Clemson Tigers Position Grades vs. LSU

After months of anticipation, the Clemson Tigers kicked off the 2025 season with a primetime showdown against LSU at home. While Clemson showed flashes on both sides of the ball, mistakes and inconsistencies also contributed to the 17-10 loss.

To make matters worse, star Clemson receiver and projected first-round pick, Antonio Williams, left the game with a hamstring injury in the first quarter.

These grades are based off of a combination of in-game performance, overall unit consistency and the expectations given heading into the season. With that being said, here are the position grades for Clemson in Week 1:

Quarterback: C

Coming into this game as a Heisman favorite, Cade Klubnik couldn't capitalize in the season-opener, throwing 19-of-38 behind center for 230 yards and an interception in the close loss.

He was only sacked two times by the fearless Baton Rouge front seven, but saw a lot of pressure, especially in the second half. It didn't help that he didn't have his No. 1 target out for most of the game in Williams.

While Klubnik didn't have a terrible outing, he still needs to show more awareness and comfort in the pocket to extend plays when protection breaks down. There's clear room for growth as he prepares for next week's matchup against Troy.

Running Backs: C-

One of the most significant question marks heading into the season, the backfield, turned out to be one of the glaring truths of the season-opener. The run game for Clemson was one of the worst areas on the day, rushing for just 32 yards on 19 carries through four quarters.

Starter Adam Randall, who converted to the position over this off-season after spending three years in the wide receiver room, only got five touches out of the backfield for a measly 16 yards. He was able to secure his first rushing touchdown of his career, but other than that, the run game was stagnant.

Clemson's backs never really had the chance to make an impact. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley completely abandoned the run in the fourth quarter, with zero rushes, leaving the offense one-dimensional when the game was still within reach. While playing from behind often limits rushing opportunities, eliminating the ground game altogether only puts more pressure on the passing attack and removes any balance.

But the night's biggest question was, why did Gideon Davidson not play at all?

The four-star recruit expected to be the backup, yet Keith Adams Jr. (one carry) and David Eziomume (three carries) got more touches over the Preseason True Freshman All-American. I'm sure we'll see more of him as the season goes on, but it still brings in many more questions for this offense.

Wide Receivers: B-

As mentioned, Antonio Williams went down early in the game with a hamstring injury, which was the first big blow to the offense this season.

Fans have already been bad-mouthing the wide receiver corps for their performance on Saturday, but that shows how many people don't understand what Williams brings outside of the box score.

By working the middle of the field, he forces defenses to account for him on every snap, opening up deep shots for playmakers like Bryant Wesco Jr and TJ Moore on the outside. Without him, LSU's defense was able to key in outside the numbers, shrinking the field for Klubnik and making the passing game far less dynamic for Clemson.

The only fix that seems to be needed is just holding onto that ball as Clemson wideouts dropped two crucial passes in the second half of the contest, slowing the momentum down on what could have been game-changing drives.

Even with Williams sidelined, though, the pass-catchers still held their own, combining for 164 receiving yards, which lands this group a B- grade.

Tight Ends: B-

The one-two punch of Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur is coming along for Clemson, each catching two balls apiece in the contest.

Patt-Henry had 22 receiving yards, with one coming off an over-the-middle pass that he was able to extend before being tackled for a 19-yard gain.

Similarly, Bentancur accounted for 23 receiving yards, catching a perfect short ball that he took down the field, trucking a defender before going down for the 20-yard, first-down gain.

The young tight ends have a promising future ahead, but there's still more room to grow in the blocking department, struggling in their loss to LSU, as the overall lack of a running game made the offense predictable for LSU's defense.

Offensive Line: D+

Returning four of five starters to the offensive line this season gave Clemson fans a sense of hope in blocking up front, but the trenches still showed apparent weaknesses in their bout against LSU.

The starting left guard, Walker Parks, was hurt in the first camp scrimmage but worked back to be healthy enough for the opener. His return provided stability on the interior, but the left side of the line was still a glaring weakness, as much of LSU's pressure came from that direction and consistently disrupted Cade Klubnik's rhythm.

Clemson's offensive line allowed two sacks, six quarterback hits and contributed to an abysmal rushing attack that produced only 31 yards on 20 carries (1.6 yards per attempt).

Due to all the factors listed, the o-line earns the worst grade of the game with a D+.

Defensive Line: B+

While Clemson's offense stumbled out of the gates, the defense told a very different story, at least early on. Star edge rusher TJ Parker headlines a deep defensive front, but was relatively quiet Saturday as the entire position group collectively stood out instead.

The Tigers rotated six linemen throughout the game, combining for 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass deflection. The group set the tone in the first half, helping Clemson build a 10–3 lead, but their impact faded after halftime as LSU adjusted.

The most costly mistake came in the fourth quarter when Parker was flagged for roughing the passer, extending a drive that ended with LSU's go-ahead touchdown, a lead Clemson never regained.

On the ground, the defensive line gave up 110 rushing yards and one touchdown on 29 carries, a respectable number against one of the SEC's most balanced offenses.

Linebackers: A-

Sammy Brown and Wade Woodaz anchored the middle of Clemson's defense and were two of the most consistent performers on the night.

Both were active against the run and disciplined in coverage, keeping LSU's backs and tight ends from breaking free for big gains. The duo combined for 17 tackles, including three for a loss, and set the tone with their physicality.

Their presence was a major reason LSU had just 110 rushing yards on 29 carries.

Safeties: A-

The safeties were a possible weakness for Clemson heading into the year after losing veteran RJ Mickens to the NFL, but they seem perfectly fine based on this game.

Wideout-turned-safety Ronan Hanafin had the best game of his career at Clemson, racking up a game and career-high 12 tackles, including one for a loss. He also tacked on a pass deflection and a forced fumble on LSU's Chris Hilton Jr.

Safety Kylon Griffin picked up the fumble and returned it for two yards before going down. Unfortunately, the offense wouldn't be able to make anything out of the turnover as there were only nine seconds left on the clock ahead of the second half.

True sophomore Ricardo Jones also had a solid game, recording six tackles and recovering a fumble, which he would take 24 yards the other way. The return by Jones would help Clemson get into field goal range during the first quarter, getting their first three points up on the board in the contest.

Overall, the position group was imposing, especially with the youth they have. It's only up from here.

Cornerbacks: B

Clemson's cornerbacks are always one of the toughest units to grade, and Saturday's game against LSU was no exception. The position is naturally challenging, and the group experienced many highs and lows throughout the contest.

Avieon Terrell was the most impressive, accounting for six tackles, half for a loss, one pass deflection and one forced fumble. Early in the first quarter, Terrell ripped the ball free from LSU tight end Bauer Sharpe, setting up Clemson's first points of the night.

They played well in the first half, holding LSU's potent passing attack to 112 yards.

However, inconsistencies emerged in the second half, and the lapses were costly. The unit allowed the game-winning touchdown on an eight-yard strike from Garrett Nussmeier to Trey'Dez Green and surrendered a crucial fourth-and-four conversion in the red zone late. While Green is 6-foot-7, there needs to be something drawn up so that Terrell isn't on an island against him.

LSU also benefited from an inconsistent pass rush, which gave Nussmeier extra time to exploit coverage, and a late-game pass interference penalty on Ashton Hampton didn't help the Tigers' cause. While there were standout moments, the secondary couldn't sustain them across four quarters, leading to an uneven performance for the group.

The difficulties on defense were compounded by Clemson's offense, which struggled to sustain drives and consistently went three-and-out. It's hard for any secondary to keep locking down a passing game when the defense constantly returns to the field under pressure. While there were moments of excellence, the cornerbacks ultimately couldn't maintain their level of play across all four quarters.

Special Teams: A-

After losing Aidan Swanson this past offseason, Clemson needed to fill the punter spot, and while some fans questioned Dabo's approach, it appears to have worked out.

Redshirt junior Jack Smith had a strong showing, punting three times for 132 yards, including a kick inside the 20 and a strong 44-yard average.

Kicker Nolan Hauser had a more uneven night, opening the scoring with a 42-yard field goal but missing a critical 48-yard attempt in the second half that would have extended Clemson's lead to 13–3.

Despite the hiccup, both players showed promise and look to build on this performance next week against Troy.