Many Clemson football fans have concerns about the Tiger defense heading into 2019, but the unit is going to surprise a lot of people in 2019.
There are plenty of reasons for Clemson football fans to be a little nervous about the defense in 2019.
After all, the Tigers did just lose a plethora of talent off of last year’s defense including Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant, Trayvon Mullen, Albert Huggins, Kendall Joseph, Tre Lamar, the Davis twins and Mark Fields.
Those guys played a ton of snaps last season and their production will need to be replaced. It also should be noted that it wasn’t just their talent, but experience that paid off for the 2018 Clemson football team as the Tigers made their run to a National Championship.
Though this 2019 defensive unit is inexperienced, the Tigers will be just fine in 2019.
Why? A man named Brent Venables.
Venables has made top-10 defenses out of way less talent than what he has to work with this season. He’s the best defensive coordinator in the nation and he still has Isaiah Simmons, AJ Terrell, K’Von Wallace and Tanner Muse all returning as starters. In addition, he has talented players that have waited their turn and are looking to make a name for themselves like Xavier Thomas, Nyles Pinckney, Jordan Williams, KJ Henry, Justin Foster, Justin Mascoll, Chad Smith, James Skalski and plenty of others.
This Tiger defense is going to be hungry.
They know that people doubt what they’ll be able to do this season. They know that expectations are that they’ll take several steps back. And because of that, I think we’ll see them step up and play up to their potential.
I’m not here to say that Clemson will have the top defense in the country this season, but top-five certainly is in this group’s wheelhouse. The key will be replacing leadership and developing the linebackers, especially, rather quickly.
If they can do those things, I think the secondary has a chance to be much improved from last season and the pass-rush will certainly be a lethal part of the unit with guys like Thomas, Mascoll, Foster and Henry leading the way.
The Tiger defense is going to be just fine in 2019.