Clemson returning production has Tigers positioned well in 2021 |
Returning almost the entire starting defense -- plus a few more from the 2019 group -- has the Tigers in the top half
of returning production overall, per ESPN ($).
On the defensive side, Clemson ranked third overall with 92 percent of the production coming back, trailing only Louisiana (98) and Troy (94). With stalwarts departing in Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Cornell Powell and Amari Rodgers, the Tigers rank 118th in offensive production back (46%) and then 65th overall (69). The other 2020 Playoff participants checked in at 110th (Alabama, 55), 121st (Ohio State, 50) and 123rd (Notre Dame, 50). With last year's rating and returning production factored-only, ESPN's Bill Connelly says Clemson would be fourth in his preseason rating (Alabama No. 1, Oklahoma No. 2, Iowa State No. 3 and Cincinnati No. 5), but recent history and recruiting should improve that preseason SP+ rank when it does come out. Georgia would be ninth overall by those returning production and 2020 season parameters. The highest-ranked Clemson opponent in returning production is Georgia Tech (13th; 83%), with Wake Forest also in the top-25 (18th; 81%). The Tigers ranked 96th in returning production last year, dropping most on the defensive side (104th, 51%) and in the bottom half offensively too (79th; 60%). The other 2020 Playoff teams ranked 83rd (Notre Dame, 59), 88th (Alabama, 58) and 93rd (Ohio State, 56). 2021 SP+ projections if they were based on nothing but last year’s rating and returning production*:
1 Bama
2 OU
3 Iowa St ??
4 Clemson
5 Cincy
6 Oregon
7 Ohio St
8 Wisc
9 UGA
10 Miami
* so, no recruiting or weighted recent history
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