Photo courtesy of The Tiger
Raleigh native Elaine Day is a staff writer and former sports editor for The Tiger, Clemson's student newspaper.
With the Clemson Tigers coming to Raleigh Saturday for an ACC showdown, the Technician held a Q&A session with Elaine Day, a staff writer (and Raleigh native) for The Tiger, Clemson’s student newspaper.
Technician: Deshaun Watson is considered a Heisman candidate by some. How has his play lifted the team to No. 3 in the nation?
Day: Watson is a true dual-threat quarterback. Through Clemson’s first seven games, No. 4 has thrown for over 1,500 yards and rushed for over 300, and he just has a real football instinct. However, what is truly special about Watson is his ability to lead the Tigers into being a dual-threat offense as a whole; with him at the helm, the team managed to surpass 400 yards passing against Boston College and then 400 yards rushing against Miami. That is the first time in Clemson’s history a Tiger squad has accomplished both feats in the same season. Watson is also making history by himself through his 11-1 record as a starting quarterback. He is Clemson’s first starting quarterback to win 11 of his first 12 games and, barring injury, I only see that record improving.
T: Who has stepped up at wide receiver with Mike Williams out due to a neck injury?
D: I think the better question is who hasn’t stepped up. The Tigers are not self-labeled as “Wide Receiver University” for nothing, and while losing Williams was a significant demoralizer, Clemson is quite deep at that position. Watson has targeted numerous receivers this season, including Artavis Scott and Germone Hopper; even highly touted freshmen like Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud and walk-on receiver Hunter Renfrow have turned into major playmakers early in their Clemson careers. Outside of receivers, tight end Jordan Leggett has been a consistent target for Watson, hauling in at least one touchdown catch in five games straight. That stat is good for an all-time Clemson record among tight ends, and he has been a force for the Tigers this season.
T: The defense lost some key players last season, including Vic Beasley, Grady Jarrett and Garry Peters. How has it performed without these players?
D: The Tiger defense has outperformed practically every expectation formed against them before the season. Defensively, “the difference in last year and this year is the competitive depth,” head coach Dabo Swinney told Sports Illustrated. “The experienced depth we had last year is not the same this year. It’s talented — maybe more talented — but we’ve got to replace that experience.” That talent that Swinney spoke of has played out in Clemson’s favor, and while we may have been expecting for Watson and Co. to make all the headlines, quite the contrary has occurred. Through seven games, we have seen that supposedly inexperienced defense step up in ways that not many thought possible when that potent offense was struggling, and I think they have nowhere to go but up from here. Against Louisville, two key interceptions and multiple stopped Cardinal drives were what kept Clemson in the win column. Against Notre Dame, three forced fumbles and that stop on the Irish’s final two-point conversion attempt saved the game for the Tigers. And that’s not even including completely shutting down Miami last week. The 2015 defense has been lights-out.
T: What are some of the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole?
D: I think that the Tigers are strong on both sides of the ball, but some of their vulnerabilities were showcased during the first half against Boston College; Clemson was only up 17-10 at halftime of that matchup. While they got their act together and dominated the second half, I would say that two of the team’s biggest overarching weaknesses are turnovers and special teams. While Watson has been unbelievably good for us, the one chink in his armor is interceptions. He has thrown seven interceptions through seven games this season, a far cry from the two interceptions he had in five starts during the 2014 season. Special teams have also been a bit of an issue, as the Tigers have fumbled multiple punt and kickoff returns. With regards to yardage gained on punt returns, Clemson has managed 38 yards on 17 returns, while their opponents have gotten 40 yards on only 10 returns.
T: Who are the key players going into the matchup?
D: Defensively, I would keep an eye out for cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, who has snagged a team-high 3 interceptions, and defensive end Shaq Lawson, who leads the team with 5.5 sacks (including one that knocked Miami QB Brad Kaaya out of the game this past weekend). Also, cornerback Mackensie Alexander and safety Jayron Kearse have been frustrating quarterbacks and receivers alike all season. Offensively, outside of Watson and WRU, running back Wayne Gallman has absolutely dominated the Tigers’ run game this season, averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game.
T: What is your score prediction?
D: 35-14 Clemson. I traveled to Carter-Finley for this matchup in 2013, and it’s no secret that the then-No. 3 Tigers struggled in Raleigh. However, we have a completely different team this time around, and while I see it being a close game early, expect Clemson to pull away with the solid win.