Clemson Football: Miami's Biggest Offensive Threats
Looking for a fresh start after a clunky first half to the season, Clemson heads to Miami to take on the 4-2 Hurricanes. Coming off of a bye, the Tigers had a chance to rest and dial in their strategies going forward, but a tough road game and a good Miami team will present a real challenge.
Miami brings its own bevy of weapons to the fold that will look to ruin that new beginning. Here are the three biggest names to watch for on Saturday night:
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke
1. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke
Season Stats: 1,721 yards passing on 70.5% completion. 16 passing touchdowns with 6 interceptions, 1 rushing touchdown.
Van Dyke, at 6'4 and 230 lbs, is a large QB that's not easy to bring down and he can really sling it. With only 25 rushing yards on the season, he's not much of a rushing threat however, so that should allow for the Clemson front seven to game plan solely around his arm. Five of his six interceptions have come in the last two games, both losses, but if Miami can get the Van Dyke that looked exceptional against a stout Texas A&M defense earlier this year then all bets are off on the numbers he can put up.
2. Running back Henry Parrish Jr.
Season Stats: 72 carries for 452 yards. Averaging 6.3 yards a carry with 4 touchdowns. He also has 7 catches for 14 yards.
Without the advantage of a mobile quarterback, Miami is more traditional with its approach offensively. Van Dyke handles the passing duties, while a cadre of backs handle the rushing. So while the Clemson linebackers probably won't have to worry much about a scrambling threat, they'll be dealing with some powerful backs. As for Parrish, if he stays healthy, the junior should pass his career-high in yardage sometime in the next two weeks.
3. Wide Receiver Xavier Restrepo
Season Stats: 47 catches for 574 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Restrepo has had double-digit catches in both the last two games and 96+ yards in four of the last five. The junior is really hard to cover and Clemson is going to hope that both Nate Wiggins and Sheridan Jones are back and ready to go to help plan for him. Honorable mention to Jacolby George as well who is averaging almost 16 yards a catch and leads the team in receiving touchdowns with five.
