By Will Vandervort.
Clemson linebacker Tony Steward says the 17th-ranked Tigers can’t worry just about Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine or they could get burned when the two hook up in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 29.
“They have a bunch of weapons on offense,” the senior said.
Besides Perine and his 1,579 rushing yards, the Sooners also have quarterback Trevor Knight, who threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, and wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who leads the team with 957 yards despite missing the last four games with a groin injury.
Then there is the guy everyone forgets about because of Perine, but without him there would be no 1,500 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. That guy – fullback Aaron Ripkowski.
“Their fullback – he is a beast,” Steward said.
Steward, along with linebackers Ben Boulware, Kellen Jones, B.J. Goodson and Stephone Anthony, will more than likely have to meet Ripkowski in the hole a time or two.
“When he comes, he comes ready to hit every single play,” Steward said. “You just have to be ready to come and hit him whenever he is coming.”
Ripkowski has helped the Sooners average 268.6 yards a game on the ground, which ranks ninth in the country. The Clemson defense has not seen a running back like Perine and a fullback like Ripkowski since the Georgia game in the season-opener.
Of course the Tigers don’t dwell too much on that game as the Bulldogs ran for 328 yards and rushed for five touchdowns. Todd Gurley rushed for 188 of those yards and tallied four touchdowns overall.
For Clemson that is the exception, not the rule.
“It was at the beginning of the season and we messed up a little bit,” Steward said. “Honestly, I don’t think this game compares to the Georgia game because we have come a long way since then.”
Clemson (9-3) has.
The Tigers rank seventh in the country in rushing defense at 97.7 yards allowed per game and only three teams rushed for more than 88 yards in the last 11 games. Clemson even held Georgia Tech’s powerful triple-option rushing offense to 251 yards, 85 yards below its season average.
“We are going to get ready and prove to the rest of the world that it is not a front,” Steward said. “It’s what we do and we are going to do it.”