The backfield duo of Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne is vastly underrated for Clemson football heading into the final month of the season.
Because of the slow start that Clemson football had offensively, national analysts completely wrote off the Tigers’ explosiveness.
Even though Clemson has scored 59 points in back-to-back weeks- given against lesser competition– no one seems to remember the talent that the Tigers possess on the offensive side of the ball.
Though programs like Ohio State, Alabama and LSU were praised for beating up and scoring a ton of points on mediocre opponents, people seem to forget about Clemson football.
Everyone wants to talk about Trevor Lawrence’s early season struggles, but not what he has done as of late. People want to talk about the two-game stretch where Travis Etienne had a little bit of trouble, but not his impressive performances as of late.
As a result, the dynamic backfield that was considered one of the best in the nation coming into the season has now become vastly underrated.
To this point in the 2019 Clemson football season, Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne have combined for 38 touchdowns. Lawrence has thrown for 2,027 yards and 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions (164.1 QB rating) and has also rushed for 262 yards and six touchdowns.
Travis Etienne has 1,102 yards rushing on 123 carries (9.0 YPC) and 11 rushing touchdowns. He also has 184 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown.
That’s right, Clemson football fans.
These are two guys that have been absolutely ripped by the national media over the course of the season, but now everyone has grown quiet on them. Etienne is averaging nine yards per carry, but still isn’t even the conversation- according to many analysts- as the best running back in the nation.
Trevor Lawrence has been bashed all season, but he has a higher QB rating at this point in the season than he did last year. He has also accounted for 26 touchdowns and averaging 9.0 yards per attempt, nearly a yard more than last season (8.3).
This duo has improved immensely during this season and they are without a doubt one of the most explosive and talented backfields in the nation. Analysts can keep sleeping on Lawrence and Etienne, but that isn’t going to change the facts that these two are dangerous together and that Clemson backfield is one of the best- if not the best- in the country.