Heel Tough Blog: Clemson Preview
The Tar Heels will head to Clemson on Saturday looking to turn the attention back to the field after another week of storylines off the field. The team will be looking for their first win against the Tigers since 2010 and their first road win in the series since 2001. Here’s a look at everything you need to know for the team’s trip to Death Valley.
Team Breakdowns
Tar Heels
The Tar Heels are the team that comes into this matchup with better vibes despite everything that has gone on off the field. The offense feels like it is in a good rhythm even though they haven’t put up a ton of points in the first two games of the season. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has done a great job of getting the football where it needs to go in these first two wins, proving why he landed the starting job back in the fall. He has had some inconsistencies with accuracy that have popped up in each game and the hope is that he can avoid those from showing up in important moments in this game. His pass catching room is off to a solid start, but a lot rides on the shoulders of tight end Jelani Thurman and Jordan Shipp. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has done a good job of scheming these guys open and the hope is that will continue this weekend. It would also be nice for Mason Humphrey and Trech Kekahuna to contribute a little more than they have in the first two games of the year. The running back room got their wheels turning last week against East Tennessee State with Ben Hall, Jaylen McGill and Demon June all having some nice moments on the ground. Clemson’s run defense looked good in the game against Georgia Southern, but it feels like this trio of backs could certainly challenge them a little bit more. To do that, the offensive line will need to continue to play the way that they have out of the gate. After a mediocre day in run blocking against TCU, the group bounced back with a dominant performance against ETSU in that area and built upon their strong pass protection outing. They may have also found depth here after Cristian Alvarez played 39 snaps last week. Against a defensive line that is banged up, especially on the interior, this unit is set up nicely to at least hold their own in this matchup.
Defensively, it was revealed that Brian Belichick has been calling plays and he has put together two strong gameplans so far. The run defense has been a little slow out of the gate in both games, but has made adjustments and played stout when they needed to. The hope is that they will start a little faster against a Clemson team that’s struggling to run the ball. It all starts up front where the team has some standouts emerging. Xavier Lewis has had two amazing games that have drawn headlines, but both Leroy Jackson and Isaiah Johnson are off to strong starts, too. On the edge, Melkart Abou Jaoude’s status is up in the air for this game because of a hand injury, but Jaylen Harvey proved last week why there was so much excitement around him in the preseason. If that defensive line can perform well again, it will help a linebacking corps that is still a bit of mystery. Derek McDonald was one of the standouts of the opener and Peyton Seelmann rebounded nicely on Saturday from his rough showing in Dublin, but there is still a question of just how good that unit is. Jonathan Agumadu provides some promise as a rotational piece, though, with his physicality and quickness and gives you reason to believe they can handle themselves well in this game. The secondary enters the third game of the season relatively untested. Cornerback Jaiden Patterson and safety Greg Smith feel like they can be trusted based on what they have shown dating back to last season and the hope is that Kaleb Cost can recover like he did last year from a rough opener. That other corner spot and the field safety spot remain a question mark with how little they have been targeted so far.
Special teams is the biggest concern for the Tar Heels heading into this one. While Aeron Burrell got the punting on track last week, his struggles with field goal kicking continue. At this point, it’s hard to trust him with anything beyond 35 yards, putting more pressure on this offense to put it in the end zone when they cross midfield. The return games have been pretty ineffective so far, but they have at least held onto the ball.
Clemson
The Tigers enter this game searching for answers and some inspiration for a fanbase that has grown restless with a rough start to the season. The offense is the biggest point of contention for the team right now as they have struggled in all aspects out of the gate under new/old offensive coordinator Chad Morris. The quarterback position has been shared by Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds in the first two games, but Reynolds will get his first career start in this one after showing some promise in the game against Georgia Southern. He’ll be looking for some help from a run game that has had its own issues so far in the first two games. Gideon Davidson has been taking the bulk of the carries out of the gate, but Chris Johnson Jr. has been far more impactful when he’s been given the chance. As a team, Clemson averages just 3.1 yards per carry and a lot of that falls on an offensive line that might be struggling the most out of any unit on this offense. The group has allowed the most tackles for loss in the entire country to this point and they are near the bottom in sacks allowed. The group has also taken 12 penalties already this season, which is just awful. The pass catchers are the strength of this unit and could challenge the secondary if Reynolds can get them the ball. T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco are stars and Tyler Brown shouldn’t be slept on in the slot. The tight ends have been very quiet so far, but are talented.
Defensively, the Tigers recovered from a brutal opener against Georgia Southern, but there is still some uncertainty about how good this group is after defensive coordinator Tom Allen underachieved with a more talented unit last season. The strength of the unit is the linebacker spot where Sammy Brown is one of the best in the league and Jeremiah Alexander is off to a solid start. The secondary has some standouts with Ashton Hampton at corner and Jerome Carter III at safety, but other areas of that unit have been picked apart. Corian Gipson and Elliot Washington III have given up a lot of yards in coverage so far this season and should be guys that the Tar Heels look to target in this game on Saturday. The defensive line has been disappointing in the first two games of the year. Will Heldt and Jaheim Lawson are off to slow starts and the interior defensive line is sorting through injuries and rotating a lot of bodies. This is still not a group to overlook but it feels like this is the best chance the Tar Heels have had in the last fifteen years to win a battle up front against Clemson.
Special teams is a pretty reliable group for the Tigers. Placekicker Nolan Hauser is a one of the best field goal kickers in the country and punter Jack Smith has been active, punting the most times of anyone in the country through the first three weeks of the season. The returners aren’t anything spectacular based on their numbers out of the gate, but they have held onto the football.
Team Stats
Tar Heels
Off. PPG: 25.0 (T-93rd)
Off. PYPG: 249.0 (T-57th)
Off. RYPG: 125.5 (106th)
Off. TYPG: 374.5 (90th)
Off. 3rd Down %: 40.0 (T-73rd)
Off. 4th Down %: 100.0% (T-1st)
Off. Red Zone TD%: 57.1% (T-95th)
Tackles For A Loss Allowed: 7.0 (T-28th)
Sacks Allowed: 4.0 (T-73rd)
Def. PPG: 6.5 (T-5th)
Def. PYPG: 176.5 (51st)
Def. RYPG: 91.5 (43rd)
Def. TYPG: 268.0 (T-40th)
Def. 3rd Down %: 46.8% (121st)
Def. 4th Down %: 16.7% (T-24th)
Def. Red Zone TD%: 20.0% (T-11th)
Tackles for A Loss: 10.0 (T-79th)
Sacks: 7.0 (T-14th)
Interceptions: 1 (T-65th)
Turnover Margin: +1 (T-42nd)
Penalties Per Game: 4.0 (T-17th)
Penalty Yards Per Game: 30.0 (T-10th)
Clemson
Off. PPG: 16.0 (T-128th)
Off. PYPG: 151.0 (125th)
Off. RYPG: 95.0 (124th)
Off. TYPG: 246.0 (134th)
Off. 3rd Down %: 11.1% (136th)
Off. 4th Down %: 0.0% (T-114th)
Off. Red Zone TD%: 33.3% (T-129th)
Tackles For A Loss Allowed: 22.0 (138th)
Sacks Allowed: 6.0 (T-119th)
Def. PPG: 29.0 (T-113th)
Def. PYPG: 289.5 (130th)
Def. RYPG: 165.5 (109th)
Def. TYPG: 455.0 (129th)
Def. 3rd Down %: 45.5% (T-113th)
Def. 4th Down %: 33.3% (T-37th)
Def. Red Zone TD%: 80.0% (T-114th)
Tackles for A Loss: 8.0 (T-104th)
Sacks: 3.0 (T-81st)
Interceptions: 1 (T-65th)
Turnover Margin: -1 (T-89th)
Penalties Per Game: 7.5 (T-90th)
Penalty Yards Per Game: 70.5 (111th)
Keys to the Game
-Contain the Mobile Quarterback
-Take Care of the Football
-Hit Some Explosives
Injury Report
Tar Heels
OUT- Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu (undisclosed), Jordan Avinger (undisclosed), Keeyun Chapman (suspension), Vodney Cleveland (undisclosed), Viliami Moala (undisclosed), Jonah Rodriguez (undisclosed), C.J. Sadler (suspension), Jordan Washington (undisclosed), Carnell Warren(undisclosed), Jaxxon Warren (undisclosed), Rece Verhoff (eligibility)
QUEST- Melkart Abou Jaoude (hand)
Clemson
OUT- Polo Anderson (undisclosed), Hevin Brown-Shuler (undisclosed), Adam Guthrie (undisclosed), Kourtney Kelly (knee), Keil McGriff (undisclosed), Joseph Roberto II (undisclosed), Peyton Streko (undisclosed), Markus Strong (undisclosed), Cole Turner (personal reasons), Mason Wade (undisclosed), Shavar Young Jr. (undisclosed)
Projected Starting Lineup
Tar Heels
Offense
QB# 9 Billy Edwards Jr., Gr.
RB# 7 Benjamin Hall, Jr.
WR-X# 4 Mason Humphrey, Sr.
WR-SL# 2 Trech Kekahuna, Jr.
WR-Z# 1 Jordan Shipp, Jr.
TE#45 Jelani Thurman, Jr.
LG#75 Andrew Threatt, Sr.
C#56 Christo Kelly, Gr.
RG#68 Aidan Banfield, Jr.
RT#71 Jacqawn McRoy, So.
Defense
RUSH# 9 Melkart Abou Jaoude, Sr.
NT# 0 Isaiah Johnson, Sr.
DT#91 Leroy Jackson, So.
DT/DE #90 Xavier Lewis, So.
JACK#11 Jaylen Harvey, So.
WLB#10 Peyton Seelmann, Jr.
BCB#18 Jaiden Patterson, Jr.
BS# 1 Greg Smith, So.
FS# 7 Peyton Waters, So.
CB# 6 Tre Miller, Jr.
NB#21 Kaleb Cost, Jr.
Special Teams
P#92 Aeron Burrell, Jr.
KOS#92 Aeron Burrell, Jr.
H#93 Jacob Horvath, Jr.
PR# 2 Trech Kekahuna, Jr.
Clemson
Offense
QB# 2 Tait Reynolds, Fr.
RB# 8 Gideon Davidson, So.
WR-X#12 Bryant Wesco Jr., Jr.
WR-Z# 1 T.J. Moore, Jr.
WR-SL# 6 Tyler Brown, Sr.
TE#11 Olsen Patt-Henry, Sr.
LG#52 Elyjah Thurmon, Jr.
C#55 Harris Sewell, Sr.
RG#77 Ronan O’Connell, Jr.
RT#50 Collin Sadler, Gr.
Defense
DT#56 Andy Burburija, Jr.
DT#95 Amare Adams, So.
WLB#47 Sammy Brown, Jr.
MLB# 7 Jeremiah Alexander, 5th
CB#13 Elliot Washington II, Sr.
TIGER# 8 Corian Gipson, Jr.
ROVER#22 Corey Myrick, Jr.
FS# 6 Jerome Carter III, Jr.
CB# 2 Ashton Hampton, Jr.
Special Teams
P#89 Jack Smith, Gr.
KOS#38 Robert Gunn III, Gr.
H#88 Clay Swinney, 5th
KR#16 Chris Johnson Jr., Sr.
Game Information
Kickoff Time: 12:00 PM EST
Weather: 83°F, 7% chance of rain
TV: ESPN
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network
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