By William Qualkinbush.

Clemson’s defense has been stout this season due to its balance. The Tigers rank among the nation’s top 20 in rushing, passing, and total defense.

Unfortunately, a balanced defense is not necessary to deal with the challenge Boston College presents this week.

The Eagles have made a living keeping the ball on the ground in 2014, running the football on almost 72 percent of their offensive snaps. Only option-based Georgia Tech has a more extreme split among Atlantic Coast Conference teams between run and pass in terms of play calls and execution.

Defending the run has been a strength of the Clemson defense this season. Four straight opponents have rushed for fewer than 100 yards, and the Tigers are giving up a shade under three yards per carry for the season.

But Venables understands the danger of assuming past performances will simply repeat themselves, even after a pair of solid efforts in conference play over the past couple of weeks.

“You’ve got to go back to work and not read your press clippings, so to speak,” he said. “Last time everybody was bragging on us, we couldn’t get out of our own way.”

Seeing a Boston College team run the ball is nothing new. Andre Williams was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season after rushing for more than 2,000 yards. Clemson saw that team firsthand in a rough-and-tumble game in Death Valley.

But this team is different. Quarterback Tyler Murphy—initially recruited by Addazio when he was the offensive coordinator at Florida under Urban Meyer—is among the nation’s top rushers, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. That average ranks second in the country.

Venables says the Eagles remind him of N.C. State in the way they utilize a diverse array of personnel in their offensive sets. On film, he sees Meyer’s influence in what Addazio is doing, combined with some of the power running elements present on last year’s offense.

Venables always harkens back to fundamental defense regardless of the opponent’s scheme, but he understands there is an extra challenge this week because of the different ways the Eagles attack on the ground.

“You can’t get too crazy,” Venables said, “but you want to force the issue at times, too, and not let them always know where you are. That’s the kind of balance you try to have without hurting yourself.”

This will be Venables’ first trip to Chestnut Hill since 2012, when he says he saw a lifeless bunch on the opposing sideline. It was a different vibe last season when the Eagles and Tigers squared off, and Venables was not surprised given what he knows about Addazio.

“It’s really not that remarkable because that’s what he did at Temple,” Venables said. “His players played that way at Florida. He had great players at Florida, but they played with an attitude and an edge to them that was a direct reflection of his personality.”

Venables sees a lot of that edge in his own unit. He is quick to point out the great lengths the Tiger defense must go to in order to improve fundamentally, but he also recognizes the high level of play his team has exhibited and is confident it can continue.

“We’re playing with great effort,” Venables said. “I think that covers up for some of the deficiencies that you have, some of your weaknesses. Guys are playing hard and they believe and they’re confident.”