Random Sunday Thoughts

Sep 13, 2015, 2:03 PM

Again, just my own thoughts. As ever...if you don't like, don't read. Twitter's thataway. -------->

First off, the disclaimer. Clemson has some flaws this season. Our young OL, our lack of depth behind Deshaun Watson (sorry, Schuessler is scaring me, and the sooner Kelly Bryant progresses and Sleepy takes a seat, the better I'll feel), our special teams, especially kick coverage. And of course, Kyle Norton scares me every time he snaps the ball. On balance, though...Clemson is a nightmare matchup this year.

You look at what we've got, and it's formidable, and definitely should have us in the running for a playoff. Again, if we stay healthy. And humble. We have a potential Heismann Trophy-winning QB, throwing it to a bunch of explosive wide receivers. We have at least one really nasty running back in Wayne Gallman...nobody has particularly distinguished themselves behind him, but there are a fair number of OK-to-decent backs on the roster. And it appears we have some tight ends who are playing well. I've been very leery of these Jordan Leggett Is a New Man reports but he's looked very good thus far...who knows, maybe he smells NFL. If so, good for him; Lazy's got first-or-second-round tools if he's interested, and he appears to be pretty interested this year.

And especially, what we clearly have, is a very nasty defense that might be even better against the run than it was last year. I don't think our pass rush is what it was - other than Lawson and occasionally Dodd, we don't really seem to have anybody who can pressure the passer, and we don't seem to be getting as much heat with our front 4 as we did last year - but on the other hand, our secondary is wicked and that gives Venables a lot of license to bring extra bodies. Boulware in particular really seems to like hitting QB's. Whatever, Clemson can bring a lot of pressure on the LOS and our secondary is smothering...and that presents Major Issues. Especially when those safeties start creeping in and clogging the running lanes. Jayron Kearse is a massive luxury for a DC...he can fill a gap like an LB, cover like a corner...and he ballhawks. He's headed for the Top 10 of the NFL draft after this season; so enjoy him while we've got him. As for Mackenzie Alexander...who knows, since it's seemingly been a year since anybody threw to his side of the field.

About the only issue I foresee with this defense is our LB's. Boulware is great in a straight line, and Goodson is a nightmare trying to root out of the A and B gaps, but neither is overly great in space, though Boulware's nose for the ball means you'd better find him before tossing all fancy-free into the weak side, lest he sprout from the grass on you and hey, you've just thrown a really embarrassing pick. Boulware likes to lurk. I still think we're going to see a lot of teams trying to work the flats on stick routes to the TE - Louisville in particular likes that play, watch for it a lot on Thursday night and keep an eye on their freshman TE, Crum - and I think we're going to see a bunch of slow-developing screens to try to keep our LB's from bombing so enthusiastically after their QB. Depth behind those two scares me, badly. It isn't there. Again, though, when you've got safeties like Clemson has, that allows you to play LB's like Boulware and Goodson since they have so much cover behind them, and they can just do what they like to do, which is go hit people. I think a run-and-shoot offense like Baylor's might present some matchup issues...aside from that, people are going to have problems with Clemson's D all year long if the starting 11 stay relatively healthy.

How do you slow Clemson's offense down? I think you've seen what everybody is going to try to do, which is make Clemson drive the length of the field. They're going to try to make us throw short, they're going to make us run the ball, they're going to make us put together 10-12-play sustained drives. Blitzing Watson is an iffy proposition because he eludes pressure so well and that leaves your CB's 1-on-1 on the outside; if he slips it you're fried.

I think it comes down to the OL, and how well they can open running lanes against the better teams on our schedule. Gallman, at least, has run pretty effectively the first two weeks, playing basically what amounts to half-games, and if we can keep him above 5 ypc I really like our chances down the stretch. We also really need to shore up our kick coverage before the "hidden" yardage battle costs us a game - if there's a quibble I've had with Dabo's teams, he's never done well in the hidden-yards game.

All the same, the ACC looks wide open this year. We know what we're going to get from GT...and we may well have to beat them twice to win the conference. FSU is being carried right now by Mistaken Identity, but Dalvin Cook's wheels are going to fall off if they keep running him 30+ times a game no matter how many lawyers or Friendly Witnesses FSU trots out for him off the field. And Louisville...well, we'll get their best shot Thursday night, but their D is not what it was, their OL is a hot mess, and I doubt even Bobby Petrino knows who's starting at QB for him right now. If we play well, Clemson should - I hate that word - win the game fairly convincingly...though I'll smile a big happy smile about the ugliest of 1-point wins. There are no bad wins on a Thursday night in Papa John's stadium after a short week of prep, even against an 0-2 Louisville squad that has looked like a dumpster fire in many parts of its first two games. Some games are just Survive and Advance; this is one of those games. Style points would be lovely; I could care less about them at this juncture and I doubt Dabo does either. Louisville will be desperate and Papa John's will be a madhouse.

Also got a look at Notre Dame against UVA. I was...a lot less impressed than I expected given the buzz around the Irish from the media. Malik Zaire was looking like a left-handed, more erratic version of Tajh Boyd before he went down - he can bomb, he's a big strong athlete who could scamper, but underneath he was...off, and completing even simple swing passes was a struggle. Who knows what they'll get with his replacement. The Irish are huge up front, on both sides of the ball. They're also slow. Will Fuller is an explosive WR, and Prosise is an explosive RB...once he gets going, but he also looks like what he is, which a converted WR-slash-ATH of no particular position converted to RB because the Irish have had so many injuries there; if your DL gets off blocks and meets him in the hole Prosise is going nowhere because he won't break any tackles. Aside from that I didn't see many playmakers on their roster. Their DL is likewise massive but generates very little pressure with its front four, and their corners and secondary are suspect. The Irish have size...but they really don't have athletes.

The rest of the ACC looks, bluntly, like crap. NC State should finish third in the Atlantic and is probably the #4 team in the conference this year. I respect Duke and all, but when the Blue Devils are the clear #2 team in the Coastal behind Georgia Tech, you're in a weak division. Miami fans were flying "BRING BACK BUTCH DAVIS" airplane streamers over Sun Life Stadium against FAU, and for good reason; the 'Canes look bad. VT, as usual, has a decent defense and nothing resembling an offense. Pitt has been in the ACC two years now and matter so little I have honestly yet to see them play a game, and BC, Wake, and Syracuse scare nobody this year...actually the last two teams scare nobody most any year. And UNC managed to lose to South Carolina. Enough said.

The SEC doesn't look much better. Aside from maybe Texas A&M and Ole Miss, who seem to really enjoy pouring it on outmatched opponents, nobody's looked convincing. Auburn, clearly, has Issues, on both sides of the ball...when you almost lose, at home, to an FCS team with the initials "JV State", all is not rosy on the Plains. Georgia has Nick Chubb and not much else on O. Alabama looks strong defensively, and very stodgy and boring on offense. LSU looked like a dumpster fire against Mississippi State and somehow still won - has anybody noticed how bad LSU's offense is? It's comical. Tennessee looks like a talented team that is coached by adolescent monkeys sniffing glue, Arkansas lost to Toledo - Toledo! - at home and Mizzou should have lost to Arkie State, and South Carolina...well. I could dedicate an entire post just to the exquisite suffering of our feathered brethren, but I won't, since they seem to be suffering just fine all on their own. But the SEC is a steaming pile of mediocrity this year.

Phew. Busy Saturday. Lot busier than I expected it to be, given the tepid matchups we were looking at.

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Random Sunday Thoughts

Lost me at KYLE Norton.

and an offense such as baylor's might present problems?

Re: Lost me at KYLE Norton.

more like a random dissertation, but good

Good insightful post as your norm.............

Re: Random Sunday Thoughts

Point for JV State

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