Clemson certainly showed growth in its comeback win over North Carolina, but make no mistake, it still has a lot of work to do.
A lot of that growth was seen on the offensive side of the ball, which is being led by freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, but there was some seen on the defensive side, particularly over the final eight minutes after the lengthy lightning delay.
After giving up 11 runs of 10 yards or longer before the delay, the Tar Heels didn’t have a run longer than three yards once play resumed. And that is where Tom Allen’s defense needs to improve, as the Tigers are allowing 182 rushing yards per contest.
To this point in the season, the Tigers have allowed 25 runs of 10 yards or more, ranking 138th nationally. That is dead last, meaning no other FBS team has allowed more explosive plays on the ground than Clemson has.
“We have to get off blocks,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “You have to give the opponents some credit, first of all. It is not all us. But I think we’ve got fundamentally and technically be better, and also schematically. And then, guys have to do their jobs.”
For this unit, it all starts up front, along the interior. Transfer defensive tackle Kourtney Kelly tore an ACL in the spring, and that was a huge blow. Kelly might very well have been one of the starters had he not been injured. He is expected back at some point. Hevin Brown-Shuler is out for the season while undergoing treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Another transfer, Markus Strong, was lost for the season after suffering an injury during the season-opening loss to LSU. Now, another transfer, Devarrick Woods, who started for the first time against North Carolina, is listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Cal. That position is like the walking wounded at this point.
Andy Burburija, a JUCO addition, hasn’t exactly lived up to his preseason hype, having recorded just four tackles and no tackles for loss. He does have one QB pressure. Amare Adams has flashed at times, but he’s still a sophomore who is learning on the job. He’s also got just four tackles, no tackles for loss and one QB pressure. Adams did have a big stop late in the win over UNC. Champ Thompson has been up and down in his 85 snaps.
“I do think we were better on the edge (against North Carolina), but too many times we are getting cut in half on the backside, playing the cut blocks,” Swinney added. “Having all 11 guys on the same page. And then, we just got to win more one-on-one matchups.”
However, it’s not just the interior that has struggled. The linebackers have also had their own share of issues. Sammy Brown is coming off his worst performance of the season, earning a PFF grade of 49.6 in the North Carolina game. Jeremiah Alexander wasn’t much better, grading out at 57.5.
Clemson’s issues have existed throughout the front seven, but it all starts up front. The interior has to be better than what it’s been through the first three games. If the defensive tackles can be more disruptive, it would likely have a trickle-down effect on the linebackers.
Either way, if this defense continues to get gashed on the ground to the point of allowing an average of eight explosive runs per game, it’s going to continue to make things hard on an offense that has experienced its own growing pains.