Clemson - NC State Preview |
Clemson takes their 2-0 ACC record into Raleigh Saturday night to face a slumping North
Carolina State Wolfpack squad. The Wolfpack, blown out by Florida State and Wake Forest in their last two outings, will be trying to climb back into the ACC race behind senior quarterback Jamie Barnett. A win for Clemson further cements the Tigers as a serious contender for a top-three finish in the ACC. QUARTERBACKS- Entering his senior season, Jamie Barnett was billed as one of the stars to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference. To say that his play in the Wolfpack’s first four games has been disappointing would be quite an understatement. The fact is that Barnett and the entire NC State offense has been awful, averaging only 222-yards per game, last in the ACC. Barnett has completed only 50% of his passes for a paltry 578 yards with five interceptions and only two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Woodrow Dantzler was forced to take over as triggerman in the Clemson offense when Brandon Streeter fractured his collarbone against North Carolina. In 2 ½ quarters against the Tar Heels, Dantzler shook off early jitters and performed admirably. The sophomore rushed for 82 yards and a critical touchdown while passing for 131 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown strike to Rod Gardner. Most importantly, Dantzler didn’t make any critical mental errors in an effort that will undoubtedly boost his confidence. Despite his solid performance last Saturday, Dantzler will be the "X" factor when the Tigers take on NC State. While he has the natural athletic ability, Dantzler is still short on experience. Barnette has been bad, but he’s had the battlefield experience to get the edge in this category. Advantage: NC State RUNNING BACKS- Travis Zachery finally returned to the form he showed last season on Saturday, rushing for 129-yards and a touchdown on 28 carries against UNC. Now the challenge will be for the Tigers to put together some measure of consistency in the rushing attack on a game-to-game basis. NC State has struggled at establishing the running game, with the Wolfpack averaging 104-yards on the ground and only 3.1-yards per carry behind running backs Rahshon Spikes and Ray Robinson. When you have the #7 rushing team (Clemson) in the league going against, #8 (NCSU), don’t expect to seean offensive explosion on the ground. Advantage: Even NC STATE RECEIVERS VS. CLEMSON SECONDARY- NC State misses Torry Holt like the Chicago Bulls miss Michael Jordan. Without his All-American wide-out to throw to, Jamie Barnette has struggled to find a consistent target in the Wolfpack offense. As a result, NC State comfortably brings up the rear in the ACC in passing offense, averaging only 118 yards per outing. Even with his numerous drops, Chris Coleman has been the only Wolfpack receiver to show signs of life thus far with 23 receptions. Meanwhile, the Clemson secondary is as strong as it has been in years. Tiger fans beware: Robert Carswell has NFL-caliber talent as a junior. Hopefully, he’ll decide to stick around for another season. Advantage: Clemson CLEMSON RECEIVERS VS. NC STATE SECONDARY- In direct contrast to the Wolfpack wide-outs, Clemson’s receiving nucleus of Rod Gardner, Mal Lawyer, and Brian Wofford continues to shine. While NC State boasts two seniors at the corners with Lloyd Harrison and Tony Scott, the Tiger’s size and speed will be quite a test for the Wolfpack secondary. Advantage: Clemson. NC STATE OFFENSIVE LINE VS. CLEMSON DEFENSIVE LINE- The Wolfpack offensive line has failed to consistently control the line of scrimmage in their first four games. Jamie Barnette has been harassed in the backfield and Wolfpack running backs have struggled to find holes. Clemson’s front four have been pushed around in the first three games but were solid against North Carolina. Advantage: Clemson CLEMSON OFFENSIVE LINE VS. NC STATE DEFENSIVE LINE- The Tiger offensive line bounced back strong against UNC after being dominated by Virginia Tech. Quarterbacks Brandon Streeter and Woodrow Dantzler had enough time in the pocket to pick apart the Tarheel secondary while Travis Zachery was able to find daylight behind effective run blocking. The Wolfpack’s young defensive line allowed a previously dormant Wake Forest team to explode for sizable chunks of yardage on the ground. None the less, NC State is still third best in the ACC at stopping the run. Advantage: Even LINEBACKERS- NC State has implemented a new 3-4 scheme this season with limited effectiveness. The Wolfpack linebackers have shown potential, but their overall play has been somewhat soft. Clemson’s young linebacking corps came up big against UNC behind Keith Adam’s five tackles for loss. The Tigers will have to make up for their inexperience at the position against NC State with continued speed and aggressiveness in order to contain Barnette. Advantage: Even SPECIAL TEAMS- While much has been made of Clemson’s field goal kicking woes, it is important to note that the Tigers have been solid in every other facet of special teams play. Mal Lawyer exploded for a 32-yard punt return against North Carolina and the Tigers continue to be effective on punt and kickoff coverage. The kicking accuracy has remained poor, but the snaps, holds, and special teams coverage has been mistake-free. As for NC State, their best offense may be their punt-blocking unit as Wolfpack special teams have been largely responsible for two of the team’s three victories. Against both Texas and South Carolina, NC State capitalized on a total of four blocked punts to put up points while the Wolfpack offense was virtually non-existent. The Tiger punt unit will have to be on top of their game to fend off the Wolfpack’s dangerous punt rush. Advantage: NC State COACHING- When Brandon Streeter went down against North Carolina, Clemson fans let out a collective groan. But instead of folding up the offensive tent, the Tiger offense exploded for 24 points with Woodrow Dantzler at the helm. While Dantzler certainly deserves credit, Tommy Bowden and Rich Rodriguez should take a bow for play calling that allowed the inexperienced sophomore to gain confidence in leading the team to a huge win. Mike O’Cain is a capable coach, but the Tiger staff is as ingenious as any in the nation. Advantage: Clemson Without a doubt, the biggest factor in Saturday night’s game will be the play of Woodrow Dantzler. While his scrambling ability has never been questioned, it will be critical for Dantzler to be sure he doesn’t have an open receiver before taking off. The Tigers will need a solid all-around effort to defeat a Wolfpack team that should be hungry after two straight losses. PREDICTION: Clemson- 24 NC State- 16
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