Clemson Postgame

[wvGT11]

Three reasons why we won't win the Coastal: Offensive line, Defensive line, Bryce Perkins and UVA are right now far better judging by their first game with Pitt. A very good team is UVA but still no match for Clemson and they may not beat Miami.

How about we don't judge the team based on one game against the no 1 team in the country. Yeah the OL looked bad, but there is still a lot of games that can change that for us.

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[Skeptic]

A few observations:

• Before the game I kept posting in the threads about the OL that our real worry was the DL. Yep. The OL looked ok for it's first game in a new offense - the whole O looked ok for a first game, imho, especially since it was against the defending national champion. The DL and LBs left something to be desired. Admittedly, they were working for the first time in a new D, had the appropriate teething problems, and were on the field far too long. But this was where our concerns should have been pre-season.

• Did I mention that it was a first game in a new O? Yes, I see I did. Everyone bellyaching about Tobias's play should remember that. I thought he played pretty well and I don't understand the folks here who say he can't throw. He can. And he can run. What he needs - listening, Coach? - is more double options to run. He was running too many called QB sweeps. He's talented, so that worked. For awhile. Mind, I understand the decision process.

• I said before the season that I suspected that Graham could end up as our starting QB on sheer athletic ability. I'll stand by that. I don't know that he will; we'll have to see how the O works when it isn't up against a top 10 D. There's no question that he's something on a football field, however.

• We have to learn how to run the shotgun spread so as to eat more clock. If there was one thing I didn't like one bit in the game it was that we were in and out too quickly. I know Coach and P want to run an up tempo O. Fine. We should do that most of the time. We should also be ready to run the O for ToP as well. Clemson did it and wore our D out fairly quickly.

• One of the things I liked about the spread option is that a team that blitzed as much as Clemson did was asking for and usually got it. It's bothersome to suddenly have to worry about the blitz when we finally have a QB(s) who can throw. But there it is. The RBs will simply have to get used to it. Again, more double options would help.

• I know what Dabo's bedtime prayer after the game was. "Dear Lord, thank you for your infinite mercy and for not making my team face James Graham in the spread option offense." Because, sports fans, that would have been a very different ball game. We would have lost, of course, but it would have been different.. And no question that James would have been our starter, imho.

I like almost all of this post, but color me, if you will, skeptical that Oliver could throw the ball into the ocean from a rowboat. Yes, it is gross exaggeration, but we have had time to see Oliver throw the ball, under pressure or no, and he hasn't. (Even the "pressure" excuse wears thin, because sooner or later even the best of 'em has to throw under the gun.) Wish it were so, because unless it is Graham, who else among that stable can throw it? And by "throw" i mean tight balls into small windows, or downfield to let a WR make a play on it. Got my fingers crossed, else we are in for a year of option football without the option.

 

[takethepoints]

I like almost all of this post, but color me, if you will, skeptical that Oliver could throw the ball into the ocean from a rowboat. Yes, it is gross exaggeration, but we have had time to see Oliver throw the ball, under pressure or no, and he hasn't. (Even the "pressure" excuse wears thin, because sooner or later even the best of 'em has to throw under the gun.) Wish it were so, because unless it is Graham, who else among that stable can throw it? And by "throw" i mean tight balls into small windows, or downfield to let a WR make a play on it. Got my fingers crossed, else we are in for a year of option football without the option.

Well, we'll see. You may remember the AJC article last spring that had Paternude saying that Tobias could throw as well as run. He said that right after Tobias had completed a 25 years pass into tight coverage. I think we'll have to see how the QB battle works out. So far, the tryouts seem to be on the field. If you think all your candidates have the chops but none of them have experience running the O, then that's the way to do it. Next week should tell the tale more completely.

 

[Animal02]

Well, we'll see. You may remember the AJC article last spring that had Paternude saying that Tobias could throw as well as run. He said that right after Tobias had completed a 25 years pass into tight coverage. I think we'll have to see how the QB battle works out. So far, the tryouts seem to be on the field. If you think all your candidates have the chops but none of them have experience running the O, then that's the way to do it. Next week should tell the tale more completely.

If we see multiple QBs with no real "chosen one" it will appear more as indecision of the Coaching staff more than anything else. I have never felt the alternating QBs is a good thing. Maybe for special circumstances, but not alternating series

 

[takethepoints]

If we see multiple QBs with no real "chosen one" it will appear more as indecision of the Coaching staff more than anything else. I have never felt the alternating QBs is a good thing. Maybe for special circumstances, but not alternating series

I don't see it that way. I agree that QB turnover is a bad thing, in general. However, when you don't have anybody who has faced the fire in the offense you have chosen to run then trying out the athletes in seriatim can make sense. I suspect that after next week, Coach will have settled on somebody.

I sure do hope we win in the process. The level of confidence seen around here about the USF game seems way over the top to me. We just got creamed by a really good football team. A mediocre one could beat us.

 

[33jacket]

If we see multiple QBs with no real "chosen one" it will appear more as indecision of the Coaching staff more than anything else. I have never felt the alternating QBs is a good thing. Maybe for special circumstances, but not alternating series

I agree too. If it were me, based on the newness of all of this, and the fact Coach Pat said himself Graham knows the playbook better than anyone, or as good at the very least, he also shows feet and a live arm with form, use him, and let TO be a wildcat package qb. Just like many teams do and have done...and move on. Implement your system and don't look back. And for those bashing the OL, it was not that bad. Its only going to get better. Some of the issues were also lack of a qb recognizing and throwing the ball away too....

 

[684Bee]

I agree too. If it were me, based on the newness of all of this, and the fact Coach Pat said himself Graham knows the playbook better than anyone, or as good at the very least, he also shows feet and a live arm with form, use him, and let TO be a wildcat package qb. Just like many teams do and have done...and move on. Implement your system and don't look back. And for those bashing the OL, it was not that bad. Its only going to get better. Some of the issues were also lack of a qb recognizing and throwing the ball away too....

Way too much wailing and gnashing of teeth over what we did at Clemson. They’ve made much better teams/talent than us look inept.

Let’s see how we do against USF.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

How about we don't judge the team based on one game against the no 1 team in the country. Yeah the OL looked bad, but there is still a lot of games that can change that for us.

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Both lines were already considered major weaknesses before the season. I saw nothing that changed that. They can certainly improve as the season goes but this is a rebuilding project that can only be finished by consistent recruiting of linemen on both sides of the ball. There are no quick fixes. As long as Bryce Perkins stays healthy UVA is the class, such as it is, of the Coastal but that is more akin to being the tallest midget in the room. UVA has a number of outstanding receivers as well but the defense appeared to be rather ordinary against Pitt. Miami looks to be UVA's main competition but UNC is looming in the background as a dark horse based on my observing their games casually this week. UVA's main problem is that if they lose Perkins they become an ordinary middle of the pack team.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Way too much wailing and gnashing of teeth over what we did at Clemson. They’ve made much better teams/talent than us look inept.

Let’s see how we do against USF.

Clemson will make a lot of teams look inept. There is a reason why they are an 18 point favorite against the number 12 team this week. SEC speed notwithstanding. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Clemson top that point spread.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

We had 4 turnovers. 3 were inside our own red zone and the 4th was in their end zone. That’s a 28 point swing. We would not have beat Clemson, all I’m saying is the 52-14 is not a fair representation of the game. We had 300 yards of offense, when we’ve averaged 200 the previous several years, including a low of 120.

300 yards of offense against that defense is a good night's work. The speed of the outside linebackers and the defensive ends was ridiculous. They flow to the ball like safeties.

 

[UgaBlows]

Both lines were already considered major weaknesses before the season. I saw nothing that changed that. They can certainly improve as the season goes but this is a rebuilding project that can only be finished by consistent recruiting of linemen on both sides of the ball. There are no quick fixes. As long as Bryce Perkins stays healthy UVA is the class, such as it is, of the Coastal but that is more akin to being the tallest midget in the room. UVA has a number of outstanding receivers as well but the defense appeared to be rather ordinary against Pitt. Miami looks to be UVA's main competition but UNC is looming in the background as a dark horse based on my observing their games casually this week. UVA's main problem is that if they lose Perkins they become an ordinary middle of the pack team.

Didn’t they hold Pitt to 14 points?

Edit- They only gave up 185 yards passing and under 100 rushing, thats pretty stout D.

 

[takethepoints]

Have you watched the previous four Clemson games? James Graham running the spread option would’ve gotten shut down just like JT running it, Taquon running it, or TO running it.

Remember “physical superiority cancels all theories”?

Presented without comment:

 

[UgaBlows]

I think Clemson 2016-19 might be on a higher plane than in 2011

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Didn’t they hold Pitt to 14 points?

Edit- They only gave up 185 yards passing and under 100 rushing, thats pretty stout D.

True, but Pitt was their own worse enemy. Your point is well taken that the Cavs are pretty stout on D but take away Perkins and this becomes a pretty ordinary team. This is the same team that managed to give away a sure win against Virginia Tech last year.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I think Clemson 2016-19 might be on a higher plane than in 2011

Just a tad better. 2011 Tigers were talented but simply did not have the horses on defense like these current kitty cats.

 

[iceeater1969]

Just a tad better. 2011 Tigers were talented but simply did not have the horses on defense like these current kitty cats.

2010/11 orange bowl team 5 or 6 attrited to nfl. Also didnt very good player ( m coy) take Medical .

 

[Bogey]

I wans't able to able concentrate much on this game. I was going to watch at my son's house on YouTube TV but during pregame, internet slowed so we couldn't watch. We then ubered to nearest bar and ran into a player who played when I was in school. It became mainly a drinking fest and a walk through memory lane. Great evening!

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[Whiskey_Clear]

True, but Pitt was their own worse enemy. Your point is well taken that the Cavs are pretty stout on D but take away Perkins and this becomes a pretty ordinary team. This is the same team that managed to give away a sure win against Virginia Tech last year.

Take away Trevor Lawrence and Clemson might not make the top ten. QB play is the single biggest difference maker.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Take away Trevor Lawrence and Clemson might not make the top ten. QB play is the single biggest difference maker.

It is indeed but Clemson's defense can cover up an awful lot of deficiencies. The true mark of an elite factory program is can they replace a class that graduates a large number of starters and NFL prospects and basically not miss a beat? Clemson has arrived as attested by this year's team which in spite of huge losses from the previous year as simply reloaded with players just about as good. Someone posted that Clemson is not as good as they were last year. Maybe not, but its close, damn close. Just having Trevor Lawrence makes up for a lot of what they lost by himself.

 

[slugboy]

Take away Trevor Lawrence and Clemson might not make the top ten. QB play is the single biggest difference maker.

Maybe not the top 3, but they were top ten and made the playoffs with the QB that Lawrence replaced.


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