Clemson defense carries the day in uncomfortable win over Wake Forest

Ruke Orhorhoro got in on one of Clemson's four sacks.

by Ryan Kantor - Contributor - Mon Oct 09 07:00:06 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson defeated Wake Forest 17-12 and has now won 15 straight against the Demon Deacons. The last time the Tigers lost to Wake Forest, former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden was dismissed a few days later. The win also tied Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with the legendary Frank Howard for all-time Clemson wins.

Unfortunately, the win wasn’t as resounding as expected. The Tigers were favored by three touchdowns but didn’t even reach 21 points themselves. The offense and special teams struggled immensely and can thank Wes Goodwin’s dominating defense for bailing them out.

The defense was put in several precarious situations. First, it was another lost fumble by QB Cade Klubnik that gave Wake Forest the ball on the Clemson 9-yard line. Clemson’s defense forced a turnover on downs, however. Later, the Tigers’ defense recovered a fumble. The Clemson offense only moved it 20 yards before punting. Clemson’s defense forced a punt on the ensuing drive, but Tyler Brown muffed the return and turned it over. With Wake Forest now getting the ball back on the Clemson 31-yard line, the Tigers’ defense went right back on the field and held the Deacons to a field goal attempt – which they missed. If the defense doesn’t rise to the occasion in these two huge spots, Clemson likely loses this game.

Making it even more impressive, they did it without both starting cornerbacks. Nate Wiggins remained out with a bone bruise, while Sheridan Jones was a late scratch with what sounds like a migraine. Toriano Pride was my player of the game. He tallied three pass breakups and seven tackles, including a TFL. He got beat on a few hitch/comeback routes but was excellent overall and posted a very high PFF grade of 77.4.

Clemson’s defense also dominated the battle in the trenches. Ruke Orhorhoro was excellent and had a sack. He and Tyler Davis were in the backfield all day. They held Wake Forest’s running backs to a paltry 3.0 YPC. TJ Parker added another sack and leads the team with four sacks. Wade Woodaz had a pair of sacks giving Clemson 4 sacks on the day.

Not much can be said to sugarcoat the offense’s dismal showing. Cade Klubnik had just 131 yards. He did not have an INT but lost a fumble. He ran in a TD but had no passing TDs. He only averaged 4.7 yards per pass attempt. He overthrew passes to Tyler Brown and Hamp Greene and didn’t see an open Troy Stellato on another. It was a day to forget and definitely seemed like a regression after steady improvement all season. Beaux Collins and Tyler Brown had some drops of their own that didn’t help, but it was a day to forget overall.

The offense still struggles in short-yardage situations. The Tigers started the second half by marching 73 yards down the field until they reached a first-and-goal on the 2-yard line, where they stalled out and eventually settled for a field goal.

The offensive line didn’t allow any sacks but didn’t get as much of a push as expected against Wake Forest. Tristan Leigh played just 25 snaps and had a poor 53.0 PFF grade. Collin Sadler ended up with the larger share of snaps and higher PFF grade at left tackle. Over at right guard, Mitchell Mayes only played eight snaps and was displaced by youngster Harris Sewell. Unfortunately, Sewell posted a PFF grade of just 52.7. Likewise, Will Putnam had a poorly rated afternoon with a PFF grade of just 56.2. Commensurate with my eye test, Blake Miller had the highest grade on the line, with a 65.9.

Special teams were a sore spot again. Brown misplayed a punt and allowed himself to get tackled on the 3-yard line. He muffed the return on his next attempt, leading to a turnover. Hopefully for the Tigers, Antonio Williams returns against Miami and can sure up that position and allow Tyler Brown to focus on being an asset as a slot receiver.

The strangest moment came when Coach Swinney elected to attempt a 51-yard field goal with Jonathan Weitz. He had earlier said his range did not extend that far, and Robert Gunn would attempt any long field goals. Due to some inflammation, Gunn wasn’t an option, but it seemed like a punt or going for it on fourth down were more sensible options. I was shocked that they attempted such a kick in a very competitive game. It was missed, as most in the stadium likely expected. It was very strange.

While this poor performance may create some pessimism, even poorer play from Clemson’s next three opponents gives way to some hope. Miami blew a win against Georgia Tech by failing to execute a kneel. Instead, they ran it, fumbled, and then gave up two long passing plays to surrender the game-winning TD to the Yellow Jackets. Clemson plays at Miami on Oct. 21. NC State won but allowed 41 points to Marshall in the process. They host the Tigers on Oct. 28. Notre Dame lost 33-20 to Louisville and continues to struggle offensively. Their internal offensive coordinator hire may be as bad as their fans thought it was when it was made. On November 4, Notre Dame comes to Clemson for the first time since the epic 2015 Hurricane game.

So, while Clemson’s offense didn’t give fans much to cheer about, the defense is elite, the upcoming schedule is manageable, and they have a much-needed open date to heal up and prepare. To dive deeper, check out the video below: