In order for Clemson to be successful in its first ACC outing of the season, the Tigers defense must continue to step up. The unit's Week 2 performance against Georgia Southern was far from perfect, but it was a noticeable improvement from Week 1's disastrous effort versus LSU.
The Tigers were especially better against the run in Week 2, giving up just 22 yards on the ground to the Eagles. Tom Allen’s unit will need to find a way to build on that in order to shut down Billy Edwards Jr. and the rest of Bobby Petrino's Tar Heels offense on Saturday afternoon.
So how exactly do the Tigers do that? By taking away their offensive strengths early in the first half.
Clemson needs to know where UNC star TE Jelani Thurman is at all times
The most important thing the defense will need to do to contain the UNC offense is know where tight end Jelani Thurman is on every snap. Thurman has been transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.’s favorite target so far this season. The redshirt junior currently has eight receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown in the Tar Heels' first two games of the year, playing a huge part in their 2-0 start as well.
Petrino likes to move Thurman around in different formations to find ways to get him the football. The UNC staff believes Thurman is their best offensive player, so they will want to create ways for him to make plays for them. It will be up to Allen's Clemson defense to know where he is lined up and make sure he is covered on every play.
The defense has to do an even better job containing Thurman than they did Tre’Dez Green versus LSU. If the defense can make Thurman a non-factor in this game, they will take away a big piece of the Tar Heels’ offense. Petrino is a strong offensive mind, but taking away Edwards' favorite weapon will be to the benefit of the Tigers in this one.
Stopping the run is paramount in making sure Clemson staves off UNC
The second most important thing the Tigers will have to do is stop the North Carolina rushing attack. The Tar Heels have three different backs they like to rotate through who can all get the job done for them between the tackles.
Benjamin Hall is their leading rusher with 15 carries for 85 yards on the season. Demon June has the most touchdowns with three, to go along with his 13 carries for 58 yards. Jaylen McGill has 10 carries on the year so far for 73 yards and a touchdown.
UNC has not necessarily displayed the ability to run a team out of the stadium just yet. The Tar Heels only averaged 125.5 total rushing yards in their first two games. However, they do have three solid running backs who will keep defenses honest when defending the run.
Edwards is the type of quarterback that needs a solid rushing attack to open up passing lanes for him. If the defense can keep the ground game in check, while also taking away Edwards’ favorite weapon, it could be a long day for the North Carolina offense.
The best pathway forward for Clemson to win this one is to contain the UNC offense throughout.
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