Clemson Football: 2020 seems to be a bridge year not a national title year

Coming to terms that a national title is likely not in the cards for Clemson Football in 2020.

The 47-40 double-overtime loss to Notre Dame was by no means a death knell to the Clemson football postseason hopes. Certainly, the Tigers have no margin for error moving forward but the door is still open for a sixth consecutive College Football Playoff appearance.

Some will argue this is a prisoner of the moment opinion. Instead, this is an opinion based on eight games that have shown the Tigers to have the ability to beat lesser quality opponents despite their youth and inefficiencies.

This program is still the best program in the ACC and is still one of the top programs in college football. While fans across the country are hoping that the Tigers finally have a chink in the armor, there just seems to be a youth issue.

The talent on the Clemson roster is off the charts. It is apparent the future is bright but talent needs to time gain experience and learn the details of the game. That was on full display Saturday night in South Bend.

That said, there are three very specific areas on this roster that are not national championship-worthy and that is becoming clearer and clearer every week.

Offensive line

The offensive line is probably the most concerning of the three areas that have hurt Clemson football in 2020. The baffling part is Coach Swinney continues to say that there is no problem with this group, he must be watching something the rest of us aren’t because this group continues to struggle, especially in the rushing game.

There is a lot to like about the young offensive linemen Walker Parks, Paul Tchio, Mason Trotter, Hunter Rayburn, Will Putnam to name a few.

Experience and development are key across football but probably no other position group in football is that more key than at offensive line. If this group can remain healthy and continue to grow, there is a reason for hope in years to come.

Clemson secondary

The Clemson secondary continues to struggle in one on one matchups, Derion Kendrick is the most experienced corner and Nolan Turner brought over 500 snaps of experience into 2020, there were still numerous roles to be filled by young men who lacked the snaps but had the physical tools to compete.

The play from this group has been less than average and they seem more focused on celebrating plays they didn’t actually make than actually making plays to help this defense win games.

Coach Swinney repeatedly talks about how talented this group is but Mike Reed seems to be having a lot of trouble developing them into bonafide corners that Clemson football has had over the last 10 years.

Defensive line

The Clemson football defensive is functioning without Tyler Davis, Justin Foster and Xavier Thomas is still a work in progress as he works his way back.

Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy are going to be dominant. They have certainly flashed throughout the fall but they faced competition last night against men who are ahead of them in experience and development and it showed.

The two freshman phenoms made plays last night but were less effective going against a Notre Dame offensive line that had a combined 142 college football starts among them. You can’t teach that type of experience and that was a huge factor Saturday night.

The departures from the Clemson football roster during the last two years are difficult for even the most elite programs to withstand. Inevitably the experience gaps catch up with even the best of the best. Eight games in and it is looking like 2020 could be a bridge year to even better things ahead.