3 Storylines I'm Watching in Clemson's ACC Opener Against North Carolina

Clemson football looks to start on the right foot on Saturday afternoon in conference play, hosting the North Carolina Tar Heels at home for its third game of the season.

The Tigers haven’t met expectations, especially offensively, to begin the year, but all of that can change with a strong showing against a North Carolina team led by eight-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick.

With both teams beginning ACC play this weekend, here are three storylines that I’ll be following throughout the contest at Memorial Stadium.

Playcalling For a Freshman QB

The headlines this week have surrounded true freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, who was named Clemson’s starting quarterback after former starter Christopher Vizzina was injured in the win over Georgia Southern. Now, he will have the chance to make a name for himself in his first start.

Reynolds was able to move the ball at times, but the Tigers didn’t record a touchdown while he was behind center in the win last weekend. Especially with the freshman taking 70% of the snaps instead of the minority amount that the backups take in practice this week, I’ll be looking for the growth that he’s been able to have in this contest.

Whether it was not making the right read or missing an open target last weekend against the Eagles at home, I’m expecting some, but not all, to be fixed heading into the contest. We will learn a lot about the future of the room with Reynolds’s start this weekend.

Running the Football Efficiently

To begin the year, Clemson has only averaged 2.9 yards per carry, which is 104th in the entire country in doing so. The Tigers have another chance to inflate that number against North Carolina this weekend.

Whether it’s Gideon Davidson, Clemson’s starter since the beginning of the season, or another piece from the backfield who flashes in limited snaps, there needs to be better ground production to begin ACC play. Especially with a new quarterback in Reynolds, running the football will help him in shorter second and third down scenarios in this contest.

I think we will find out quite a bit more about who should be the true starting tailback for the program after Saturday’s contest, but there is hope that the group can still get it done in the order that it is currently. If Clemson can’t run the ball, similar to how its started in the first two games, it could be an ugly game.

Containing North Carolina’s Skill Positions

North Carolina offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has always built an offense that was focused on getting the ball to the playmakers and take big shots.

Clemson’s job will be to prevent that, and the Tar Heels have a few who can give the Tigers fits in this game. There are also a few who could give the program matchup problems in Saturday’s contest, including Ohio State transfer tight end Jelani Thurman and wideout Jordan Shipp.

The Tigers did a productive job in doing that last season. Of course, new years bring new players, and Clemson will have a lot more to worry about while looking to defend home turf this weekend.

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