Halftime Analysis: Clemson-Syracuse
Clemson is 31-25-5 all-time in games played on Friday. Friday games were are far more common occurrence in the early decades of Clemson football, as the Tigers played 48 of their 61 all-time Friday games to date in their first 60 years of existence.
After taking a 14-7 lead into halftime at Syracuse, the Tigers are on their way to picking up their 32nd win. Here are our thoughts on how the Tigers fared in the first half.
-Injury bug keeps biting the Tigers, as cornerback Andrew Booth, who made the trip, was on the sidelines with his leg wrapped. Sheridan Jones got the start in his place.
- Offensive line...woof. Will Putnam returned to the line, however the Tigers were without Hunter Rayburn—meaning Mason Trotter got the start and they did not have their act together. In the first half, Syracuse had four tackles for loss, one sack and three quarterback hurries.
- Offense as a whole still stinks. After a bye week to get right, and after telling anyone who would listen that they were poised to explode, a better term might have been implode. The Tigers managed 180 yards and 14 points in the first half of football. Between poor passes, blown offensive line assignments, dropped balls and head-scratching coaching decisions, one has to wonder when the Tigers will explode.
-Venables comes up clutch. Tyler Venables came up with a massive interception on an Orange drive that was certain to produce at least a field goal.
-Thank God for Ngata. Joseph Ngata caught an incredible touchdown pass on third-and-long from Uiagalelei for the Tigers first touchdown of the game. The play reminded the nation, or at least the people watching, Clemson still has some incredible receivers.
- Defense had better find a way to stop Sean Tucker. Arguably the best running back in the nation has absolutely torched the Tiger defense. In the first half, Tucker has amassed 132 yards.
-Riverboat Dabo...facing fourth-and-5, the Tigers' head coach went int his bag of tricks and dialed up a fake punt that worked to perfection, as Will Spiers' pass was complete to Davis Allen for a 17-yard gain. The play helped the Tigers keep a 13-play drive alive that resulted in a touchdown.
Want to join in on the discussion? 100% FREE! Interact with fellow Tiger fans and hear directly from publisher Zach Lentz, deputy editor Brad Senkiw and recruiting analyst Jason Priester on any subject. Click here to become a member of the ALL CLEMSON message board community today!
