Closer Look: Clemson-Boston College grades and notable performances |
The Tigers pushed the undefeated campaign to 6-0 by pulling away to a 31-3 win at Boston College thanks to a dominant effort on defense and another big game from
DJ Uiagalelei.
We take a look at the top performers and more notables on offense and defense in game six with the aid of Pro Football Focus: Offensive MVP QB DJ Uiagalelei - Uiagalelei has been a fixture of this spot and he was again one of the top-graded performers on the Clemson offense. According to PFF, Uiagalelei dropped in his second-highest total of “big-time throws” this season with three. On the negative side, he also threw his second pick of the season, but Uiagalelei's season mark of 1.3% turnover-risky plays is nearly cut in half from last year (2.5%). Suffering a drop on one, Uiagalelei graded at 92.6% on his six deep throws (20+ yards) with 9.8 yards per attempt and a TD. He has already compiled double the multi-TD pass games this season compared to 2021 (4 to 2) with a three-score effort on Saturday. Offense
More notables
Spector has moved to the second team with the emergence of freshman Antonio Williams, but he made the most of his action against the Eagles. Spector logged 18 snaps, with 10 being passes, was targeted on five of them and caught two for 37 yards with a TD. He led Clemson in grading (79.2) with a nice grab in traffic for the late TD.
Putnam posted his second-best PFF grade of the season and the top as a pass blocker in particular (82.1).
WR Joseph Ngata
Ngata put up his top numbers of the season grades-wise (70.6/70 receiving) with five targets his way and three catches for 47 yards and a TD.
It was a quiet night for the sophomore after a career-best effort against NC State. He graded a team-low in the passing game (53) in 15 snaps and did not see a target his way.
RT Blake Miller
Miller suffered a season-low grade (47.4) with a penalty called on him and a sub-50 mark in the running game (49.8).
Unit grade notes: It was not the flashiest of efforts overall with middle-of-the-pack figures in a number of areas compared to season totals, but the running game struggled particularly with a 2022-worst grade for run-blocking (56.1) and second-worst for the ballcarriers (64.7).
Defense
Defensive MVP
LB Barrett Carter - He logged a team-high 66 snaps and was all over the field Saturday night.
Carter was second only to Xavier Thomas’ dynamo effort in limited time with a 91.3 grade as a pass rusher, logging a sack, three QB hits, two hurries, three tackles and a forced fumble. He limited receivers to eight yards per catch his way in five targets.
He graded at 81.4 overall, which was a career-best mark.
More notables
DE Xavier Thomas - In six snaps, Thomas logged two sacks, two QB hurries and a forced fumble for a 96.7 grade in his season debut after a foot injury suffered during fall camp.
Welcome back, Xavier Thomas.
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) October 9, 2022
pic.twitter.com/S5Yn5dDSkW
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - Trotter was another one all over the field with the second-best grade (83.1), 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. He had four targets his way and they were contained to minus-10 yards.
DE KJ Henry - BC’s Phil Jurkovec was very familiar with Henry after seven hurries in 24 pass rush snaps. He finished with two tackles and a QB hit.
DT Tyler Davis - Davis was another one in Jurkovec’s face with five QB hurries and two hits on the QB with two tackles.
DT Tré Williams - Only a couple weeks removed from missing two games, Williams was credited by PFF for two sacks and posted a defense-best grade against the run (77.3) in 26 snaps.
Unit grade notes: Clemson had by far its best grade of the season (86.3) with stout numbers against the run (83.9; second-best this season), in pass rush (83; second-best this season) and in coverage (77.4; second-best this season).
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