Clemson Tigers
2012 Record: 11-2 (7-1 ACC)

OFFENSE

Scheme: For my money, offensive coordinator Chad Morris is one of the five best OCs in college football and how he is not a head coach is beyond me. I still think Dabo Swinney is a doofus, but the guy can recruit and his best sales pitch was hiring, and retaining, Morris. Like many teams nowadays, Clemson runs a no-huddle, up-tempo spread attack. Unlike, say, Oregon, the Tigers, in my opinion, are more pass-based and take a lot of shots downfield. Their passing game is aggressive. Yes, Clemson puts up good running stats too, but I think their offense is pass-first in many ways. As long as Morris is on board, Clemson will move the ball.

Quarterbacks: Part of the hype surrounding Clemson is due to the return of senior QB Tajh Boyd. Boyd (3896 yards, 67%, 36 TDs, 13 interceptions, 725 yards rushing [sacks taken out], 10 TDs) could easily be in an NFL camp right now, but returned to school and it is surely because the Tigers have a good shot at being ACC champs and going to a BCS bowl. Not a bad sendoff. Boyd still makes some bonehead mistakes and takes too many sacks, but he is one of the five or ten best QBs in the college game and knows this offense like the back of his hand. Blessed with a big arm, accuracy, and athleticism, he should have a big senior year.

One fear, and this is true of most football teams at any level, is that Boyd will get hurt. He has been amazingly durable, but the guy also takes a ton of hits and depth behind him is weak, especially after redshirt frosh Chad Kelly tore his ACL in the spring game. Junior Cole Stoudt (212 yds, 69%, 3 TDs, 1 int.) has looked decent in mop-up duty, but the drop-off in talent is large and Clemson needs Boyd to stay healthy.

Running Backs: Andre Ellington was a dynamic college running back, but truth be told, the Tigers can likely replace him with senior Roderick McDowell, junior D.J. Howard, sophomore Zac Brooks, and true freshman Tyshon Dye. McDowell (447 yds, 5.5 average, 5 TDs) has been the understudy his whole career, but should be fine carrying the load. He is quick and shifty and could hit some home runs. Howard (138 yds, 3.9 avg, 2 TDs) is more of a power back who will likely provide a change of pace. Brooks (124 yds, 4.8 avg) was a top recruit who has a nice size-speed combo. The guy who could end up pushing them all aside, though, is Dye. True freshmen are often counted on by the fans to produce more than they ever do, but Dye has been described as a bigger version of Ellington and if he can learn the playbook, he’ll likely get carries right away.

Receivers/Tight Ends: Clemson will be solid running the ball thanks to a good corps of backs and a solid offensive line. Despite the return of Boyd and all-star receiver Sammy Watkins, the question on offense is the passing game because of the departure of DeAndre “Nuke” Hopkins, as well as underrated tight end Brandon Ford and WR Jaron Brown. Clemson has a bunch of four-star recruits here, but most are unproven to this point in their careers and someone has to step up to help Watkins.

The one sure thing is Watkins, of course. That being said, the uber-talented junior had a bit of a sophomore slump and battled injuries last season. The reality is that Watkins (57 receptions, 708 yds, 3 TDs) is still one of the best players in college football with his combo of size, speed, and just sheer talent. This is surely his last year before being a high NFL Draft pick. Who will be #2? The most likely candidates are juniors Adam Humphries, Charone Peake, and Martavis Bryant. Humphries (41 recs, 305 yds, TD) is one of the few guys in the corps who was not a top recruit, but he has proven to be a nice possession receiver. Peake (25 recs, 172 yds, 2 TDs) has all the physical tools but needs to be steadier. Bryant (10 recs, 305 yds) has as much natural talent as anyone in the group, but has battled off-field problems. He has size and speed and could blossom into a star if he gets it put together. The coaches are also hopeful that redshirt freshman Germone Hopper and true freshman Mike Williams step up. They both had great springs and were top recruits.

Ford quietly had a big year at tight end and he won’t be easy to replace, especially after backup Sam Ford blew out his knee in spring ball. That leaves undersized sophomore Stanton Seckinger and true freshman Jordan Leggett as the potential starters. Seckinger is a converted receiver who is only 6-4, 210, so you wouldn’t expect him to help much blocking. Leggett was impressive in the spring and at 6-6, 240, has more prototypical size.

Offensive Line: All-star center Dalton Freeman and his 49 career starts are gone, but the Tigers return an enviable mix of experienced upperclassmen and talented underclassmen so this unit should be fine. That being said, the unit could improve in pass blocking, where they surrendered a lot of sacks and hurries.

A couple jobs are locked down with senior LT Brandon Thomas, senior RG Tyler Shatley, and junior RT Gifford Timothy all back. Thomas has great footwork and has an NFL future. Shatley played FB and DT before moving to guard and while not the most athletically gifted of the group, he has good smarts and technique. Timothy is better suited to play guard, but has been steady nonetheless. Sophomore Ryan Norton seems to have the center job for himself. He played a decent amount last year as a backup, but needs to bulk up.

The battle is at left guard where juniors David Beasley and Kalon Davis are fighting it out. Beasley has more experience, yet just doesn’t wow you. Davis is more talented, but has struggled with conditioning and has just one start over the past two years.

FSU fans who lament our own offensive line recruiting would look at Clemson’s depth chart with envy. Although they may not be ready for prime time just yet, the Tigers have five sophomores and two freshmen who were rated as three or four star recruits waiting in the wings.

DEFENSE

Scheme: Clemson’s defense improved over the second half of the season under first-year coordinator Terry Venables, who came over from Oklahoma, but was still largely average and sieved big plays all year long. This year, Venables is expecting his attacking 4-3 (which often morphs into a 4-2-5) to pay more dividends as the players are more familiar with the scheme. The front seven looks solid and should be better than last year, but the secondary is cause for concern, especially given Venables’ penchant to leave the corners on an island.

Defensive Line: The Tigers appear loaded along the line, where nine players who appeared in at least eight games return. The rotation at defensive tackle appears particularly strong. The starters should be junior Grady Jarrett and classmate Josh Watson. Jarrett (49 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 2 sacks) plays with excellent leverage and could evolve into an all-star. Watson (54 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 3 sacks) is solid against the run and steady. Depth is good too with junior DeShawn Williams and sophomores D.J. Reader, Carlos Watkins, and Roderick Byers. Williams (50 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks) started five games last year and is very active and disruptive. Reader is 6-3, 335, yet athletic enough to pitch on the baseball team. He logged 40 tackles in just 236 snaps and could really blossom into a star. Watkins and Byers have only gotten their feet wet, but they have potential.

One starter was lost at defensive end, but Clemson returns several good prospects here. Chief among them is junior Vic Beasley. Beasley (16 tackles, 8 sacks) did not start a single game last year and only goes 6-3, 225, yet he could wreak havoc as a pass rusher. He’ll be vulnerable to the run, but could make some big plays too. The beef will be on the strongside where juniors Corey Crawford and Tavaris Barnes are battling. Once thought to be a can’t miss prospect, Crawford (47 tackles, 6 for loss) has become more of a steady player despite his NFL frame and physical skills. Barnes (24 tackles) has bounced around between end and tackle and could be pretty good if he stays settled in one place. Depth is much more untested here, but the coaches have high hopes for sophomore Kevin Dodd, who appeared in eight games last year, and true frosh Shaq Lawson, considered by many to be the top prep school recruit last year.

Linebackers: The coaching staff is cautiously optimistic about this group, despite the graduation of leading tackler Jonathan Willard. Most of the hope rests on the shoulders of former five-star recruits Stephone Anthony and Tony Steward, both now juniors. Anthony (77 tackles, 4.5 for loss) has the physical ability, but was demoted last year after seven starts because of inconsistency. The Tigers need him to turn the hype into production. Steward (26 tackles), meanwhile, has had a career marred by injuries, but he was a special teams ace last season and the coaches hope he is fully back after suffering two knee injuries earlier in his career.

Senior Spencer Shuey (93 tackles, 6 for loss) replaced Anthony last season and is penciled in as Willard’s replacement on the weakside. Shuey is essentially the opposite of Anthony and Steward: lightly recruited, not physically gifted, but he is tough, steady, and a hard worker. If nothing else, he won’t make many mistakes.

The Tigers, like most other spots, have recruited well here but need some of the stars to turn into contributors. That goes for the bench, too, where senior Quandon Christian (40 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks), sophomores B.J. Goodson and Kellen Jones, and incoming four-star freshmen Dorian O’Daniel and Ben Boulware need to step up. Christian, for one, has tons of experience, but has just never made many plays.

Secondary: Although the LB corps looks just average to above average, the season, at least defensively, may hinge on this group. As mentioned in the “Scheme” section, Venables likes to be able to shift from a 4-3 to a nickel package without necessarily changing personnel. The way he did that at Oklahoma was by having a hybrid LB-safety position, but last year Clemson struggled in nickel coverage as they really only had four dependable defensive backs. Unfortunately, three of those guys just graduated and the onus is really on some youngsters to step up.

The one returning guy that seems solid and dependable is sophomore FS Travis Blanks. A Tallahassee native, Blanks (51 tackles, 7 pass breakups) started eight times as a true freshman and could eventually be a star with size, instincts, range, and a good work ethic. Almost by default, the other safety spot will go to junior Robert Smith, a high school quarterback who is still pretty raw. Smith (11 tackles) appeared in all 13 games last year, but mostly on special teams. Insiders to the program are worried about his inexperience and many figure a younger guy will pass him by. Who that will be is anyone’s guess, though, as there is not a lot of bodies at safety beyond redshirt frosh Ronald Geohagan and incoming freshmen Jayron Kearse and Jadar Johnson. Many recruiting services saw Kearse as a college LB, but he could eventually become the hybrid LB-S Venables wants.

Clemson has more bodies at corner, but no sure things. Coming out of spring no one had won a starting job. At one spot, juniors Bashaud Breeland and Garry Peters are competing. Breeland (32 tackles, 3 pass breakups) has 12 career starts to his credit, but has just never wowed anyone. Peters (20 tackles, 8 pass breakups) logged five starts last year and was productive, but he was actually suspended for the start of spring practice for having a bad attitude. There have also been discussions he could compete for the SS job.

The other corner spot is a battle between senior Darius Robinson and junior Martin Jenkins. Robinson (13 tackles, 2 pass breakups) has started 12 games over the past two years, but he has also struggled with injuries and consistency. I think many folks around the Clemson program probably hope Jenkins, who missed all of 2012 with a hernia, wins the job. Jenkins had a pretty good year in 2011 and is probably just more physically gifted than Robinson. On the other hand, many folks are probably hoping hyped incoming freshman Mackensie Alexander, who has been slowed by injuries thus far in summer camp, steals some playing time away.

Special Teams: Senior Chandler Catanzaro is one of the nation’s best kickers, having made 18 of 19 last year. Sophomore Bradley Pinion, who averaged 39.4 yards on nine punts, will take over the job full-time and the coaches think he will be good. Watkins will have a role as a return man, although how much depends. Clemson needs to tighten up the coverage units as the Tigers ranked 105th in kick coverage.

Schedule: Yes, there are a few tough games and the opener with Georgia looms large, but for the most part this schedule sets up perfectly. Georgia is replacing a chunk of its defense and must travel to Clemson. FSU is breaking in a new QB, new coaches, and also must go to Death Valley. The road ACC schedule (NC State, Syracuse, Maryland, Virginia) looks easy enough, but the Tigers have been known to slip up in the past. Georgia Tech, who also comes to Clemson, has given the Tigers fits in the past with their triple option, but Clemson has 12 days to prep for that game. The finale, a trip to rival South Carolina, could be very interesting in terms of BCS positioning.

Overall: In many ways, I think the return of Tajh Boyd and the bowl victory over LSU has placed expectations for Clemson that might be higher than reality necessitates. I’m not sold on Clemson as the #8 team (which is their Coaches poll preseason ranking) in the country due to some potential issues on defense and someone needing to step up along Watkins at WR, plus a lack of experienced depth at nearly every position. On paper, excluding Boyd, Clemson looks much more poised to have a big 2014 given all the sophomores and juniors slated to start or provide depth. In fact, Clemson is clearly building for the long haul, stocking up talent better than anyone in the ACC not named Florida State. The Tigers and the Seminoles, talent-wise, are clearly the cream of the crop in the conference and because FSU visits Death Valley you have to give them the edge in the race for the ACC crown. That being said, it would not shock me to see Clemson beat FSU, but still go 9-3 overall and 7-1 in the conference. The schedule sets up nicely for an ACC run, but I actually think Clemson has the talent to be better in 2014 and beyond.