On the surface, it looks like the Clemson run defense took a significant step in the 24-10 win over Cal on Friday night.
The Tigers limited the Bears to just 86 rushing yards, while starting running back Adam Mohammed was held to less than four yards per carry before leaving with an injury.
However, once you dig a little deeper, you realize Cal isn’t a team that leans heavily on the running game. The Bears were only averaging 106.7 rushing yards per contest coming in. Either way, Friday night’s result was definitely a step in the right direction.
The question now becomes, can this run defense hold up against a Miami team that features one of the best running backs the Tigers will face this season? Mark Fletcher Jr. was banged up in the win over Wake Forest a little over a week ago and was held out of Saturday’s blowout victory over Central Michigan on Saturday. According to Mario Cristobal, Fletcher being held was more of a precaution, and the head coach expects his starting running back to return to the field against Clemson.
“We feel like Mark Fletcher is healthy and ready to go,” Cristobal said after Saturday’s win. “He was banged up to the point where it may not have been the best choice to put him in there, especially with his running style because he runs hard. It was more holding him back. He is ready to roll.”
As expected, Fletcher has led the charge for Miami, averaging 6.4 yards per carry through his first three games. Slowing him down will be a monumental challenge.
“We got a tough challenge next week. They may be the best team in the country,” Dabo Swinney said of the No. 6 Hurricanes. “Played in the national championship last year. They are really good. They got some dudes.”
The Canes will be without reserve running back Marty Brown after he suffered a season-ending injury against Wake. Brown was averaging 7.5 yards per carry in a reserve role.
Clemson comes in as a 17.5-point underdog, and if the Tigers have any shot at pulling off the upset, it starts with slowing down the running game.
Outside of the final eight minutes in the win over North Carolina and the four quarters against Cal, Clemson’s run defense has been fairly leaky. Coming into Friday, the Tigers had allowed 25 runs of 10 yards or more. The Bears had just one. And they did that without DT Devarrick Woods, and with DE Darien Mayo taking snaps along the interior.
Woods could be back this week, and Clemson could certainly use him. Back or not, this run defense needs to take another step in the right direction to have any shot at knocking off the ‘Canes.
