TCI hands out some helmet stickers following Clemson’s 56-41 win at N.C. State on Saturday…
Wayne Gallman
While quarterback play stole the headlines, Gallman once again became the kind of workhorse back Clemson needed him to be. The sophomore carried the football 31 times—a new career high—for 172 yards and a touchdown. He was a difficult back to bring down all game long—and particularly down the stretch, when Gallman helped Clemson milk the clock on the win. His 24-yard run came during that point in the game. Gallman also had three catches out of the backfield in Saturday’s contest.
Hunter Renfrow
Renfrow seemed to be in and around a ton of big plays during the win over the Wolfpack on Saturday. He had four catches for 93 yards in the game, including a mammoth 57-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. The former preferred walk-on also had a 20-yard reception that kept a drive alive in the fourth quarter. In addition, Renfrow was a prominent figure in terms of blocking at the wide receiver spot. It is not the strength of his game, but there were moments on Saturday when a complete player emerged.
Charone Peake
Not enough is said about the job Peake has done in the run game. People make remarks about standout blocks down the field—the one he had against Georgia Tech early in the game comes to mind—but Peake routinely sees himself in the thick of running plays and screen passes because of his ability to move perimeter defenders out of the way. In addition, Peake had four catches in Saturday’s win for 64 yards and a touchdown. His little nudge—a veteran move often seen in the NFL—gave him separation from the defending cornerback on that touchdown catch.
Mackensie Alexander
N.C. State did what most teams do not dare to do. The Wolfpack threw at Mackensie Alexander. The sophomore shutdown cornerback showed why that is always a fool’s errand, breaking up a pair of passes and repeatedly providing the quarterback with no feasible angle at which he could connect with his intended target. Alexander enjoyed the opportunity to shine, and while the rest of the defense was giving up chunk plays, he was perusing the field with swagger and making sure the opposing sideline knew who was thwarting their attempts to go downfield. Alexander also made a rare appearance in the backfield to blow up a swing pass.
B.J. Goodson
Any issues the Tigers had defensively could not be pegged on Goodson. The MIKE linebacker had one of his most productive games as a Tiger, racking up ten tackles. Three of those tackles occurred in the backfield, including a sack of Jacoby Brissett that forced a fumble and led to the only takeaway of the game for the Tigers. It is clear at this point of the season that Goodson does not miss tackles, and his consistency at linebacker allows Brent Venables some freedom in terms of playcalling.