No More Mulligans!
Hello everyone! The season is full steam ahead now, and things are getting very real in a hurry for this 2025 Clemson football team. If Coach Dabo Swinney wanted doubt and negative noise coming for his team, he’s got it now after an extremely sloppy and mostly uninspiring victory over Troy. The pollsters dropped Clemson about as much as they did for losing to LSU in week 1. Swinney did bring up some interesting parallels with the 2016 team, which it might be easily forgotten did not
play that well early that season, but there is a LOT of proving left to do if this team hopes to be anywhere in the vicinity of that now legendary, National Championship winning squad. This GT team is no joke with Brent Key at the helm, as they have proven multiple times over the past two seasons. Play time, if there was play time, is definitely over now.
Checking in on my predictions from last week: Definitely got the offense wrong but defensively was very close with giving them 14 points to the 16 they ended with. My X-Factors showed up, with Adam Randall going over 100 yards rushing and DeMonte Capehart notching a big sack early in the game.
Clemson Defense vs. GT Offense: I’m starting here because if Clemson is going to win this game, the defense has to step up another notch and keep GT from controlling the action with their great running attack. I actually think Clemson’s 2023 42-21 win over GT was former DC Wes Goodwin’s best game, as Clemson’s defense throttled the GT attack until the game was well in hand and terrorized QB Haynes King.
Brent Key has resurrected the GT program to a similar product to what Paul Johnson had during his time in Atlanta. It isn’t the textbook triple option attack that Johnson so famously used, but very similar in principals and level of execution. I expect King to be back at QB after missing last week’s victory over Gardner-Webb, and he is an outstanding runner as well as a capable passer (especially when they have their run game established). They also have one of the best running backs in the ACC, if not the nation, in Jamal Haynes. Haynes in particular can take it to the house at any point if Clemson misses a gap or an open field tackle. They have a myriad of ways to get to their basic runs and use QBs, RBs, and WRs in a variety of ways to attack in the run game. Just like with Paul Johnson, if you get too greedy in the secondary coming down on the run, they will get behind you with the play action for usually big plays. Clemson’s heralded front seven simply has to control the point of attack and force GT to have to live on the perimeter or operate behind schedule.
Clemson’s defense has been largely up to the task, especially in terms of generating turnovers and limiting points. However, the Tigers have had some issues on the edges and with misdirection concepts which have allowed both LSU and Troy to run more plays and have more time of possession. Clemson likely loses this game if GT wins both of those stats this week, and it is exactly how GT wants to play. Tiger fans have to hope safety Khalil Barnes is able to return to action and help boost the back end of the defense. Ricardo Jones and Ronan Hanafin have had some good and even great moments, but you definitely feel better if Barnes is back to help where GT no doubt will look to attack. Both LSU and Troy have mostly taken their chances with Clemson’s safeties, nickels, and corners dealing with runs and screens versus trying to work between the tackles directly. Both have given Clemson a heavy dose of quick passing game to try to offset Clemson’s pass rushing. The bad news is both teams have been pretty effective in both games; the good news is Tom Allen and his staff have two games of film to work on adjusting and correcting. We will find out pretty quickly how well that has gone this week.
One thing you can say about this year’s Clemson defense is the effort is clearly there. The turnovers they have caused have largely been the by-product of excellent pursuit to the ball by more than one player. The Ricardo Jones interception via Ashton Hampton’s backside is exhibit A of this very thing. The defense has shown improved physicality as well, and while the tackling has not been perfect, it is certainly noticeably better than what we were seeing last year. All those things are going to be important to try to limit GT’s impressive offensive attack. We need to remember that this is the team that gave Miami their first loss last year AND was within an eyelash of ending Georgia’s home winning streak last year. Clemson needs to try to jump on GT early, and if the team gets some mistakes like Colorado got when they had a chance to bury the Jackets early in that game, they must take advantage more than the Buffaloes did.
Brent Venables ultimately diffused the Paul Johnson option attack to allow Clemson to generate a winning streak from 2015 until now. Those defenses just eliminated GT’s ability to establish their dive play, and subsequently had them playing with one hand tied behind their back. Clemson has to first control GT’s base zone and zone read plays, then hopefully deal with their various ways to get to the counter runs. If GT has a weakness, it is their OL in pass protection. They may not have given up sacks, but Colorado in particular had King off platform when GT was put in clear passing scenarios. The trick is, you have to get GT having to be in clear passing scenarios. Clemson’s offense may have struggled so far this season, but opponents know that Clemson’s talent on that side of the ball will get rolling if they can find a rhythm, so limiting Clemson’s possessions is a big part of beating the 2025 Tigers. Can Tom Allen have a plan that throws the GT offense out of whack? Wes Goodwin certainly did in 2023 when Clemson held GT to just 254 yards of offense and 65 plays (to Clemson’s 81). I certainly don’t think GT will be totally shut down by anyone, really, but getting a few three and outs and creating an extra possession or two with turnovers must happen. Oh, and when a team wants to run their QB a lot, you have to PUNISH that QB as much as possible. King is a tough hombre but he’s also been injured on and off throughout his time at GT.
X Factor for the defense: Sammy Brown
Clemson Offense vs. GT Defense: Clemson fans simply have to hope that the signs of life the Tigers offense showed in the second half last week is a sign that they are going to finally play up to expectations. Clemson has yet to even get 60 plays run in a game this season. That might be OK if you are averaging over 10 yards per play and hitting explosives left and right, but that has largely not been the case this season as we know. Cade Klubnik certainly starting looking better in the second half last week, especially on a major league throw in the face of pressure for a TD to Bryant Wesco. For whatever reason, Klubnik hasn’t been trusting his eyes or concepts nearly like he should. It is easy to throw shade at Garrett Riley, but when there are guys open and are either not getting the ball on time or at all, that is on the QB. Klubnik also began to show a little more faith in his protection to hold up, and that is another key thing that has to happen for him to be the guy we thought we were going to get this season.
Georgia Tech is not a world beating group on defense, and their offensive approach is also designed to help protect this side of the ball. However, they are not devoid good players and are certainly as capable as Troy at taking advantage of Clemson not executing. It certainly would be nice for Antonio Williams to be back, despite some good work out of Tyler Brown, because it certainly has felt that Klubnik has been off since Williams departed the LSU game early. T.J. Moore is another guy who needs to step it up, and he found himself on the sideline a lot more than you would expect last week as a result of not finishing plays consistently. Moore is certainly capable of way more than what we have seen, and hopefully we are going to see it soon. Fellow sophomore Bryant Wesco delivered an outstanding performance last week and now needs to show he can consistently be that guy.
Last week’s preview featured the call for Clemson to show it can run the football. Adam Randall is still growing into his RB role, and some of the timing issues on counter plays have underscored that, but he was able to crank out over 100 yards and over 20 carries. His fumble was definitely a poor moment, though due to an effort play, but otherwise Randall showed the physicality and enough suddenness to believe he can be a workhorse back as the younger guys come along and Jay Haynes works to return to action. Clemson’s first big TD pass to Wesco showed how much getting some viable run action can set up the passing game. Clemson has to take care of the ball and get out of its own way this week to avoid a loss.
We will have to see if Tristan Leigh and Walker Parks are healthy enough to contribute this week. Leigh missed the Troy game, but Parks was able to log some snaps. It certainly would help if Clemson’s projected top 7 OL can all play, especially in such an important and challenging contest. You have to think Cade would feel more comfortable under those conditions as well. Brayden Jacobs had his share of freshmen moments last week, so it is premature to want to count on him at this stage of the season. The Tigers will see a familiar face on the GT defensive line in transfer A.J. Hoffler if he is able to return from an injury. Former Clemson commit Tae Harris is listed as the #2 Strong Safety for the Jackets as well.
#44 Kyle Efford is a guy to watch on the GT defense. Efford is very physical and can be prone to penalties as a result, but he is a guy that usually is at the center of their run defense in particular. Clemson needs to make sure it is identifying key personnel better than they did week 1 when LSU managed to get Harold Perkins either unblocked or on a running back or slot WR way more than they should have.
It is past time for the Clemson offense to step up to the plate. This is very well a game where the Clemson defense might need a little more support in terms of ball control and, especially, scoring points.
X factor for the offense: T.J. Moore
Special Teams: Lo and behold the Special Teams are delivering! Clemson has created touchbacks on the kickoffs, punted well, and, most importantly, not self destructed in some way in this phase like we have seen happen a few times in recent years. This is easily the most evenly matched Clemson-GT game since probably 2014, so that makes winning this phase all the more important on Saturday. The Tigers got reminded about how bad field position can lead to disaster on that pick six last week from inside the 10 yard line. Special Teams are critical to helping win field position if nothing else.
Overall: I was worried about this game even before the season, and that worry has understandably grown as Clemson has sputtered out of the gate. I’m very glad the Tigers avoided GT last season considering how the run defense turned out to be. GT knows who they are, and they certainly believe they can line up and beat anybody since Brent Key took over. Clemson’s start just goes to show how you never really know how a team is going to be until the lights come on. The Tigers have had some unexpected issues, but they have to know that they can’t play like they did the last two weeks and avoid a loss here. You have to think the Tigers are going to be focused, and perhaps the road environment actually helps in this regard. Swinney’s teams have generally shined in back against the wall situations, and this feels like one even if there is a lot of season left. Fan belief and media belief is nice to have, for sure, but none of that trumps actual team belief. Right now I definitely give GT the edge in that department. For that reason, I am picking the Jackets to win and really, really hoping I’m wrong.
GT 30-Clemson 27
