Quick Observations: Clemson offense lacks identity, defense carries the day

The defense was the difference in the win over Wake (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Oct 07 19:30:17 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON – Let’s get the coach-speak out of the way, and then we will dive into some observations.

Coach-speak, which has a level of truth in it – the other team has scholarship players and coaches that get paid a lot of money, and it’s hard to win at this level, and you should be thankful for each and every win. OK, good.

Clemson was better last week against Syracuse – the Orange got hammered at UNC Saturday – and the hope was that the upward trend would continue this week against a Wake Forest team struggling to protect the quarterback and was decent but not great on defense.

Clemson’s defense held up its end of the bargain – four sacks and eight tackles for loss and Wake quarterback Mitch Griffis was hammered time and time again and finished just 15-for-25 for 137 yards. Wake ran the ball 39 times for just 102 yards, an average of 2.9 yards per carry. Other than going into a prevent mode on Wake’s late touchdown drive, the defense was fine.

The offense is another matter. That group looked out of sync all day and didn’t pick up a first down until late in the first quarter. It only scored seven points in the first half and just 10 in the second half. The offense is averaging 21.5 points against Power 5 opponents this season.

It’s interesting to note that Wake entered the game giving up 338 yards per game, and gave up 338 today.

Tyler Brown has been fantastic but had a rough day Saturday, including a dropped pass and a dropped punt. He had three catches for 22 yards. Beaux Collins dropped a pass that would have been a first down, as did Jake Briningstool.

I want to go back and watch it, but it looked at first glance like Cade Klubnik was staring down receivers and not going through his progressions, when he had time. He did make some big plays with his legs. But last week the Tigers took deep shots and found success, and this week looked more like the offense from previous games.

The ugly truth is that I just don’t see an offensive identity at this point. Fundamentally not sound.

*I thought Aidan Swanson had another good game – a long of 54 and averaged 43 yards per punt. But field goal kicking continues to be an adventure.

*Both wide receiver Antonio Williams and cornerback Nate Wiggins dressed out, but neither wound up playing. The coaches will hold them for another two weeks and have them ready for Miami. Sophomores Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus started at corner and acquitted themselves nicely. Graduate senior Sheridan Jones was listed on the depth chart this week, but we didn’t see him on the sidelines – in uniform or street clothes.

*On the game's first drive, Clemson’s defense brought pressure and forced Wake quarterback Mitch Griffis into a bad pass (as he was buried into the grass). Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin was as animated as I’ve ever seen him. As one person put it, Goodwin was jacked up. On the next possession, when Andrew Mukuba picked up the fumble and ran it in for the touchdown (later overturned), Goodwin was out on the field chest-bumping his players.