Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Clemson Tigers season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
– Clemson Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 15-0 overall, 8-0 in ACC
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney, 12th year, 116-30
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CLEMSON OFFENSE
– The offense that ripped almost everything to shreds as last year went on now gets back seven starters with a few a year or so away from dominating the NFL world.
The defense might have been among the best in the country – and it dictated the tone over the course of the national title run – but the offense finished third in the nation averaging over 527 yards and 44 points per game. There are concerns, but if the starting 11 stays healthy, good luck slowing down the machine.
– Trevor Lawrence would’ve been the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, he’d be the top pick if he was eligible for next years’ draft, and he’s a mortal lock to be the main man for the 2021 version. The 6-6, 215-pounder wasn’t perfect, but he was close, throwing for 3,280 yards and 30 touchdowns and four picks as he led the Tigers to the national title as a true freshman.
6-3, 225-pound sophomore Chase Brice stepped in and saved the day when Lawerence was knocked out of the Syracuse game, but there’s a massive drop-off from what Lawrence brings. After that, things get interesting. Freshman Taisun Phommachanh is a big-time talent who could play anywhere, but on the way in next year’s recruiting class is everyone’s No. 1 pick, DJ Uiagalelei.
– If it’s possible to run for 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns and be underrated, that’s Travis Etienne. The 5-10, 215-pound junior averaged over eight yards per carry and caught the ball a little bit. He can be a workhorse, but he doesn’t have to be with sophomore Lyn-J Dixon more than just a No. 2 option, running for 547 yards and five scores – averaging close to nine yards per carry – and should see a whole lot more work.
Tavien Feaster transferred, but Darien Rencher is a decent backup and a few options are coming in from the recruiting class.
– How good is the Clemson receiving corps? It lost 55-catch NFL talent Amari Rodgers to a torn ACL and reliable midrange target Hunter Renfro and it’s still amazing.
6-4, 205-pound sophomore Justyn Ross averaged close to 22 yards per catch with a team-high 1000 yards, 6-4, 205-pound junior Tee Higgins led the team with 59 catches and 12 touchdowns, and there’s more talent ready to be unleashed.
6-4, 205-pound – catching on to the theme here? – Diondre Overton caught 14 passes with three scores, and sophomore corner Derion Kendrick is coming off a 15-catch, 210-yard season. 6-4, 215-pound five-star super-recruit Joe Nagata is yet another special talent who’ll be too good to keep off the field.
The tight ends didn’t get a lot of work, and there’s a drop off with top option Braden Galloway suspended by the NCAA for the regular season for PED use. 6-3, 260-pound junior JC Chalk saw a little time and 6-5, 250-pound freshman Jaelyn Lay is the near future of the position.
– The offensive line was a dominant force. It wasn’t flashy, and it didn’t have the next-level talent of the Oklahoma or Alabama lines, but it was great for the ground game, allowed just 17 tackles, and was third in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed. Mitch Hyatt is gone at left tackle and center Justin Falcinelli is done, but the rest of the front five is back.
Tremayne Anchrum might not have NFL size at 6-2 and 310 pounds – at least as a tackle – but he’s a good college blocker on the right side, and 6-5, 355-pound sophomore Jackson Carman will bring more power in place of Hyatt on the left side.
6-4, 330-pound John Simpson is a rock-solid junior at left guard, and 6-5, 315-pound senior guard Sean Pollard will likely slide over into the open center job. 6-3, 325-pound junior Gage Cervenka can play guard or center.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CLEMSON DEFENSE
– It’s Clemson, so it reloads when it comes to the defensive line – it’s done it before and was more than fine – but even superpower programs take a step back after losing a line with Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant, and big-time backup/fill-in tackle Albert Huggins.
Again, though, it’s Clemson. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Xavier Thomas was one of last year’s superstar recruits, and now the 6-2, 260-pound sophomore talent will get a full-time end job after making 35 tackles with 3.5 sacks as a true freshman.
6-2, 265-pound junior Justin Foster made 18 tackles and will work on the other end with 6-2, 240-pound sophomore Logan Rudolph and 6-4, 240-pound redshirt freshman KJ Henry – who was right there with Thomas in last year’s recruiting class – will battle for time.
The tackles are a slightly bigger issue. 6-1, 305-pound Nyles Pinckney and 6-4, 305-pound sophomore Jordan Williams have to try to replace the irreplaceable. The pressure will be on freshman Tyler Davis and junior Xavier Kelly to do more than just be a part of a rotation.
– The line will, of course, be more than fine. The linebacking corps, though, is a real concern after Shaq Smith transferred to Maryland and with Kendall Joseph and Tre Lamar off to the NFL.
6-4, 225-pound Isaiah Simmons returns after leading the team with 89 tackles, and 240-pound junior James Skalski brings size and a little experience after doing a decent job in the rotation in 2017 and redshirting last year. Fellow 249-pound junior Chad Smith made 32 tackles in 2018 – he’ll battle for the inside job.
This was a major emphasis in the latest recruiting class, with 220-pound Bruton Constantin and 215-pounders Keith Maguire and LaVonta Bentley among the group getting long looks right out of the box.
Yeah, there’s reason to be a wee bit worried about the front seven – at least when it comes to being national title-level good – but …
– The secondary is amazing. The only question mark is at one corner with all-star Trayvon Mullen gone, but part-time receiver Derion Kendrick appears ready to step in and shine in the spot on the other side of future NFL lockdown starter AJ Terrell on the other side.
The safeties are settled, too, with 5-11, 210-pound hitter K’Von Wallace and 6-1, 230-pound banger Tanner Muse back after the two combined for 114 tackles.
There’s depth and a whole lot of talent waiting in the wings, helped out by a great recruiting class. Andrew Booth will eventually be amazing at corner, Sheridan Jones will someday start on the other side, and Joseph Charleston is a future all-star at safety.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP CLEMSON PLAYERS
Best Clemson Offensive Player
QB Trevor Lawrence, Soph.
Kelly Bryant is a terrific quarterback. He should put up massive numbers and grow into a decent pro prospect at Missouri. Hunter Johnson was a special get for Clemson, and now he should be fantastic for Northwestern,
Those two big-time talents left because The Franchise showed up.
Lawrence came in as a 6-6, 215-pound ready-made pro-style passer, but he started the year backing up Bryant. After a brilliant day with four touchdown passes against Georgia Tech, he was anointed the starter, Bryant decided to transfer, and the new era kicked in.
He got knocked out of the Syracuse game the following week, but he came back and was brilliant the rest of the way, closing out with 327 yards and three scores against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, and with 347 yards and three touchdowns to take down Alabama for the national title.
All he did was complete 65% of his passes for 3,280 yards and 30 touchdowns with just four picks, and he ran for 177 yards and a score. And now he has a year of experience.
2. RB Travis Etienne, Jr.
3. WR Tee Higgins, Jr.
4. WR Justyn Ross, Soph.
5. OT Tremayne Anchrum, Sr.
Best Clemson Defensive Player
LB Isaiah Simmons, Jr.
It doesn’t matter if he’s a big defensive back or a smallish linebacker, the 6-4, 225-pound playmaker came up with 97 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and a pick six.
While he’s built like a beefed up safety, he’s a physical player against the run . The speed and quickness are there to be a factor in pass coverage. What he doesn’t do is rush the passer on a regular basis, but that wasn’t his role.
He’s going to be a true tweener of a pro prospect, but he’s got the next-level athleticism to go along with the resumé. This year is a salary drive.
2. CB AJ Terrell, Jr.
3. S Tanner Muse, Sr.
4. S K’Von Wallace, Sr.
5. DE Xavier Thomas, Soph.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Clemson Offense
Keep Trevor Lawrence in one piece. That’s it. That’s the season. If No. 16 is healthy and slinging it around, the Clemson offense will be an unstoppable machine.
The receiving corps is deep, talented, and could survive a big injury. The running back situation is full of depth and talent, and it could survive a big injury.
The O line is talented, but surviving a big injury or two would be a problem early on. This group has to stay healthy and be great again, because the quarterback situation can’t survive that one big injury.
Chase Brice is good. The 6-3, 225-pounder threw for 442 yards and five touchdowns with three picks in his little work, and helped the Tigers survive Syracuse with a big late throw and drive to get by 27-23. He’s just not Lawrence.
Clemson can win at least ten games and the ACC title with Brice under center, but the season is about winning those two giant CFP games at the end.
Playing scared doesn’t work, and Clemson can’t put its star in bubble wrap, but the guy is just that special.
Biggest Key To The Clemson Defense
Keep the pass rush going. There might be an epic loss of talent on the defensive front that turned into one of the greatest in college football history, but the Tigers return a whole lot of good options who’ll rise into their roles.
The secondary will lock down everything and will take care of business, but the front seven needs a whole lot of work. However, with the athletes in place, defensive coordinator Brent Venables can cover up a whole slew of possible issues by turning his guys loose.
The 2015 line was supposed to be a rebuild after losing Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd, and the pass rush was even stronger. That’s asking a lot after losing this last lot of linemen, but under Brent Venables, the defense that came up with 45 sacks or more in each of the last five years can be just fine if it keeps the pressure going. And that’s why …
Key Player To A Successful Season
DE Xavier Thomas, Soph.
This might be the wrong way to think about this or put it, but here’s where the recruitment of Thomas should pay off. What getting Trevor Lawrence was for the offensive side, that’s what landing Thomas and KJ Henry was for the defensive front.
Thomas filled in from time to time as a true freshman and showed off glimpses of greatness with 35 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. Now he has to go from a solid part of the rotation and become the main man for the rebuilding wall.
If Thomas can become a double-digit sack producer and take the heat off of everyone else, the production will keep on rolling.
Key Game To The Clemson Season
Texas A&M, Sept. 7
A win wouldn’t exactly shut up the Clemson Couldn’t Win The SEC And Catches A Break By Being In The ACC types, but a loss at home would fuel their fire.
More importantly, this should be the toughest game on the slate. Lose, and that’s it for the free passes – the College Football Playoff is out with another defeat.
The Tigers were able to go into College Station and pull off a thriller against the Aggies, but Jimbo Fisher has a stronger team in place this time around. Considering Clemson might need a little bit of time and seasoning – at least on the defensive side – this is a dangerous test for the second game of the year. Clemson Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Clemson Fun Stats
– Sacks: Clemson 54 for 317 yards – Opponents 17 for 115 yards
– 2nd Quarter Scoring Clemson 228 – Opponents 41
– Penalties: Opponents 98 for 779 yards – Clemson 73 for 664 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. CLEMSON WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It’s way, way, way past the time to question whether or not Clemson can rebuild and reload, but on one side of the ball, the team has to undergo an overhaul.
The offense will pick up the slack, though.
As long as Trevor Lawrence is healthy and rocking, don’t even think about showing up unless you’re prepared to hit Clemson with at least 30 points, and that just starts the discussion.
In terms of skill player talent, only Alabama is there among the nation’s best, and the line will once again quietly be special.
The defense will be more than fine, and the secondary is among the nation’s best, but this time around, all Clemson has to do is replace – arguably – the greatest defensive line of all-time.
The D allowed fewer than 17 points 11 times and just seven points or fewer seven times, and gave up an average of just over 13 points per game over the last two seasons.
The recruiting classes have been special – there’s a whopper coming in next year – and again, the offense will make up for most issues, but after a perfect season …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 11
Clemson’s brilliance over the last four years has been in its ability to not lose that second pre-bowl game.
There were dangerous moments against Texas A&M and Syracuse last season, but the Tigers survived and advanced.
There was the strange weeknight blip against Syracuse, and dogfight against Auburn in 2017, but Clemson was still the CFP No. 1 seed. The 2015 and 2016 teams were able to sidestep several landmines, too.
This year’s team has to deal with Texas A&M home, followed up by a date against Syracuse on the road. NC State is a dangerous road game, as is the showdown at South Carolina, but the SEC fans who claim Clemson has it easy in the ACC are sort of right – this is a relatively light and breezy slate.
There will be one loss along the way – watch out for that Texas A&M game – and all bets are off if Lawrence goes down for a long stretch, but the talent is still ridiculous, anything other than another ACC championship would be a disaster, and after all the success of the last few years, there’s no reason to expect anything less than another run to the College Football Playoff.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
