5 Clemson Storylines for Week 3 Matchup with Louisiana Tech
No. 5 Clemson is 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the ACC after beating Georgia Tech 41-10 on Labor Day followed by a 35-12 victory over Furman in the home opener last Saturday.
The Tigers now turn their attention to non-conference foe Louisiana Tech, which comes to Memorial Stadium for an 8 p.m. game on Saturday. Here are five storylines to keep an eye on this week:
Normal life: What a whirlwind the start to the season has been for the players and coaches. Nothing has been under a normal schedule. Clemson got a couple of extra days to prepare for Georgia Tech but turned around and had to do Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all in one day. Maybe the strangeness and fatigue took their toll on the Tigers in a lackluster effort against the Paladins.
Excuse or not, they're just glad to have regular preparation for the visiting Bulldogs. When a media member told linebacker Barrett Carter to get some rest after his interview session Saturday, he gave a look of exhaustion and said "Oh, I'll try." It'll be interesting to see how much the players mention it this week and what their effort level looks like Saturday.
First-timers: The Tigers have been fairly fortunate through the first two weeks from an injury standpoint. Dabo Swinney said a few guys were banged up following the Furman game, but the team is about to get a lot healthier with two new additions. Both defensive end Xavier Thomas and receiver Adam Randall should both be on the field this week for the first time this season.
Thomas, a veteran, talented edge rusher, just adds to an already stellar group up-front, and his presence will be a welcomed site as he's worked his way back from a foot injury suffered in fall camp. Meanwhile, fans will get their first look at Randall, a freshman who tore his ACL before the spring game. He's going to be on a pitch count Saturday, but his speed, explosiveness and ball-tracking skill could really help this passing game become more threatening.
Offense's trajectory: Speaking of airing it out, quarterback DJ Uiaglelei said one of the areas he's looking to improve on is giving his receivers more chances to make plays down the field. He's built confidence in the first two games and has a good feel for this offense, so Uiagalelei is ready to help take the scoring attack to another level. Consistency has been an issue for this offense at times, but it has provided more big plays than much of last season.
The offensive line has improvements to make but is starting to jell. The running backs are fine. Antonio Williams has developed into a reliable target. Cade Klubnik is still going to get some snaps at QB. But this identity is beginning to form, and taking on a Louisana Tech that gave up 52 points in Week 1 to Missouri could help the offense continue on an improving path.
Defense's focus: This unit, widely considered one of the best in the country, didn't have its fastball against the Paladins, who racked up 385 yards. There were too many easy plays available for Furman. The screen game hurt the Tigers, and they just felt off. This might actually be a blessing in disguise.
Expect to see this defense take it personally. They were humbled last week. Now they want to prove themselves and have the type of performance that's more to their dominating standard. You'll likely hear a high level of focus coming from the defensive interviewees this week, and the play on the field will start with shutting down a Bulldog offense that rushed for just eight yards in their only game against an FBS team.
Night game: The renovated Death Valley, where work and progress will continue beyond this season around the stadium, was rocking with a good crowd for the home opener, especially considering the rain that moved through the Upstate early in the day.
But it should be at a different level this week. The new scoreboard, lights and LED ribbons around Memorial Stadium will be on full display at night. It feels a little weird to be starting a game against a Group of 5 team this late in the day (thanks ACC Network), but visually it should be an entertaining sight and something the coaches, players and fans will appreciate.
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