It’s the question every single Clemson football opponent will be asking themselves all season long: How do you stop the Tiger offense?
You can’t stop the Clemson football offense, thanks for reading.
That probably should be the end of the article. But, in all seriousness, opponents of the Tigers are going to be pondering the same question for the majority of this season. They’ll be asking themselves if there is a way to slow down the Tigers just long enough to get a score or two ahead. They’ll be wondering if there’s a way to deal with the passing game that includes Trevor Lawrence, Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins, while also stopping a run game led by Travis Etienne.
When you throw in the fact that Clemson has one of the top offensive lines in the country, it’s clear that stopping the Tigers will be no easy task.
Today, we’re going to get in the minds of the opponents for a bit and look at a way that may slow down the 2019 Clemson football offense, at least for a short time.
Analysis:
After reviewing film from last season, there is pattern that I think we’re going to see from opposing defenses and it involves one word: Pressure.
If your defense tries to ‘play it safe’ and sits back in coverage, Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are going to tear you apart. The only- and I stress only- way to potentially slow down this lethal offense is to apply pressure.
Bring exotic blitzes. Rush five, maybe even six guys. Try to get to the quarterback and make Lawrence throw the ball away (because he’s not very likely to throw an interception). Then, you can hope for a bad punt from Will Spiers and decent field position.
Bringing blitzes and stacking the box will allow opponents to stop the run while slowing down the passing game, assuming they can get to Lawrence. It won’t work for too long because Clemson will begin to get the ball out quicker on shorter routes, but it could be something that helps establish the defense early in a game.
That’s what Syracuse did last year, and it worked for a while. When you go back and look at film, the only success you can really find is when opposing defenses brought pressure. That’s going to be the key for Clemson football. The Tigers are going to have to deal with the pressure and know that teams are going to try and get to Lawrence while slowing down the running game, as well.