Clemson football’s safety group has plenty of experience and talent. Can the position grow and develop from an inconsistent performance last year?
One of the most experienced groups on the Clemson football team in 2019 is the safeties.
The Tigers return both starters in Tanner Muse and K’Von Wallace, as well as key reserves like Nolan Turner and Denzel Johnson. When you add in a plethora of talented freshmen, led by 4-star Joseph Charleston, you can see why there’s reason to be excited about the backend of that Clemson football defense.
Though the position is experienced, it was certainly one of the most questioned positions of 2018.
During the regular season of 2018, there were plenty of spots where the safeties were out of position and gave up some huge plays. One of the games where this was most prevalent was in the South Carolina game, where the Gamecocks had wide open wide-outs and put up 35 points on the Tigers.
In the ACC Championship game and the CFB Playoff, the safeties played like a different unit. They still gave up a few plays, but we saw better coverage and more discipline from the group as a whole. Wallace is a projected All-ACC player, and Muse could be on the verge of that honor, as well.
As we head into the thick of summer, here’s what Clemson football fans can expect from the safeties.
Summer Expectations: Safeties
It should be expected that both Wallace and Muse learn from the mistakes they made in 2018 and come back as even better safeties.
Both of them show traits and have the ability to develop into solid players on the backend of that defense.
The depth at this position could be key for the Tigers moving forward and fans should certainly keep their eyes on Joseph Charleston, a really talented freshman option at safety.
The safety group has plenty of talent and experience, but it will be interesting to see how the Tigers develop coming into this season.