So we have enjoyed an appetizer of college football, but the season begins in earnest this weekend as some of the bigger conferences get in on the action, including the preseason number one team in the nation. Here is a look at some of the things to watch for during Week 2 of the college football season.
#1 Clemson at Wake Forest
The 2020 college football season begins in earnest on Saturday, September 12 as seven teams in the preseason Top 25 are in action, including preseason number one Clemson. The Tigers, coming off a loss to LSU in last season’s National Championship Game, return a number of starters in both sides of the ball and are expected to make yet another run at a national title.
Clemson returns 12 starters this season but the most notable is of course quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In two years at Clemson Lawrence has led the Tigers to a 25-1 record as their starting quarterback, and is considered by many to be the top quarterback for the 2021 NFL Draft. Last season he threw for 3,665 yards and 36 touchdowns. But Lawrence is not the only weapon the Tigers return on offense. Running back Travis Etienne decided to forgo the 2020 NFL Draft and return to school, and he is also in contention for the top player at his position in the upcoming draft. Clemson also sees two starting wide recievers from last season return in Justyn Ross and Amari Rodgers, as well as tight end J.C. Chark.
On defense, Brent Venables continues to change things up schematically, as last season Clemson often utilized a 3-1-7 personnel package on that side of the ball. Of course, having the versatile Isaiah Simmons in your huddle makes such a decision easy. The Tigers should be stout up front, returning four players to their defensive line including defensive ends Justin Foster and Xavier Thomas, and defensive tackles Tyler Davis and Nyles Pinckney. Middle linebacker James Skalaski finished second on the team in tackles last year and is back for his final college season. The secondary will be filled with new names, but cornerback Derion Kendrick is back. Kendrick moved to CB last season from wide receiver, and earned All-ACC honors.
Wake Forest expected to be in a much different position at this point when the 2019 season ended. However, due to transfers and opt-outs some of their best players from a season ago are not going to be taking the field for the Demon Deacons in this game. Quarterback Jamie Newman, who threw 35 touchdown passes for Wake Forest over 15 starts, is now in Athens having transferred as a graduate to Georgia. Defensive end Carlos Basham Jr., who was a first-team All-ACC selection and second in the conference in sacks, decided to opt-out of the season due to COVID-19 and focus on the draft, where he could be a first-round pick. Then there is wide receiver Sage Surratt, who decided to opt-out as well.
They do return some talent up front on defense, even with the loss of Basham. Returning starters on the inside include Tyler Williams and Sulaiman Kamara, as well as Basham’s former running mate, EDGE JaCorey Johns. Linebackers Ja’Cquez Williams and Ryan Smenda Jr. are back as well. Offensively, the Demon Deacons turn to Sam Hartman at quarterback, who started nine games for the team as a freshman but saw his season cut short due to a broken leg.
Matchup to watch: Lawrence versus #DraftTwitter. The life cycle of a draft prospect at the quarterback position is a fascinating case study. Lawrence might be QB1 on many boards right now, but one mistake and…
Draft prospects to watch: You could make the case that anyone wearing a Clemson jersey is worth studying for the draft, either in 2021 or beyond. Lawrence and Etienne are the headliners, but offensive tackle Jackson Carman (it is unfortunate we miss out on him against Basham), Ross and Rodgers all have early-round potential.
Scheme notes: While Lawrence gathers the bulk of headlines, defensive coaches have spent most of the offseason studying what defensive coordinator Brent Venables was running last year with the Tigers. Given the hybrid defenders at his disposal, Venables implemented a complex 3-1-7 defensive scheme that confused quarterbacks and coaches alike.
Take this near-interception of Justin Fields. The Clemson defense shows the quarterback a two-high safety look pre-snap, but rotates into an inverted Cover 3 look with both safeties dropping into hook zones, while the cornerbacks and the middle linebacker run the deep alleys:
