At 1 p.m. on April 5th, Clemson’s offense faced off against their defense in the annual Clemson spring game. The offense added to the scoreboard in a traditional way, while a system was set up to allow the defense to accumulate points based on turnovers forced, defensive stops, and failures from the offense.
While many programs opted out of their respective spring games this season, Clemson was adamant about continuing the tradition. “We put in a lot of work behind the scenes, and it’s good to have fans come out and still experience that type of game-day atmosphere.” While removing the game altogether was never in question, it was not televised due to concerns about transfer scouting. Instead, Clemson made admission free, allowing anyone to come support the Tigers.
Attendees were treated to an incredible match, headlined by the efforts of JUCO transfer Tristan Smith. The 6’5″ receiver registered four receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown, making the play of the game with a 72-yard catch-and-run down the sideline to put the game away in the fourth quarter. Smith showed shades of former Clemson star Tee Higgins, with his combination of size, length, and ability to use his catch radius to take advantage of smaller corners in jump-ball situations.
David Eziomume shined as well, with 11 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown, adding two receptions for 17 yards. The freshman saw limited play last season, but with Phil Mafah graduating and Jay Hanes recovering from a knee injury, Eziomume should have much more of an opportunity to contribute in the fall.
In terms of quarterbacks, Vizzina had the strongest outing, going 6/7 for 75 yards. When asked how the sophomore has grown since last season, Dabo gave a simple answer: “Confidence, awareness, ownership of the offense.” Along with Vizzina, freshman quarterback Chris Denson was perfect in his lone series, going 4/4 for 53 yards in an impressive touchdown drive.
While there were a multitude of standouts on the offensive side of the ball, the first-team defense dominated the match. The Tigers struggled to run consistently against the unit. They were unable to move the ball in the red zone, settling for two field goals. Tyler Venables, Khalil Barnes, and Joe Wilkinson all notched takeaways, with Barnes coming at the hands of Klubnik. Tom Allen preached all offseason about a new-look defense—one that’s simpler and focuses on the little things. He was adamant about improving tackling, filling in gaps, and setting a disciplined edge. While the Tigers’ explosive offense had their moments, Allen’s vision for this defense was on display throughout the game.
While one could see Tom Allen’s mentality reflected in his players, his impact was even more powerful schematically. Allen’s famous 4-2-5 defense that brought so much success at Penn State gave the Tigers a much more stable and strong defense, free of many of the miscues from last season.
Additional Takeaways:
- Former receiver Adam Randle was the top back on the depth chart today, playing with the first team.
- Purdue transfer Will Heldt was quiet on the stat sheet but effective in the game, largely setting the edge to create opportunities for teammates.
- Nolan Hauser ended up perfect, going 3/3, including a 49-yard field goal.
- Tom Allen was not seen on the sidelines, as he called plays from the box.
- Offensively, Bryant Wesco Jr., TJ Moore, and Antonio Williams were non-tackle participants.
- The final score favored the offense, 33-15.
