Clemson Football: Could we see more Xavier Thomas vs. Notre Dame?

Could Clemson football use Xavier Thomas more in specialized packages in the Tigers’ matchup with Notre Dame Saturday in the Cotton Bowl?

The Clemson football team will be looking to improve to 13-0 with a victory over Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers have had several weeks to prepare and, with that in mind, I think there’s a few specialized things they might employ against the Irish’s offense.

We all know the big matchup.

It’s going to be Ian Book and that Notre Dame wide receiver corp against Clemson’s secondary, which has been a weakness at times this season for the Tigers.

Because of that inconsistency, I think Brent Venables will dial up some packages to help get Book uncomfortable and make things not as easy for Book and that Irish offense.

Could Xavier Thomas be part of that plan?

Look, there’s really two ways to stop a passing attack.

1. Your defensive backs make sure wide receivers stay covered
2. You create pressure on the quarterback

If the defensive backs are seemingly the weakness of your defense, you have to find a way to stop the passing game in another way.

Because of that, I think you’re going to see Clemson dial up pressures and make Ian Book uncomfortable. A package we haven’t seen too often, but would really help in slowing down the passing game and creating pressure is the three defensive end package

We saw it against Syracuse and haven’t seen it very much since then.

I’d really like to see Xavier Thomas, Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant on the field at the same time with either Christian Wilkins or Dexter Lawrence at defensive tackle.

A package like that would be tough to defend and would certainly lead to pressure in the backfield. You can’t have that type of personnel in on every play, but it would be great to see flashes of it throughout the game and in obvious passing situations.