CLEMSON — Clemson’s going to need its offense to play well if it wants to leave Atlanta on Saturday with a victory.
Through two games this season, the 12th-ranked Tigers have played well on defense. Well enough to hold LSU and Troy to a combined 33 points, though seven of those points are on the offense.
Clemson (1-1) has played well enough on that side of the ball that they have given their offense opportunity after opportunity to win both games. Through two games, the defense has forced five turnovers – three interceptions and two fumbles.
However, the defense is going to need more help from its offense. Georgia Tech, led by quarterback Haynes King, is off to a good start this year, as the Yellow Jackets went to Colorado and beat the Buffaloes in the last minute before returning to Bobby Dodd Stadium last week and destroying Gardner-Webb.
Tech is averaging 271.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks second in the ACC. King, who did not play last week, ran for 156 yards and three touchdowns at Colorado. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry.
He also threw for 143 yards on 13 of 20 passing against the Buffaloes. He did throw an interception, though and fumbled twice.
“You know, regardless of style of play, because everybody presents their own challenges from an eye-discipline standpoint, but these guys, I mean in pretty much every snap, there’s a shift there’s a motion,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “You know there’s some type of jet and then by nature of just their scheme you know it’s quarterback power, quarterback counter with RPOS’s built into it with what we call slash guys coming down the line of scrimmage.”
In other words, Clemson’s defense will have its hands full, which is why the offense needs to get out of its own way this week and help out. Last week, they had too many wide receivers running open and not getting the ball, the running back hitting the hole too fast and linemen missing assignments.
“We got to just clean up the execution part from an offensive standpoint,” Swinney said. “We have just not played with great rhythm. And guys got to make the plays that are there. That’s where it starts, you know, whether it’s the quarterback or it’s catching the ball… We got too many nine out of 11 guys doing their job and you’re not going to be a great offense when that’s the case.”
Clemson does not have to be great on offense this Saturday, it just has to be better. A whole lot better if the Tigers want to open the ACC season with a victory.