With Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence moving onto the NFL, will Clemson football continue the ‘Jumbo’ package? Here’s a dream combination.
We’re all wondering the same thing when it comes to Clemson football’s offense.
We’re not wondering about how the wide receivers will rotate or if there will be enough depth in the running back room or how Trevor Lawrence has improved since we last saw him in the spring. We’re not wondering about the depth and talent of the offensive line or how the Tigers will manage with just three scholarship tight ends on the roster in 2019.
Every Clemson football fan is obviously focused on the same dilemma: How will the Tigers run the Jumbo Package with no Christian Wilkins or Dexter Lawrence on the roster?
Obviously, there’s a bit of sarcasm here, but it definitely is a legitimate question.
There was nothing- and I mean nothing- more satisfying and comforting than seeing the Tigers call in the Jumbo Package in 4th-and-short or goal line situations. It was almost as if Clemson football fans already knew that the Tigers were going to get the yardage needed.
You could just chalk it up as a victory. No defense could stop the power and explosiveness of Dexter Lawrence as the lead-blocker and Christian Wilkins running the football. So, with the two players now in the NFL, can the Tigers continue the Jumbo package?
The answer is a resounding ‘yes.’
There are a few options when talking about what Clemson could do in a short-yardage situation coming out of the I-Formation.
To keep the same set, you’d need a solid lead-blocker and an explosive running back. We’ve got the answer: Freshman Jaelyn Lay moves to the FB position and Xavier Thomas lines up as your tailback.
Now, for this answer to make sense, you need to go back and watch Thomas’s high school film. He actually played running back at that level and was an absolute monster. He had the speed needed to blow past defenders, but was just stronger and more athletic than the competition.
In many respects, that’s going to continue to be the case here in college. Thomas just has that quick first-step and is able to explode off the football. If he gets going downhill, opposing defenders aren’t going to stop him from getting the needed yardage.
Why Lay as the lead-blocker? That answer is pretty simple. If you watch Lay’s film, you’ll see that he relishes the opportunity to be a lead-blocker. The true-freshman is up to 270 pounds and could be a force in opening up holes in the running game. If he has confidence, there wouldn’t be any stopping the Tigers from moving the ball the needed yardage and continuing the drive- or punching the ball in for a touchdown.
It’s just a fun idea, but it’s definitely not out of the equation that we see a lineup similar to this during the 2019 season.