgia Tech
Head Coach Brent Key
LaMiles Brooks, DB, Jacksonville, Fla.
Jordan Williams, OL, Gainesville, Ga.
Sylvain Yondjouen, DL, Ruisbroek, Belgium

Louisville
Head Coach Jeff Brohm
Jawhar Jordan, RB, Long Island, N.Y.
Ashton Gillotte, DL, Boca Raton, Fla.
Bryan Hudson, OL, Georgetown, Ky.

Miami
Head Coach Mario Cristobal
Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Glastonbury, Conn.
Kam Kinchens, DB, Miami, Fla.
Matt Lee, OL, Oviedo, Fla.

North Carolina
Head Coach Mack Brown
Drake Maye, QB, Huntersville, N.C.
Cedric Gray, LB, Charlotte, N.C.
John Copenhaver, TE, Roswell, Ga.

NC State
Head Coach Dave Doeren
Brennan Armstrong, QB, Shelby, Ohio
Payton Wilson, LB, Hillsborough, N.C.
Aydan White, DB, Asheville, N.C.

Pitt
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi
Phil Jurkovec, QB, Pittsburgh, Pa.
MJ Devonshire, DB, Aliquippa, Pa.
Matt Goncalves, OL, Manorville, N.Y.

Syracuse
Head Coach Dino Babers
Garrett Shrader, QB, Charlotte, N.C.
Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Marlowe Wax, LB, Baltimore, Md.

Virginia
Head Coach Tony Elliott
Tony Muskett, QB, Springfield, Va.
Chico Bennett, DL, Ashburn, Va.
Perris Jones, RB, Alexandria, Va.

Virginia Tech
Head Coach Brent Pry
Nick Gallo, TE, Richboro, Pa.
Josh Fuga, DL, Woodbridge, Va.
Ali Jennings, WR, Richmond, Va.

Wake Forest
Head Coach Dave Clawson
Mitch Griffis, QB, Ashburn, Va.
Michael Jurgens, OL, Damascus, Md.
Chase Jones, LB, Warren, N.J.

-Via the ACC.com

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Top ACC players Notre Dame will be playing in 2023

Keep your eye on these players when the Irish face them.

In exchange for retaining its football independence, Notre Dame plays a certain number of ACC opponents every season. The only other sport in which Notre Dame is not an ACC member is hockey, which plays in the Big Ten. While old-school Irish fans might long for the days of the program being able to schedule almost anyone at anytime, some often forget that this arrangement means some thrilling football. The home wins over recent powerhouse Clemson in 2020 and 2022 are two examples.

College football isn’t back yet, but you still can look at the rosters and see which quality players play for whom. Twitter’s Big Game Boomer has done just that and come up with a list of the top 50 ACC players for the upcoming season. When you look at the list, you’ll see the Irish have many of them set to face them. Let’s see who the Irish are playing when you take away the players whose teams aren’t on their schedule:

Packers re-sign tight end Tyler Davis

The Packers brought back tight end Tyler Davis with a new deal to start the 2023 league year.

The Green Bay Packers announced the re-signing of tight end Tyler Davis on Wednesday, the start of the new league year.

Davis, a fourth-year tight end out of Georgia Tech, was a restricted free agent. The Packers did not offer a restricted tender but instead re-signed him with a new contract.

Davis caught four passes for 26 yards over 17 games last season. He also played a team-high 341 snaps on special teams. For his career, Davis has eight catches for 61 yards and 15 special teams tackles.

Bringing back Davis provides some roster stability at tight end, where Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis are free agents and only Josiah Deguara remained under contract from last year’s 53-man roster.

The Packers originally acquired Davis via waivers from the Colts in September of 2021. He has played in 31 total games for the Packers over the last two seasons. The Jacksonville Jaguars made Davis a sixth-round pick in 2020.

The Packers also announced the re-signing of kickoff returner/cornerback Keisean Nixon, a move that was reported Monday.

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Goodwin, Davis: Defense didn’t have right mindset in loss

After an uncharacteristic defensive performance by Clemson in a road loss to Notre Dame, many questions circulate about what went wrong for a defense that has shown glimmers of greatness during periods of the season and how such a talented unit can …

After an uncharacteristic defensive performance by Clemson in a road loss to Notre Dame, many questions circulate about what went wrong for a defense that has shown glimmers of greatness during periods of the season and how such a talented unit can regroup for this final stretch of the season.

Defensive coordinator Wesley Goodwin spoke to the media on Monday and described the week leading up to the Notre Dame game as the “best week of preparation all season.” Yet despite this preparation, the defensive unit looked rather flat on the field, missing assignments and just not playing with the level of physicality that has become part of its identity.

Goodwin reflected on the week leading up to the Notre Dame game and what’s next in terms of regrouping and looking ahead.

“I think there’s always self-reflection, hindsight is always 20/20,” he said. “You go back and see the issues that need to be corrected and move forward and fix those mistakes and grow and learn from it. Everybody’s got to own it, myself included, and look back at what went wrong. I felt like last week was our best week of preparation all season and everybody felt really confident going into the game and you know the result that happened, but everybody’s got to own it and grow from it and get better as we proceed forward.”

There wasn’t anything Goodwin could pinpoint as to how the Tigers’ best week of preparation led to their worst performance of the season on Saturday night.

“Some weeks you have a terrible week of preparation and you play your best,” he said. “So, it’s just one of those things sometimes you can’t put your finger on what went wrong, what went right.”

Senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis also spoke to the media on Monday and tried to pinpoint what went wrong for the defense against the Irish and what he believes the poor performance boiled down to.

“Mindset,” Davis said. “I don’t think we had the right mindset.”

Davis reflected on what factors may have incurred this mindset shift for the Tigers at this stage of the season with an 8-0 record at the time.

“I have no idea,” Davis said. “Yes, it is surprising, but we’re going to learn from the film and we are going to move forward.”

Goodwin agreed that the defense didn’t come out with a physical mindset, which he believes is a choice and that choice just wasn’t made on Saturday.

“I think physicality is a mindset everyone has to show up with,” Goodwin said. “I think that’s an intrinsic inside-out thought process. Maybe guys didn’t show up with the right mindset from that standpoint.”

The defensive coordinator emphasized that even with a poor performance, he believes the team can right the ship this week at practice, readjust their mindset and look ahead to an improved performance against Louisville.

“Everybody still knows what’s left on the table and in front of us,” he said. “Everybody’s showed up with the right mindset to get back to work. Guys are hungry for information for how they can grow and get better from this and we’re all pulling in the same direction moving forward.”

Keys for Notre Dame to upset Clemson

Lots of keys for the Irish in this battle

More keys? You bet there are as this game isn’t just going to hinge on a few moments for the Irish. Clemson is that older brother that you try and try to beat, with a win here and there. The Irish split their series in the COVID season of 2020, with the Tigers winning the ACC crown as their prize. Another undefeated Clemson team will return to South Bend, but this time a few different cast members are leading this charge. Find out more keys (if you haven’t check out John Kennedy’s keys, read them here) to the Irish pulling off another upset this fall.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen

Davis named Bednarik Award semifinalist

Congrats to the Clemson defender who was named a semifinalist for the prestigious award on Tuesday.

Via Clemson Athletic Communications:

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s outstanding defensive player of the year. More information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences and 1 independent school, with the PAC-12 and SEC boasting 5 candidates each and the Big Ten notching 4 spots. Bryce Young (Alabama), CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Bijan Robinson (Texas) join the list for the second consecutive year with the remaining candidates all being first-time semifinalists.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, with Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) being the lone Bednarik Award semifinalist returnee. Seven different conferences are represented, led by seven student-athletes from the Big Ten and five from the SEC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and the Bednarik Award went to Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Davis was selected with the No.10 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and Young is completing his junior season for the Crimson Tide.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 22 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 86th Maxwell Award and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on December 8, 2022. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 86th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held in March 2023.  Questions regarding the Maxwell and Bednarik semifinalist lists can be directed to: Mark Wolpert – mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or Rich Cirminiello – rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org.

Maxwell Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Bryce Young Alabama QB JR
Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama RB JR
Brock Bowers Georgia TE SO
Chase Brown Illinois RB JR
Blake Corum Michigan RB JR
Drake Maye North Carolina QB RS-FR
Michael Mayer Notre Dame TE JR
CJ Stroud Ohio State QB JR
Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State WR SO
Bo Nix Oregon QB SR
Israel Abanikanda Pittsburgh RB JR
Max Duggan TCU QB SR
Hendon Hooker Tennessee QB RS-SR
Jalin Hyatt Tennessee WR JR
Bijan Robinson Texas RB JR
DeWayne McBride UAB RB JR
Zach Charbonnet UCLA RB SR
Caleb Williams USC QB SO
Cam Rising Utah QB JR
Michael Penix Jr. Washington QB JR

 

Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Will Anderson Jr. Alabama LB JR
Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama CB SO
Drew Sanders Arkansas LB JR
Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati LB SR
Tyler Davis Clemson DT SR
Christopher Smith Georgia S SR
Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois DT SO
Devon Witherspoon Illinois CB JR
Jack Campbell Iowa LB SR
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State DE JR
Mike Morris Michigan DE SR
Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State CB JR
Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State LB SR
Jason Henderson Old Dominion LB SO
Joey Porter Jr. Penn State CB RS-JR
Calijah Kancey Pitt DT RS-JR
Tyree Wilson Texas Tech LB SR
Tuli Tuipulotu USC DT JR
Clark Phillips III Utah CB SO
John Torchio Wisconsin S SR

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resort, Ivy Rehab, The Buccini Pollin Group, the Edward T. Coombs Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

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Davis Named as Bednarik Award Semifinalist

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The …

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences and 1 independent school, with the PAC-12 and SEC boasting 5 candidates each and the Big Ten notching 4 spots. Bryce Young (Alabama), CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Bijan Robinson (Texas) join the list for the second consecutive year with the remaining candidates all being first-time semifinalists.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, with Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) being the lone Bednarik Award semifinalist returnee. Seven different conferences are represented, led by seven student-athletes from the Big Ten and five from the SEC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and the Bednarik Award went to Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Davis was selected with the No.10 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and Young is completing his junior season for the Crimson Tide.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 22 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 86th Maxwell Award and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on December 8, 2022. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 86th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held in March 2023.  Questions regarding the Maxwell and Bednarik semifinalist lists can be directed to: Mark Wolpert – mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or Rich Cirminiello – rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org.

Maxwell Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Bryce Young Alabama QB JR
Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama RB JR
Brock Bowers Georgia TE SO
Chase Brown Illinois RB JR
Blake Corum Michigan RB JR
Drake Maye North Carolina QB RS-FR
Michael Mayer Notre Dame TE JR
CJ Stroud Ohio State QB JR
Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State WR SO
Bo Nix Oregon QB SR
Israel Abanikanda Pittsburgh RB JR
Max Duggan TCU QB SR
Hendon Hooker Tennessee QB RS-SR
Jalin Hyatt Tennessee WR JR
Bijan Robinson Texas RB JR
DeWayne McBride UAB RB JR
Zach Charbonnet UCLA RB SR
Caleb Williams USC QB SO
Cam Rising Utah QB JR
Michael Penix Jr. Washington QB JR

Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Will Anderson Jr. Alabama LB JR
Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama CB SO
Drew Sanders Arkansas LB JR
Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati LB SR
Tyler Davis Clemson DT SR
Christopher Smith Georgia S SR
Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois DT SO
Devon Witherspoon Illinois CB JR
Jack Campbell Iowa LB SR
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State DE JR
Mike Morris Michigan DE SR
Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State CB JR
Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State LB SR
Jason Henderson Old Dominion LB SO
Joey Porter Jr. Penn State CB RS-JR
Calijah Kancey Pitt DT RS-JR
Tyree Wilson Texas Tech LB SR
Tuli Tuipulotu USC DT JR
Clark Phillips III Utah CB SO
John Torchio Wisconsin S SR

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resort, Ivy Rehab, The Buccini Pollin Group, the Edward T. Coombs Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

Grading Clemson’s defense at the bye week

How has Clemson’s s defense performed this season? Here’s a grade for the unit at the Tigers’ bye week.

The 2022 college football season has been far more friendly towards Clemson, with the Tigers defense performing at a high level like fans have become accustomed to.

Dabo Swinney and the Tigers currently rank as the No.5 team in the country with an undefeated record 8-0 (6-0 ACC) and will get some much needed rest this weekend during their bye week. While the Tigers have played some great football this season, the bye week is coming at a great time as the team struggled in their 27-21 win over Syracuse.

As we wait for more Clemson football past the bye week, now felt like a time to break down and asses how the Tigers have been performing this season. 

Here is a look at our grades for Clemson’s defensive performance so far this season. 

Defense ‘responded to the challenge’ in helping Clemson stay perfect

Whether it was on the ground or through the air, Syracuse came out gashing Clemson’s defense. Syracuse averaged nearly 7 yards per play against the Tigers in the first half of Saturday’s tilt of ranked unbeatens in the ACC. Dual-threat quarterback …

Whether it was on the ground or through the air, Syracuse came out gashing Clemson’s defense.

Syracuse averaged nearly 7 yards per play against the Tigers in the first half of Saturday’s tilt of ranked unbeatens in the ACC. Dual-threat quarterback Garrett Shrader was the Tigers’ biggest issue. Shrader, one of the more improved passers in the conference coming into the game, connected on nine of his first 11 passes against Clemson defense that often chose to sit back and rush just four.

Shrader got Syracuse on the board with a touchdown pass to running back Sean Tucker, who beat defensive end KJ Henry on a wheel route to the end zone. With much of Clemson’s focus on corralling Tucker, the ACC’s second-leading rusher coming in, Shrader also ran for 73 yards in the first two quarters, sometimes on designed runs and other times when breaking Clemson’s contain to make something out of nothing with his legs.

“You don’t realize how fast Shrader is,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “You take a bad angle on him, and he’s a problem.”

So when the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder got out of the pocket against another four-man rush late in the second quarter and also outraced the rest of Clemson’s defense to the pylon for a 7-yard score that gave Syracuse its largest lead at 21-7, defensive coordinator Wesley Goodwin knew something had to change.

“We had to change our mindset,” defensive tackle Tyler Davis said. “We had to tighten up some little things, come out with a whole different mindset and go attack.”

That touchdown run was the last bit of scoring the Orange would do. And with Clemson ramping up the pressure in the final two quarters, yards were hard to come by, too.

Swinney and Goodwin said the plan coming in was to limit Tucker’s touches on the ground, though even Goodwin said he was even surprised the Orange’s All-American tailback got just five carries. That helped Clemson contain Tucker, who averaged 10.8 yards a pop on the few chances he got, as much as anything.

Goodwin said the Tigers adjusted some of their edge pressures to try to better hem up Shrader on the ground in the second half. Some of that was simply putting more defenders at the line of scrimmage and playing man coverage on the back end, an approach that’s also burned Clemson’s new-look back seven at times this season.

But the strategy paid off Saturday with the Tigers’ defense giving the offense every chance to make its comeback. Shrader threw for just 77 yards after halftime and had minus-2 rushing yards as Clemson racked up four of its five sacks in the final two quarters.

Syracuse netted just 35 yards on its first six possessions of the second half, all of which ended in punts. During that time, the Tigers, who committed a season-high four turnovers through the first two and a half quarters, held onto the ball long enough to score two touchdowns to take the lead.

“Guys gained more confidence as we got in the game and realized they match up with them,” Goodwin said. “Just tighten down on our alignments, play tight man coverage, and the guys responded to the challenge.” 

After B.T. Potter extended the lead on a 44-yard field goal with 1 minutes, 33 seconds left, Syracuse had one last chance to drive for at least a tying touchdown and perhaps the win. This time, it was Clemson’s turn to come up with a takeaway. With Syracuse marching in Clemson territory, safety R.J. Mickens capped the defense’s dominant second half with one last bit of aggression, jumping a route in zone coverage to intercept Shrader in the waning seconds.

“I just knew they were hitting us on the seams, so I was going to pack it in,” Mickens said. “The quarterback scrambled out, so I just played off his eyes and made the play.”

With the defense’s help, the Tigers are the last unbeaten in the ACC and still have hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff heading into the final third of the regular season.

“We adjusted within our game plan, but our guys responded and obviously rose to the occasion without giving up any points in the second half,” Goodwin said. “They did what we needed to do to win the game.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

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!