With another football season approaching, the prediction and prognostication that plague the long and arduous offseason will give way to visible, tangible play. We will have plenty to say about whatever happens when Clemson takes on Wofford on Saturday, and we will try our best to analyze every single detail of the action.
Not only will we analyze the action, but we will extrapolate the performance onto every remaining game on the schedule. The word “extrapolate” might have just thrown you for a loop, so here’s a simpler way to put it: Too often, we assume that if a performance good enough to beat Wofford might not be good enough to win the most difficult game on the schedule, it’s unacceptable.
As fans, we try to see how many games a team might have won with the most recent performance. The media does it, as well, and I hate it. There will be full-fledged panic if any vulnerabilities emerge on Saturday, even though we know human performance isn’t consistent from day to day.
Struggling against Wofford doesn’t necessarily serve as a predictor for future struggling. That’s where coaching comes in to elevate the level of performance in pursuit of the peak each week. I can’t imagine the team that takes the field against Wofford will take the field against anyone else on the schedule.
By no means am I suggesting issues won’t become apparent during play against the Terriers. By no means am I saying it’s pointless to be critical if necessary. However, it’s easy to overreach, and there are several things we may see on the field this weekend that might simply be a product of circumstance, not things over which hand-wringing should commence.
Here are a few reasons you might be concerned, but shouldn’t be:
- Giving up a bunch of rushing yards
Wofford isn’t Georgia Tech, but the Terriers are no slouch at running the triple option, either. They return ten starters from a squad that ranked third among FCS teams in rushing yardage in 2014, averaging 296.7 yards per game on the ground. Four years ago, Wofford ran for 272 yards against Clemson.
There is youth in the Tigers’ front seven that will be taxed by the misdirection and cut blocking that highlight the Terriers’ ground attack. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers have some struggles—particularly from the second unit—stopping Wofford’s running game.
- Dead ball penalties
Game one of a season is always a breeding ground for mental mistakes. Adrenaline, fatigue, frustration, and rust—all these factors can produce pre- and post-snap penalties in droves. This is especially true of young players.
Because of a higher theoretical occurrence of alignment, timing, and emotional mistakes at the start of a season, it’s tough to label a team “undisciplined” even if the product looks the part. Normally, a month’s worth of play will tell the tale about a squad’s level of discipline.
- Blown assignments on defense
This is another way youth can manifest itself. We know part of Wofford’s allure is lulling a team to sleep with the run, then chucking a deep ball against a slumbering secondary. Four seasons ago, the Terriers only completed two of eight passes against the Tigers, but they went for a combined 127 yards.
The strength of Clemson’s defense is the secondary, so I wouldn’t expect many issues here. It seems more likely that playaction might create gaps in the second level given the inexperience at linebacker. Freshmen will be called upon up front, so any reverses or counters will test the patience of those new players. It’s naïve to expect perfection in this area from a team replacing major parts.
- Issues up front
We’ve already discussed the defensive line, but it can’t be overstated: Wofford’s offense can stress a defense that gets overzealous in pursuit. On a unit that replaces all four starters and two major contributors for last season, talent won’t be enough to make the proper play. Understanding and executing assignments is the most important thing, along with trusting those around you to do the same.
The offensive line will be tested for a different reason. Wofford’s defense shouldn’t present a terribly tough challenge, but with a freshman left tackle and several new depth options that will undoubtedly be playing significant snaps, mistakes will be made. Don’t be fooled into raising the bar too high for first-game freshmen.
- Relatively close game after three quarters
Anybody remember how that game ended four years ago? After a botched fake field goal, Wofford had the ball trailing by eight points in the waning moments of the game. That was far from a typical “show-up-and-win” game against an FCS opponent.
In two meetings between Mike Ayers’ Wofford teams and Clemson, the Tigers have been only 16 points better than the Terriers on average. The 2001 matchup ended 38-14 and wasn’t particularly close, but the Tigers never really ran away from the Terriers. 18 starters return for a Wofford program that routinely finds ways to push more prominent opposition, and this may not be any different in spite of the immense talent Clemson will bring to the field.
God Bless!
WQ