Quick Thoughts: Offense rolls, but defense struggles in run game

Jay Haynes runs to daylight.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Saturday, November 23 2024

CLEMSON – Plenty of good came out of Saturday’s 51-14 victory over The Citadel, but questions linger with the rivalry game against South Carolina looming next week.

No. 17 Clemson took care of business against The Citadel Saturday, celebrating Military Appreciation and Senior Day with a 51-14 victory over the Bulldogs.

Let’s start with the good news, and that’s the offense. The Tigers didn’t punt on the day, and the offense racked up 16 “big” plays, which are runs of 10-plus yards and pass plays of 15-plus yards. Clemson had five passing plays that gained 145 yards (gains of 30, 55, 23, 16, 21) and 11 runs that gained 248 yards (runs of 23, 15, 70, 12, 24, 35, 11, 18, 15, 13, 12).

Redshirt freshman running back Jay Haynes was a bright spot, with five carries for 118 yards (and that 70-yard touchdown run). The Tigers ran just five plays in the first quarter, but that was because……

The defense has had better days. The Citadel rushed for 288 yards, a season-high for the Bulldogs. Their previous high was the 274 they rushed for against Western Carolina back in October. And there were PLENTY of open running lanes for Bulldog runners. The Bulldogs ran option principles, just like Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney predicted, and the Tigers looked wholly unprepared.

The Bulldogs averaged 5.9 yards per play and 5.2 yards per rush, and while there were some sets I hadn’t seen on film, that doesn’t excuse the lack of adjustments. And it doesn’t excuse the lack of a deep safety in the fourth quarter on the flea flicker that went for a touchdown.

Yes, the defense was without starting defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, starting linebacker Wade Woodaz, and starting safety R.J. Mickens. As it is in baseball, it all starts up the middle. But the defense, other than the Virginia Tech game when the Hokies inexplicably handed it off to a running back just five times, hasn’t been very good against the run.

With South Carolina looming next week – and running back Rocket Sanders and quarterback LaNorris Sellers – that might be the worst problem a team can have.

The Bulldogs didn’t have a 3-and-out until late in the second quarter but did have two nine-play drives, a seven-play drive, and a 14-play drive before the second 3-and-out late in the third quarter.

The good news for the defense? The pick-six by defensive tackle Payton Page. Page showed up at Clemson in the 400-pound range and has worked hard to get himself in shape. He’s also shown a lot of patience, playing behind guys like Tyler Davis, Bryan Bresee, and Ruke Orhorhoro. To see him get the interception and take it to the house was a thing of beauty – if you like a rumbling beauty – and well-deserved. Watching defensive tackles coach Nick Eason celebrate with Page was worth the price of admission.

But the rest of it? That has to get better before next week. But it’s game 12 on the schedule this week, and do you expect it to get appreciably better? Getting Woodaz back will help, and playing three linebackers would be a start.