Last season’s Clemson football team was rarely whole, but when it was, it operated like a well-oiled machine—or at least, it seemed that way.
The results were often predictable, particularly at the outset of a game: score, stop, rinse, repeat. Like clockwork.
Eventually, things normalized, and the dynamics changed. Opposing offenses got scores on occasion, and opposing defenses were able to stymie the Tigers’ attack.
For those pockets of time, however, the Clemson machine purred to perfection.
As I said before, though, the team wasn’t whole for very long, so the machinery sputtered at times, mostly on the offensive side. Sadly, it seemed the days of dominance on both sides of the ball were over at Clemson—even with an array of offensive skill players second to none in the nation this time around—given the departure of a significant number of defensive stalwarts.
On top of that, Wofford presented a unique challenge in a time of transition. The Terriers returned 18 starters from a team that won more than it lost and has had a knack for pushing top competition.
In spite of all of this, the 2015 version of the Tigers began a new season in much the same way it optimally carried itself a season ago. The rhythm was familiar.
Score, stop, rinse, repeat.
It started with an offense that overwhelmed Wofford at every level of its defense with skill and balance, poise and power. An 11-play drive resulted in an early score to open the game.
Then, the Clemson defense got involved. 2 yards, 6 yards, a loss of a yard, punt. It was a déjà vu drive that harkened back to a bygone era where current NFL players roamed at every level of the unit.
Both facets of the operation didn’t stop there, however. They both did it again, and it was 14-0. Rinse, repeat.
The offense actually caved first, as a careless turnover gave the ball right back to Wofford. That didn’t stop the defense, and a third consecutive three-and-out served as a course correction.
The pattern continued after that—score, stop, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat. The next three times Clemson took the field, it both scored and stopped the Terriers.
Suddenly, it was 35-0, and white flags aplenty flew over the Wofford sideline.
Yes, there were still two quarters of play remaining after that initial onslaught. No, it wasn’t as smooth after such a barrage in both facets of play. There were hiccups along the way.
Games like this aren’t supposed to tell us anything. However, it may be true that this Clemson team’s peak performance—at least in some contests—could resemble the last one.
If the familiar “rinse, repeat” refrain takes hold with the bunch that took Wofford behind the woodshed for a half on Saturday, it could mean an unfamiliar kind of season ahead.
God Bless!
WQ