The boos.

They filled Memorial Stadium when Clemson walked off the field at halftime on September 10, 2011. The 74,538 orange-clad fans booed their Tigers as they were tied, 21-21, with FCS foe Wofford, a team many expected them to roll past.

“I do remember the boos,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said.

Scott also remembers why they were booed. The Tigers, who will open the season against Wofford on Sept. 5, did not play well in that game on either side of the ball. With eight of their 11 offensive starters eventually playing in the NFL, they gave up four sacks and failed a few times to execute in short yardage situations.

On defense, seven of its 11 starters are now playing or have played in the NFL, and they had no sacks, gave up 272 rushing yards and 399 total yards.

“It was very poor execution,” Scott said.

And it was a little bit of Wofford, too. Those Tigers took the Terriers likely, and after giving up first-quarter touchdowns of 27 and 66 yards, they realized they were in a dog fight.

The Clemson coaching staff does not want to make the same mistake twice. Recently, they sat this year’s team down and had them watch the 2011 game against Wofford. It was an eye-opening experience.

“I think our guys were surprised to see that,” Scott said.

“Every time we scored and every time we got the ball back Wofford was back up and in the lead. It was a dog fight to the very end,” he continued. “The emphasis to our guys is that it is not about the opponent we are playing, it is about our execution. Coach (Dabo) Swinney says it all the time, ‘We are playing Clemson twelve times.’ We feel like we are talented enough that if we go out, execute and take care of our business than it does not matter who we play. That is the mentality we want our guys to have.”

Talent and depth eventually gave way as DeAndre Hopkins caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Tajh Boyd early in the fourth quarter, and then defense got a late stop on fourth down to preserve the, 35-27, victory.

It is the closest any Southern Conference team has come to defeating the Tigers since they left the SoCon for the ACC in 1952.

“I think it was a little eye-opening for those guys to watch that video from 2011,” Scott said. “A lot of players that they know that have all gone off to the NFL … and we did not execute that day and we were not very sharp.

“I think we feel the last few years we have started off pretty good in Game One, our guys have been focused and ready to play. I know they will be excited. But it is not about who we play, but how we play and that is something Coach Swinney has done a really good job of sending that message to our players over the last four years.”

Since losing to unranked NC State later that year, No. 12 Clemson has won 28 straight games against unranked or FCS opponents. In 27 of those games, the Tigers have won by double digits, and in most cases they were over by halftime.

“I think our guys will be focused. They’re excited,” Scott said. “They work so hard year around, just like all college football players do. You get so few opportunities. So there are really no weeks to take a week off.

“I think the fact it is our first game it is really going to help us because our guys are excited and have been ready to get out there and play again.”

And they don’t want to be booed.