5 Clemson Storylines for Week 2 of 2021 Season
The hype is gone, and so is a chance at a perfect season.
However, the No. 3 Clemson Tigers turn the page to Week 2 of a long college football season, and with FCS foe S.C. State up next on the schedule Saturday at 5 p.m., Dabo Swinney's squad has an opportunity to right some wrongs.
The question isn't whether or not Clemson will rebound this week from the 10-3 loss to Georgia. It's will the offense take positive steps forward after a lackluster performance?
It's also the first home game of 2021 and the first time many fans will be back in Memorial Stadium since the 2019 season ended. In a name the score kind of week, here are five storylines to follow, no matter the opponent:
1. Get on the same page: The offense certainly did not compliment Clemson's dominant defensive performance against the Georgia Bulldogs, and that's a big deal to this coaching staff. Expect this to be an intense week where players and coaches talk about having all the goals still in front of them.
That all sounds great, but the Tigers need to start showing balance and dominance on both sides of the ball. The offense's 180 total yards (2 rushing) left a sour taste in the team's and fans' mouths, so this week offers an opportunity to cleanse the pallet, get everybody headed in the same direction and try not to let what happened last Saturday occur again.
2. Next man up: The Tigers will be without receiver E.J. Williams for about a month as the sophomore needs surgery to repair an injured thumb. That means playing time for others. Swinney mentioned freshman Beaux Collins as a player who's ready for action and needs to see the field.
Clemson needs to get Ajou Ajou, Dacari Collins and Troy Stellato some reps as well. Just four receivers caught passes Saturday, including Wiliams, who had one reception for zero yards.
3. Ngata time: The one bright spot for the offense Saturday night was Joseph Ngata, a player Swinney has hyped up for a couple of years now, but due to health issues last year, never had a chance to break out. Then he suffered a hamstring injury in fall camp that set him back.
But Ngata showed up against Georgia, catching six passes for 110 yards. He consistently fought for the ball and won one-on-one matchups against a stout defense. This just might be the breakout season everyone has been looking for since he joined the team in 2019.
4. Who's the man in the backfield?: Nobody really expected Clemson's run game to go off against a stout Georgia defense, but coming out of that abysmal performance, the offense lacks a clear No. 1 running back. Is it Kobe Pace or Will Shipley? Lyn-J Dixon sat out the first half after breaking some sort of team rule, but he entered later in the game and provided some spark.
Dixon is the veteran of the group, but he never seemed to win the job during fall camp, and now the Tigers truly begin the process of identifying the impactful rushers.
5. Welcome, freshmen: Clemson will begin to roll out its newcomers this week. Team policy doesn't allow them to speak to the media until after Week 1 of the regular season.
That means it's time to hear from Shipley, offensive lineman Marcus Tate, defensive lineman Peyton Page, linebacker Barrett Carter, both Collins receiver and several more, beginning potentially with Monday's availability. And speaking of newcomers, running backs coach C.J. Spiller will speak Tuesday to discuss his entry into the Clemson Hall of Fame this weekend.
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