Clemson (now 1-3) hit rock bottom in a 34-21 home loss to the Syracuse Orange on Saturday afternoon. But the issues with the Tigers run deeper than meet the eye.
On the surface, the team’s issues are apparent. Clemson has yet to score 30 points in a game this season. They haven’t scored more than 21 against a Power Four opponent. Quarterback Cade Klubnik has thrown an interception in each game.
However, Dabo Swinney has a much bigger issue on his hands, one that cuts deeper: a lack of discipline and attention to detail.
Syracuse’s successful surprise onside kick in the first quarter was a perfect example. The Orange struck first, marching 75 yards on 7 plays for a touchdown to open the scoring. What followed next set the example for how the game would play out.
“We talked about it in the huddle,” Dabo Swinney said postgame. “Be ready for the surprise onside, don’t leave early. You’ve got to see it over your head. That’s the frustrating thing about it, we literally said ‘be prepared for a surprise right here’, and they executed it. I’m proud of our defense for holding them to three [points], but [they] still stole a possession from us, where we couldn’t get the ball.”
The Orange took a 24-14 lead into the locker room, where a lightning delay caused play to be suspended for nearly two hours. After re-emerging on the field, the Tigers scored just seven points over the remainder of the game. Time and time again they passed into Syracuse territory, but were unable to finish and score a touchdown.
Three drives ended with a turnover on downs, including one where Klubnik missed an open Antonio Williams on 4th-and-1 in the third quarter. Syracuse sent a crafty blitz that fooled Clemson’s offensive line, leading to an errant pass that was behind Williams.
Klubnik feels like the issues with the offense are more isolated incidents, though he remains committed to solving them.
“There’s just a few times where just 10 guys were doing their job instead of 11, and that’s hard.” he said postgame. “I feel like we played our best game offensively today. [We’ve] just got to find a way to win, watch film, and get better.”
