Unless Clemson can improve its run defense, it will not be a title contender in 2025. Though the Clemson football program is only two days away from the end of the 2024 season, Tiger fans are already thinking ahead to 2025. After all, everyone involved with the club will want to get the 38-24 loss to Texas out of their system.
Fortunately, this fall’s emergence of quarterback Cade Klubnik and the development of a young wide receiver corps should provide the Tigers with a solid basis to build on in 2025. In fact, Klubnik will be a top contender for the Heisman Trophy next season.
However, until the Tigers improve their run defense, they will not be challenging for the National Championship anytime soon. That reality was revealed in Saturday’s setback to the Longhorns.
Texas, which has a great offensive line, had the advantage on the ground against the Tigers. The Longhorns rushed for 292 yards as a team, with both running backs Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner exceeding the century mark.
As a result, Clemson never relied on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who had only 24 pass attempts in the triumph. Furthermore, the domination of the Longhorn rushing attack overshadowed Klubnik’s superior performance against Ewers.
Clemson had previously struggled to stop the run in 2024. Indeed, this was a common issue when competing with high-quality teams.
In the Tigers’ season-opening loss to Georgia, the Bulldogs ran for 169 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry. Georgia scored twice on the ground in a 34-3 victory over Clemson.
Following a six-game winning streak, Clemson allowed Louisville to come into Death Valley and run for 210 yards and three touchdowns in a surprise 33-21 victory over the Tigers. That day, Clemson allowed Louisville’s Isaac Brown to rush for 159 yards and an average of 7.6 yards per carry.
A few weeks later, in the Palmetto Bowl, South Carolina annihilated Clemson in Death Valley. The Gamecocks rushed for 267 yards and two scores, averaging 6.4 yards per carry on their route to a 17-14 victory. Clemson was defeated by USC’s LaNorris Sellers, who rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns on an average of 10.4 yards per carry.
In reality, every Clemson setback this season demonstrated the Tigers’ inability to withstand the opposition’s ground onslaught. That is not how you win championships at the highest levels of the sport.
Consider that three of the remaining teams in the College Football Playoff, Penn State, Ohio State, and Texas, have top-ten
The nation’s rush defenses. Meanwhile, other teams vying for the national championship, including Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Georgia, also boast top-40 rushing defenses. Meanwhile, following the Texas game, Clemson is ranked 64th nationally in run defense. The question is if Clemson can strengthen its defensive line sufficiently this offseason. Amare Adams, a 5-star defensive lineman, will join the program from his high school. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder will add skill to the program’s defensive front, but will he be enough to cure all of Clemson’s run defense issues? Likely not.
As a result, head coach Dabo Swinney may be forced to do something out of the ordinary. He might have to go look for solutions at the transfer portal. This year
Leave a Reply