The Clemson football team will take on Syracuse Saturday night. Here are some intriguing questions heading into the match up with the Orange.
Clemson will take on the Syracuse Orange at 7:30 p.m. tonight on ABC. The Orange just took a beating from Maryland and will be looking to rebound against the Tigers.
Here are a few questions to ponder as we head into the match up against Syracuse.
Will Trevor Lawrence get his interceptions under control?
After the first two games of the 2019 season, Trevor Lawrence has already come close to his 2018 interception total of four by throwing three interceptions against Georgia Tech and Texas A&M.
I do not believe this to be an issue. With any quarterback hailed as a possible No. 1 overall pick in the near future, there will be a lot of pressure on him. Interceptions will happen and you have to overcome shortfalls. He’ll continue to improve and get better as the season progresses.
How will Travis Etienne be used?
After rushing for 205 yards on 12 carries against Georgia Tech, Etienne only amounted to 53 yards on 16 touches against Texas A&M primarily because the defense was dialed in on his number as compared to fellow running back Lyn-J Dixon who went for 79 yards on 11 rushes.
Honestly, if defenses continue to dial in on Etienne like A&M did, I can foresee the rushing attack becoming more of a time share. While it can’t be completely judged on this game, it should be taken into account over the next couple of games.
What will the split be between Passing and Rushing
Through the first two games of the season, Clemson has rushed on 55 percent of their offensive plays and passed on 45 percent. The main question I have is will this trend continue or will they unleash Trevor Lawrence and let him throw the ball.
For Clemson to succeed this season, they can’t rely on just one style of offensive scheme.
Will Trevor Lawrence bolster his Heisman Trophy run?
As of right now, the five names to pay attention to in the Heisman Trophy run are Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Johnathan Taylor and Travis Etienne.
Naturally, the running backs would be put on the back burner right now as it’s a battle of the quarterbacks. So, the question is: Can Trevor Lawrence gain the edge on Herbert and Tua? Honestly this question will be reflective on if they let Trevor pass the ball more and he show that the hype is real.
These are just a few questions that came to mind going into this weeks match-up; especially with this being a game that shows whether Clemson belongs on top of the ACC and the College Football rankings.