Grading the Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks |
QUARTERBACK- Despite rushing for 80 yards on 19 carries against South
Carolina, Woodrow Dantzler still appeared to be limited by an injured left ankle. While he was still dangerous as a runner, he didn't seem to have the tackle-breaking explosiveness that he possessed before the injury. Dantzler's performance on passing plays was average at best, with the junior quarterback missing wide-open receivers throughout the evening and drawing the sideline ire of Tommy Bowden after numerous stalled drives. Grade: C+ RUNNING BACKS- Travis Zachery ran for 84 tough yards against a stingy Gamecock rushing defense. While his statistics might not be awe-inspiring, Zachery was again a key in the Tigers' offensive success. Grade: B+ RECEIVERS- You know the game "500", where a ball is lobbed into a group of kids and the first person to make five catches wins? After Saturday night's performance against South Carolina, Rod Gardner can officially lay claim the title of "500" Champion of the World. As one Gamecock fan said as he walked out of Death Valley, "By God, I hope I never see that #23 again." Here's betting that Lou Holtz would echo that sentiment. Grade: A+ OFFENSIVE LINE- While the Clemson running game sputtered, the Tiger offensive line did do a masterful job protecting Dantzler. The Clemson front five managed to hold the Gamecocks without a sack on 29 passing attempts. Grade: B DEFENSIVE LINE- Following a difficult first quarter, the Clemson defensive line was surprisingly dominant against the run, allowing only 101 yards on 38 carries after giving up a 61-yard touchdown run to Derek Watson The Tigers also managed a reasonable pass rush for the first time since early on in the season. Grade: B+ LINEBACKERS- Clemson's linebacking corps came up big against the run, with Keith Adams and Chad Carson stuffing Gamecock ball carriers on a number of occasions. Carson' second-quarter sack of Phil Petty killed a South Carolina drive and gave Clemson good field position on the ensuing punt. Grade: A- SECONDARY- After two horrible performances against Georgia Tech and Florida State, the Clemson defensive backs bounced back to limit the Gamecocks to only 200 yards passing. Perhaps somewhat lost in the late-game heroics, Alex Ardley's two interceptions in the third quarter allowed the Tigers to remain in the game. Grade: A- SPECIAL TEAMS- As of last Friday, anyone who predicted that Clemson would beat South Carolina thanks to three field goals would have found themselves locked in room with four padded walls. One lesson was made perfectly clear after Aaron Hunt's last second heroics: Never rule out ANYTHING when Clemson and South Carolina are on the same field. Grade: A+ COACHING- Strangely enough, Clemson's offense has become somewhat- gasp- predictable in the last few weeks, particularly on short yardage plays. With Dantzler at quarterback, opposing defenses have been quick to snuff out quarterback running plays. Regardless, the Tiger's version of the "Hail Mary" pass late in the game was brilliant, with Dantzler rolling out to one side and turning to fling the ball to Gardner on the other end of the field. Defensively, credit Reggie Herring for adjusting to the Gamecock rushing game after the first few drives. After being humiliated twice in the last month, the Clemson defense fought hard and, for the most part, played smart football against a quality South Carolina team. Grades: Offense- C+ Defense- B+
Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.
Upgrade Now