Venables says recurring issues on defense are like "Groundhog Day"

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Sep 30 15:06:33 GMT-04:00 2012

CHESTNUT HILL, MA. – Brent Venables Brent Venables
Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
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Clemson’s defense has been plagued – for longer than Clemson fans want to remember – by too many missed assignments, missed tackles and mistakes.

Clemson’s defense was plagued by more of the same Saturday in Clemson’s 45-31 win over Boston College, but took a step forward in the second half by creating turnovers, putting pressure on Eagle quarterback Chase Rettig and getting key stops late in the game.

Venables, however, was not pleased, and told reporters it’s like waking up and watching the same movie over and over.

“It’s just like Groundhog Day,” Venables said.

Venables was asked if he was pleased with any part of his defense’s effort, and the answer was a resounding no.

“We’re not playing with any kind of awareness before the ball is snapped. Our approach to them is teaching and understanding,” Venables said. “We’ll have to create the awareness, demand and get the kind of discipline from them, to do some of the most fundamental, basic things, and to do it every snap.”

The Eagles scored 31 points and finished with 420 yards of total offense, and made an early statement by taking their first drive of the day 84 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.

A reporter asked Venables if he was stunned by how easily the Eagles scored, and he gave a rather blunt answer.

“I wasn’t stunned,” he said. “Pissed? “Yeah.”

The response caused more than a few of the reporters gathered around Clemson’s first-year defensive coordinator to laugh, but he made sure everyone knew that the issues weren’t a laughing matter.

“You can all laugh about it now, but it’s embarrassing,” Venables said. “I’m embarrassed about it.”

One play in particular drew the ire of Venables – with Clemson leading Boston College 38-21 late in the third quarter, Rettig hit a wide-open Alex Amidon on a 42-yard touchdown pass. Corner Garry Peters turned too late to give chase, and seemed to be the scapegoat, but Venables said that wasn’t the case.

“Garry should have had some help there,” Venables said. “It was play-action and they had the whole team in the backfield. They ran one guy to the flat and the other guy, [Amidon], ran right down the middle of the defense. I’m embarrassed about it. We’ve got to get it fixed and corrected.”

Next up for the Tigers are the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who will come to Clemson still stinging from a 49-28 loss to Middle Tennessee St. Saturday. Venables, knowing the challenge he has in preparing for the option offense of head coach Paul Johnson, said he will have to keep his players from their tendency to “freak out” during games.

“They compete, they invest in the week,” he said. “For whatever reason, we have this tendency to freak out. We’ve just got to get them to play in a better manner.”