Debated saying much of anything about this game, but I wanted to spell out some thoughts for myself after rewatching it to get a clearer picture. You learn much more watching game film the 2nd time and looking at things besides the ball and where its going. I've seen the usual head-explosions online from Clemson fans saying its the end of everything, and then there are still some true sunshine pumpers who do nothing but sit around and think about how we can still get to the CFP this year. The truth, as always, is more in the middle.
We'll meet the criteria I've always had for a good season. We're going to win 10 games, we're going to beat SC barring a total disaster on our end, and we're probably going to beat UNC for the ACC. I do think UNC's QB is pretty good, but that Chizik D is so bad.
We should thank ND for exposing problems and getting us out of the CFP before someone like Ohio State/UGA shows them on bigger and more embarrassing stage, because they're the same problems I've seen all year, and some are now going on several years. Some of you refuse to see them when we win, but they're there staring you in the face. I, for one, don't want to see a West Virginia ass-whipping by UGA in a CFP game.
For example, people arguing with me that our DL is great. It is not great. It is talented, some of them truly elite talent, like Myles Murphy, who should be putting up Ricky Sapp-like sack totals if not DaQuan Bowers-like sack totals. He really is that talented. He doesn't play to that level. Tyler Davis, who I thought would be dominant by the time he became an upperclassman, isn't. He's very good, and the lone bright spot from ND on our front line, but I thought he'd be Christian Wilkins-level or at least Brandon Thompson-level good by now.
Bresee, man I feel for him and what he's gone through, and his injury that got him last year, but he's not in playing shape to my eyes. He's slower, and I think he's put on some bad weight. You kinda have to give him a total pass because his head can't be alright. Mine wouldn't be in his place.
But as a whole, the DL unit is not playing to the sum of its parts. Marion Hobby and Dan Brooks, both stellar coaches in terms of fundamental teaching, are not here anymore. They've been replaced by Hall and Nick Eason. I knew Nick a little back at Clemson, he's a true nut, hilarious to be around, and I think he's going to be a good recruiter, but the jury is out on the coaching tandem still. We should not get reached on the edges like we did. Its been spotty and not a consistent problem, but we got reached against ND almost as bad as we did against FSU when they had Dalvin Cook lighting us up on the stretch play. You can rightly point out that those teams were coached by Hobby and Brooks up front, so its not a stunning indictment, sometimes you have a bad day, but I still believe after watching us this season that we're not as good as the sum of the parts would show. I can think of a couple games where Skeletor would be spitting nails at them.
I'm pretty disappointed in the LB play, I think ND exposed their youth. I think Trotter and Carter and Simpson are all talented ballplayers, Venables is tough and smart like his dad, but they were not in their gaps. One long run off the edge by ND was because two of them were in one inside B gap, can't do that. If the OLB maintains his C gap when the DE gets reached, the RB doesn't make that run. Things like that happened all night. Pitt got us that way at home back in 2016 pretty bad, and it was just that we played terrible up front that day, the DL got out of their gaps and exposed LBs to OL on the zone blocking. Here, I don't think the guys were where they were supposed to be. That's coaching.
I've not felt like we had good enough secondary play all year, WF definitely showed it, but they are improving as injuries heal. We need more depth; we need better safety play. That one is more recruiting; we just need some more dudes. I'd be happier if they looked for the ball and played the ball more though at CB.
ND saw their QB couldn't throw to beat us, Mayer can't catch it every play, so they just hammered it. Meanwhile, Clemson sees we can run it, we're built to run it as we were last year, and just lets DJU keep throwing it around. There's a lesson there, and its one Clemson's OCs have been missing longer than just this year.
I've long bemoaned Clemson's OL play, but the sacks on DJ were mostly DJ's fault. I think one was truly on the protection. DJ is indecisive, you cannot hold the ball too long, and frankly I think Streeter has to call certain plays because DJ won't make the right reads. Is that on Streeter's coaching ability or on DJ? Its a valid question. I see progression in DJ from last year to now, and even since Game 1 of this year, but its not enough for Clemson to win a Natty. I don't see him as a long term solution. He may need to finish out this year as the starter and go.
I don't have a problem with putting Cade Klubnik in when Dabo did, we needed something. Cade made a poor decision to throw that ball. You don't throw across your body over the middle. We're used to All-world guys like DW4 or TL16 who would only make that mistake once and never do it again. Cade needs more reps, he plays more like a normal freshman would. It just means he's not DeShaun or Trevor, and thats ok. I would not start him against Louisville, DJ needs to remain the starter. I'd absolutely give Cade at least one series in every game, and of course the full offense when you do, not just him handing it off. He has to learn, and we need to accept he will put the ball in danger.
Aside from Antonio Williams, I don't think a single WR on this team would play over any that started from say 2014 to 2019. This group is not physical at the POA, they get jammed, they don't run great routes, they don't get open. Ngata, Collins, etc. not performing. It reminds me much of the group Dabo started with at Clemson. Jacoby Ford and nobody else, then we got Nuk and he was the only one that could do anything in 2010, because he played offense with a physical, defensive mentality. You have to fight to get open. I've never consistently noticed any of this bunch do that. Randall might be the next, but Antonio would get the ball from me.
TE usage is a bright spot this year compared to the last what, 5-6? But they're not getting it enough given that your WR's can't get open. We've been more of a perimeter attack since the days of Leggett and Dwayne Allen, if you are recruiting the TE use the guy. If he's only a blocker, recruit another OT.
But I do agree with a lot of what people have said about the lack of outside ideas and experience on the offensive staff. We need a refresh of some concepts, more route packages being used in the system, maybe bring back some motion (ScElliott removed much of it when Chad left, and it did improve some execution) and formations, and bring back more tempo. The wide splits of the Baylor/Briles offense with Air Raid is what Tennessee is now running with great success under Heupel. Its not new by any means, but Clemson needs to push things a little. Everyone on our staff comes from here, I do hope we're not becoming too insular.
As far as running the ball, I will never question Ship's heart. Dat Boy runs his ass off, he's always fighting for a yard. Our OC doesn't call enough designed runs for him, its always RPOs, and then DJ flips it out to a screen in the flat. We need to focus on what we're built for, which is running the football. The OL can do it usually, unless you put up an Odd front and put a 0 on our Center, in which case I can barely remember the last time we controlled the LOS.
ND stood us up, they pushed the OL around, but we never continued running the ball with Ship getting 6ypc. If you get 6ypc and only call 11 runs to him, you're being stupid. Run the damn football and wear them down until they can't stand you up. Call designed IZ/OZ, call Power/Counter Trey, call the bucksweep. Call designed runs for DJ, he has that Tajh Boyd trait where he only plays well when you get him lathered up running. Its clear you don't have the WRs, so use what you've got. We've got 3 pretty good backs, and a QB that can run enough, get them lathered up.
Our offensive issues are not going to be fixed this year, not in the next 3 games, not the postseason. Clemson fans have to accept that fact. They should've been fixed LAST offseason, because they were there last season. Dabo needs to take a long hard look at this offensive staff and personnel, and I believe he will, and it has taken a good beating to make him see it more than once.
