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Clemson football: New Orleans has Clemson singing the blues

By James Bostic

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Tyreke Smith (11) tackles Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (72) and defensive end Jonathon Cooper (0) also provide pressure during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Ohio State won 49-28.College Football Playoff Ohio State Faces Clemson In Sugar Bowl
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Tyreke Smith (11) tackles Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (72) and defensive end Jonathon Cooper (0) also provide pressure during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Ohio State won 49-28.College Football Playoff Ohio State Faces Clemson In Sugar Bowl /
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New Orleans has Clemson football singing the blues

Clemson football has an anyplace, anytime, anywhere mentality.

It has served them well during the past 10 years as they have won games in Scottsdale, College Station, Auburn, Miami Gardens, Santa Clara, etc. That being said, the Tigers find themselves 0-3 during that same time period in games played in New Orleans.

Clemson football has been out scored 115-59 in the last three games played in New Orleans.

In all three, you have seen the Tiger offenses unable to match the physicality and intensity of their opponents.

All three games were played against defensive units that had shown weaknesses during the regular season but showed up in New Orleans loaded for bear. 2018 saw an Alabama team that had putz and futz for much of the season then show up in the Sugar Bowl completely reinvigorated.

Last January, LSU made the short trip to New Orleans having given up points to Texas, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss. Yet they brought a physicality and edge that overwhelmed the Tigers. Then, it happened again against Ohio State, and now we have a trend.

The Clemson rushing attack has been stymied in the Superdome averaging 89 yards/gm. In all three games, Travis Etienne was the leading rusher and averaged 44 yards/gm, never rushing for over 100 in all three.

That is unacceptable.

It does not matter how transcendent you are at quarterback and receiver, football with all its advances, is still a line of scrimmage game. The team that controls the lines of scrimmage 9 times out of 10 is going to win.

You can have all the fancy route trees you want. If you cannot hold up along the lines of scrimmage you are in trouble.

Something has to change because Alabama and Ohio State are not going to agree to a 7 on 7 matchup. Clemson has to get meaner and more physical on the offensive line.

Next. Thank you, Travis Etienne. dark

At this point what you do against ACC competition is meaningless. It is about being equipped for postseason runs and the current way of doing things is not getting it done.

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