It seemed like the most complete game Clemson has played this year. The Tigers went to Upstate New York, and for the first time in a while, thoroughly dominated the Orange in a wire-to-wire victory that never felt close. Cade Klubnik continues to look more and more like the five-star prospect that he was while playing for Austin-Westlake in Texas. The defense continued to fly, and Clemson finally made another field goal! But there are still reasons for frustration. Here are five hot takes from Saturday’s game against Syracuse.
Offensive line is offensive…again
Where is that dominant offensive line we were promised all throughout spring practice and fall camp? If it is lurking somewhere in the shadows, nobody has yet to see it. Once again, the play up front on offense left much to be desired. Good as Cade was, he was still hurried and harassed far too much by an undersized, and what should have been out-manned, Syracuse defensive line. There was no reason the Orange should have gotten as much pressure as they did with the players they put on the field. This is not meant as a disrespect to Syracuse. Their kids played hard all game. But at some point, size and talent must win out and take over. Perhaps a home game against a down Wake Forest team can yield better results and inject some confidence into a unit that desperately needs it.
Run game woes
Going hand in hand with the troubles on the offensive line, the Clemson run game was lacking on Friday, and we have seen it disappear at critical junctures in several games, most notably against Duke and Florida State. Will Shipley and Phil Mafah have had their share of long, and clutch runs. Nobody disputes that. The issue lies in short-yardage situations. Shipley has found it tough sledding trying to gain yards and score touchdowns from inside the five-yard line. Even when the Tigers need just one or two yards, and they try to run the ball, both running backs have often been stuffed for no gain or even short losses. That cannot happen. Period. You must run the ball effectively in short-yardage situations to control and win ball games. Clemson’s inability to do so has already cost them one game, potentially two, and will again if the issues in that phase of the game are not corrected.
Kicking is going to cost Clemson another game
Do not get me wrong, Jonathan Weitz has been a feel-good story for the Tigers since he was brought out of football retirement and installed as Clemson’s starting placekicker following the disastrous start to the season by Robert Gunn III. Weitz has more or less been automatically on point after attempts but is just two out of four on-field goals. One of those misses probably cost the Tigers the game against Florida State and it was a chip shot straight down the middle from 29 yards. Against Syracuse, Weitz hooked another very makable kick, albeit a little longer, from 42. Again, thought, it was a straight-on kick. He did rebound and connect on his second attempt on Saturday, but the fact remains that the kicking game has been an unmitigated disaster for Clemson. Say what you will, but place-kicking has cost Clemson a win in its biggest game of the season to this point, and unless something dramatically changes, it will cost them again.
PLEASE stop throwing tight-end screens
It didn’t work against Florida State. It sure didn’t work against Syracuse. Jake Briningstool is as talented a tight end as there is in the country. But when throwing passes to him, they should be where tight ends normally operate; in the middle of the field in space. Against the Seminoles, a screen pass to Briningstool was promptly stuffed for a loss. Against the Orange, it resulted in a fumble that turned into one of Syracuse’s two touchdowns. Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and hoping for different results. Please, douse that play with gasoline, and light a match. Get rid of it because it doesn’t work.
Keep your foot on the dadgum gas!
Clemson fans have harbored frustration over the fact that it seems Dabo Swinney when he builds a big first-half lead, will come out in the second half and immediately go conservative offensively. I think there is a lot of truth to that. Clemson led Syracuse 21-7 at the half. In the third quarter, it looked as if the offense came to a screeching halt as the play-calling regressed into a plodding scheme that ended with multiple stalled drives. It allowed Syracuse to momentarily grab some momentum, and fleetingly it looked as if the Orange might get back into the game. Luckily, an interception by Jeremiah Trotter and a long touchdown run from Mafah put an end to any thoughts Syracuse might have had of getting back in it. The bottom line is, that when you get a team down, crush the life out of them. Football has no place for being nice. You can shake hands when the game is over.
