Game Review: Clemson vs. UGA
With efforts from a dominant second half, the top ranked Georgia Bulldogs dogged our Clemson Tigers 34-3. Both defenses started the game out strong by limiting the half time score to a measly 6-0. However, with no offensive hope in sight, our Tiger defense weakened to Heisman hopeful Carson Beck and true freshman fill-in Running Back, Nate Frazier. The Clemson Offense showed no growth as they accumulated only 188 total yards compared to UGA’s 447 (ESPN). Clemson has left a lot to be desired for Tiger fandom wanting a sign of hope with 11 games left.
Key Tiger Takeaways:
Offensive Line: Despite the poor showing, the Offensive Line looked much improved from less than just one year ago. The hire from OL Coach Matt Luke will play dividends for the Tigers throughout the season and for their improvement.
Secondary and Linebacker Depth: The Clemson Secondary and Linebacker Core subbed very little throughout the game, and it showed during the second half when they began to look tired. More Receivers were running open for the Bulldogs, and tackling past the first level became more difficult for the Tigers. As the season progresses, Clemson will need to turn to true Freshmen like Linebacker Sammy Brown and Cornerback Ashton Hampton to relieve the starters. In order to beat tough opponents like the Bulldogs, Clemson will need to trust their depth.
Cade Klubnik, Garrett Riley, and Tyler Grisham: After a lot of offseason talk, the play calling, the Quarterback, and the Wide Receiver Core did not look much improved from last season. As we talk about the offensive play, it’s important to remember the Tigers battled one of the toughest defenses in the country. However, Klubnik finished the day 18-29, 142 passing yds, 0 tds, and 1 INT (ESPN). These numbers cannot continue to occur throughout the season or Clemson will waltz their way to another disaster season. Clemson’s only spotlight in the Receiving Corps was RS Sophomore Antonio Williams who led the Tigers with 6 catches for 76 yards (ESPN). Whether it’s the QB play, play calling, or WR play, it looked today that not enough change has occurred in Clemson’s offense. Tyler Grisham is a name to look at for the next possible change inside of Clemson’s offensive staff. The WR Coach has been in that position with the Tigers since 2020 when the discussions about subpar WR play began (“Clemson Tigers | Clemson University Athletics”). There were multiple mistakes with the Wide Receivers during the game, with most occurring with seasoned veterans within the Clemson roster. If poor Wide Receiver play continues throughout the season, Tiger fans will be looking at Coach Swinney to fix the issue.
Sources:
ESPN. “ESPN.” ESPN.com, 2019, www.espn.com/.
“Clemson Tigers | Clemson University Athletics.” Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site, clemsontigers.com/.
Newberry, Paul. “Georgia Puts Clemson Away with Big Second Half.” Timesfreepress.com, www.timesfreepress.com, Sept. 2024, www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/31/georgia-puts-clemson-away-with-big-second-half/. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024. (Picture)