Cardinals’ defense not easy to push around

By Will Vandervort.

Before 25th-ranked Clemson totally embarrassed NC State last Saturday, the talk all week leading up to the game was about NC State’s dynamic offense.

The Wolfpack came into the game leading the ACC in total offense and was second in scoring and had the most balanced offense in the conference. They ran up and down the field on top-ranked Florida State to the tune of 559 yards and 41 points. The 41 points marked the fourth straight game they scored 40 or more points.

As it turned out, the ‘Pack was not as good as advertised as the Tigers shut them out, 41-0, while holding that powerful offense to 157 yards.

Now as Clemson gets prepared to play the Cardinals this week in Death Valley, the field as been flipped. This time it is all about Louisville’s great defense, which leads the nation in total defense and rushing defense, while ranking sixth in scoring defense and 12th in pass defense.

“The best way to describe them is aggressive, very aggressive,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “They have a lot of guys that have played a bunch of games. They were number one in the nation in defense last year and they are number one in the nation this year.”

Some will say Louisville has not played anyone and that’s why it leads the country in total defense. Though they are 5-1, including a 3-1 record in the ACC, the Cardinals have wins over Miami, Murray State, FIU, Wake Forest and Syracuse.

The lone loss came at Virginia, and in that game they still held the Cavaliers to 285 total yards.

Syracuse, which ranks 70th nationally in total offense, is the best team the Cardinals have played from a statistical standpoint. Louisville held the Orange to a season-low 255 total yards, 166 yards below their season average.

“They have played six games and when you have played six games you start to create a little bit of an identity,” Swinney said. “This group has kind of picked back up where they were last year. They are very salty, athletic, long and fast guys.

“They do a great job with their pressure packages.”

The Cardinals are led by linebacker Keith Kelsey, who has 37 tackles, including four sacks.

“He is one of the top sackers in the country,” Swinney said.

Fellow linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin is another guy that is very involved and they do a lot with him. He will come off the edge. He will come up the middle. They will move him around.

“They do an excellent job of trying to create some confusion on where their pressure is coming from out of their three-and-four man fronts,” Swinney said. “They also do an excellent job on the back end and are the most aggressive secondary that we have played.”

The secondary consist of safeties James Sample, Gerod Holliman and Terrell Floyd, while Charles Gains and Andrew Johnson are the cornerbacks. Holliman leads the nation with seven interceptions, three more than the second place guy.

Overall as a team, the Cardinals have 12 interceptions, which also leads the nation.

“Their safeties really want to be involved,” Swinney said. “They are very, very physical at safety. This is a heck of a team.”

It’s a defense that will be playing against the best offense in the ACC. The Tigers (3-2, 2-1) lead the conference in scoring, total offense and passing offense.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson has the best quarterback rating in the country according to ESPN, while he ranks second in passing efficiency. The true freshman has thrown for 1,181 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has only one interception so far this season.

But Watson has put up most of those numbers against defenses that rank 13th and 14th in the ACC in total defense. It will be a whole new beast this Saturday in Death Valley.

“They are number one in the nation defensively for a reason,” Swinney said. “It shows up on tape when you watch them. It’s a big challenge for us.”