Clemson football: 10 things that will define Tigers’ 2021 season

The 2021 Clemson football season will be defined by these things

9. The success & depth – or lack thereof- of the Clemson skill positions

There’s no doubting the talent that Clemson possesses at the skill positions.

You’ve got Will Shipley, Lyn-J Dixon, Kobe Pace and Phil Mafah at running back.

You’ve got Justyn Ross, E.J. Williams, Joseph Ngata, Frank Ladson Jr., Dacari Collins, Beaux Collins, Troy Stellato and Brannon Spector at wide receiver.

These are talented players who have all at the very least shown flashes of greatness or who were highly-recruited. But can they put it all together?

Can Ngata and Ladson Jr. stay healthy? What does Justyn Ross look like after a year off? Can E.J. Williams step up as the new consistent option for the Tigers? What does the running back rotation look like and can they provide an explosiveness out of the backfield to make up for what is lost by Travis Etienne?

The depth of these positions, or the downfall of these positions, will be on display this season and may very well be the difference between a National Championship and coming up short.