Re: Don’t agree with all the hysteria but

TigersO

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Nov 7, 2022, 12:55 PM

The problems are:

Our OL has been better this year, but we still can't run the ball well against a defense committing 7 or 8 guys to the run (unless the opposing defense is terrible vs the run). Most teams can't do that though. Notre Dame is one of the exceptions to that rule.

Our RBs are good but they are not gamebreaker type playmakers so they consistently get what is there for them and break a tackle here and there to get a little more. Neither RB is a home run threat. Even easier to roll more guys into the box.

Our WRs don't get great separation and that's only referring to the ones that get any separation at all.

DJ isn't scary as a scrambler so teams can comfortably play man coverage. Also since the RBs aren't home run threats, people feel confident covering them man-to-man with LBs. This prevents our non-separating WRs from "finding holes in the zone".

Our TEs get open but they aren't big play threats unless there is a coverage bust.

With that recipe, we have still been putting up pretty good offensive numbers this season because DJ's confidence had grown and he was throwing some passes into tight windows even without much separation and getting completions to open up the defense a little.

What changed Saturday night is that DJ lost some confidence after the Syracuse game. Instead of throwing into tight windows early in the game to loosen up the run defense and finding open WRs for a 2nd or 3rd option, he was being overly careful.

Then all of the guys in the box started created more pass rush causing DJs eyes to come down quicker which removed the 2nd and 3rd options as possibilities.

More guys in the box plus giving up 21 points with our offense/special teams also meant we couldn't save ourselves with the run game like we have a few times this season.

TLDR version:

Clemson offensive problems is that there are no home run threats to to put the defense on its heels and make everything easier.

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Apparently you are only talking offense and mostly QB.

If you want to argue that people can negative recruit against Clemson with QBs then I think you are right.

For the rest of the positions:

WR - 2 true freshmen are gaining playing time every game and 1 is coming off of a torn ACL.

RB - most productive players on the offense and both are young

TE - best receiving threats and being used more than ever

OL - best it has played in several years, 2nd year in a row a true freshman is starting

Of the teams I mentioned above who Clemson recruits against heavily, QB is the only position some of them can hold against Clemson. The only other possibility would have been WR after the '21 season, but now 2 guys have walked in and are getting major playing time immediately. That lets star WRs know they can start right now if they come to Clemson.

I feel you are only looking at this from a Clemson perspective and not the faults that the other programs have that cause things to balance out more so than not.

Don’t agree with all the hysteria but