The No. 12 Clemson Tigers appear to be in a slumber to start the year, struggling against LSU in the opener and Troy last week.
Sometimes, the way to get out of a funk or jumpstart the vibes is a road trip. Clemson is hoping that’s the case Saturday at noon when the Tigers take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
As much as Clemson has struggled statistically on offense and maybe not lived up to the high expectations defensively at times, the opportunity to start 1-0 in ACC play could spark better play. This is a huge game with major implications down the road when it comes to who goes to Charlotte in December for the conference title game.
But vibes and stakes alone don’t breed winning. Execution does, especially when you have the talent the Tigers possess. There are three critical areas Clemson must win to get off to a good start in the ACC and extend the Tigers’ winning streak over the Yellow Jackets to 10 games.
Believe in the run
Clemson hasn’t handled this facet of the game well this year, ranking 125th in rushing yards per carry and 129th in EPA per rush. Some of it is on the playcalling. Clemson needs to establish and stick to it better, like in the beginning of the second half last week. The offensive line can certainly play better, and QB Cade Klubnik needs to get more involved with his legs.
This might just be the week all of that comes together. The Yellow Jackets rank 114th in EPA per rush defense and allowed 146 rushing yards to Colorado in Week 1. The Tigers have to stick with the run, even if Tech loads the box early and yards are hard to come by. There will be opportunities for Adam Randall to get going throughout the game, and the strategy of putting it all on Klubnik’s shoulders didn’t work out well in the first six halves of the season. This is Clemson’s chance to right some wrongs.
Down and distance
Another area that’s plagued Georgia Tech’s defense through two games against Colorado and Gardner-Webb is giving up too many yards on first and second downs. The Yellow Jackets rank 104 nationally in EPA plays on those early downs, which has set them up to be 115th in third-down distance.
However, opponents have only converted 29% of those third downs, meaning GT has been able to withstand the lack of early down success. That puts Clemson, which is converting only 32% (118th nationally) on third down, in a situation where any third-and-long will feel like a mile. The Tigers have to gain positive yards early, when the Jackets are more susceptible, and that comes from an effective run game and timely playcalling.
Hit Haynes
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King missed last week’s game with a “lower body injury.” However, he’s listed as “available,” according to Georgia Tech’s official report. So was he just resting because GT played an FCS team or is his health a real concern? Who knows? Head coach Brent Key was pretty low-key about his QB and gave no clear indicator. Aaron Philo was solid in his replacement role last week, so Clemson better be preparing for two quarterbacks.
Assuming King goes, and this isn’t a game of cat and mouse, Clemson’s defensive priority is to get King on the ground as soon as possible. He’s one of the dangerous runners in the ACC.. He had 156 ground yards and three touchdown runs against Colorado, rumbling 45 yards for the game-winning score. This is an element that defensive coordinator Tom Allen and the Tigers haven’t faced so far this year. Clemson’s defensive front and linebackers must handle Tech’s multifaceted power run game. If he’s not healthy, the Tigers must make him feel it when he does decide to run and when he sits in the pocket looking to throw.