CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Confidence Lost
Swinney talks to Stoudt after throwing his third interception of the day.

Confidence Lost


by - Senior Writer -

ATLANTA, GA – No Division I football team should be completely reliant on one player, and the Clemson Tigers fashioned a four-game winning streak without the services of freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson Deshaun Watson
Fr. Quarterback
#4 6-3, 204
Gainesville, GA

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.

Watson made his grand return Saturday at Georgia Tech, and as painful as it is to say it has to be said – Clemson had absolutely no shot at winning the game once Watson left with a left knee injury, even though the Tigers were clinging to a 3-0 lead.

As defensive tackle DeShawn WilliamsDeShawn Williams
Sr. Defensive Tackle
#99 6-1, 292
Central, SC

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said after the game, “It really didn’t affect us on the defense too much, but after that pick-six things changed.”

Things changed, and that might be an understatement.

On third down, backup and senior Cole StoudtCole Stoudt
Sr. Quarterback
#18 6-4, 231
Dublin, OH

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threw a pass that landed perfectly in the hands of Tech defensive back Jamal Golden and his 85-yard touchdown return would set the tone for the rest of the game as the Tigers wound up with just six points and less than 200 yards of total offense.

Clemson trailed 9-3 at intermission, but Tech put a touchdown on the board on the first drive of the second half. What followed was another Stoudt interception – in the middle of the field – and that was followed by an underthrown ball to Mike WilliamsMike Williams
So. Wide Receiver
#7 6-5, 208
Vance, SC

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on the sideline that was returned for yet another Jacket touchdown. Stoudt was done for the day at that point – but it was obvious prior to the interceptions that Clemson’s offense would struggle without Watson.

Watson gained 40 yards on seven carries prior to the injury, and without the threat of a running quarterback Tech was able to sit back and let Stoudt take his shots. The rest is history.

“Things just didn’t really go right today, and sometimes that happens,” Stout said to the media. “We just to move on from it and correct our mistakes. It’s a rough day, but there are things that can be fixed and we just have to get back in the film room this week and work on it.”

Stoudt said his confidence never wavered.

“It’s football. Bad things happen,” he said. “You just have to keep on going. I have a great group of guys behind me that are with me and they will make sure I have a level head I do and we just have to make sure it gets better.”

It was obvious that without Watson, Clemson’s offense lacks a true leader or go-to guy and as a result confidence now might be at an all-time low. Senior right tackle Kalon DavisKalon Davis
RS Sr. Offensive Guard
#67 6-5, 340
Chester, SC

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said it was obvious that Stoudt lost confidence after the first interception – and the rest of the offense followed suit.

“We knew after Deshaun went down that we were going to have to run the ball,” Davis said. “But after we ran the screen play that was intercepted, that was when the real scramble started.”

Offensive coordinator Chad MorrisChad Morris
Offensive Coordinator / QBs
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said he was disappointed with his offense but hopes the offense can put it together for the stretch run.

“Any time you lose a guy like Deshaun it’s tough, especially with how much effort he put into getting back and how we were moving the ball,” Morris said. “But it’s not all on Cole. We have to get it together for these guys. At halftime, we told our guys, ‘hey we can’t give it to them.’ But the last five weeks have been a simplification process and now we have to go back and look at that. We just have to put it back together."

Running back Wayne GallmanWayne Gallman
RS Fr. Running Back
#9 6-1, 209
Loganville, GA

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said that with two games remaining, Stoudt and the offense will have to get its confidence back.

“Through the last four games Cole had been playing extremely well,” Gallman said. “But today I don’t know if it was just the fact the Deshaun was back or what. But that’s something he is going to do for himself and get his mindset right again. In any game, he just can’t let up on us like that. I am behind Cole all the way – he just has to do better.”

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Subject (Replies: 55) Author
spacer New Story: Confidence Lost
TigerNet News®
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
allsport
spacer Actually he said Cole has to do better.***
RC Tiger®
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
rmpeden
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
ziggy_1118
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
COTIGER1®
spacer Kelly may have thought that he was much better than Stoudt?
tigerpaw68®
spacer Re: Kelly may have thought that he was much better than Stoudt?
Basketball fan
spacer Kelly was pi$$ed because he threw a bone-headed pick in the
vlastimil_hort
spacer Re: Kelly was pi$$ed because he threw a bone-headed pick in the
clemtiger820
spacer Re: Kelly was pi$$ed because he threw a bone-headed pick in the
tigerfanatic1
spacer Re: Kelly was pi$$ed because he threw a bone-headed pick in the
Danny in CA
spacer Y'all keep forgetting that Jim Kelly was thought to be -
cdover13
spacer Re: Y'all keep forgetting that Jim Kelly was thought to be -
CinTiger1
spacer Re: Y'all keep forgetting that Jim Kelly was thought to be -
CinTiger1
spacer But...
cutiger250
spacer Kelly could be a star right now if he has waited for his
MB93Tiger
spacer Re: Kelly could be a star right now if he has waited for his
CinTiger1
spacer Top 10 ugly loses
N507114
spacer Well said and true.....season is done......
tigerpaw68®
spacer Doubt we lose recruits over this...
Tall_Tiger_Two
spacer Re: Top 10 ugly loses
vatigers28
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
jamesw1962
spacer From the player comments
MackDaddy®
spacer Re: From the player comments
rmpeden
spacer Re: From the player comments
TigerFin
spacer Put Robert Smith at QB***
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
CRC
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
TigerBTM
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
cuted
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
Des Perado
spacer Yep!***
tigerpaw68®
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
92TigerJohn
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
clemdal
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
mspiggy
spacer Well past time!***
tigerpaw68®
spacer Good. It'll hurt less when 6 in a ####### row happens.***
tigerdrummer®
spacer It could be 10 in a row before Spurrier retires and we win***
tigerpaw68®
spacer Stoudt is all about "WE" when he should Say "I"
Tigerdrafted
spacer Under statement of the year!
tigerrag100
spacer Depressing that our only Div I QB is an injured freshman***
tigerpaw68®
spacer Re: Depressing that our only Div I QB is an injured freshman***
clemtiger820
spacer Only option now is to run the wildcat......no other options***
tigerpaw68®
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
7173TIGER®
spacer Why blame OC only? Not HC? No OL or QB, but nepotism scholly
Razzmatazz
spacer Re: Why blame OC only? Not HC? No OL or QB, but nepotism scholly
7173TIGER®
spacer Re: If you like what you've been gettin
clemvol
spacer I have faith the Dabo will fix it. unlike you, i HATE
Tiger_Fan_007
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
Tigerluvr
spacer thank Chad
pawsitivelytiger
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
Searsmerlin®
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
scotts_®
spacer proofread plz
Seegs
spacer Sure fire way to score more points on offense!
Tim317
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
NCCU
spacer Re: New Story: Confidence Lost
agcflash