10 Gameday Questions: Miami at Clemson
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What do the Miami Hurricanes need to do to knock off the Clemson Tigers?
Miami will once again go with the youngster Jacurri Brown behind center, as quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has been recovering from a shoulder injury and will not play. That same situation left Miami head coach Mario Cristobal without an experienced quarterback against Georgia Tech last week, but Brown led the Canes to a 35-14 victory.
With Brown behind center, there are many questions to ponder, but it does not stop with the offense. Miami's special teams and defense must also produce during the attempt to upset Clemson.
1) How does Brown handle the rabid Clemson fans and noise? He could be in several situations where hand signals are the only type of communication. Keep an eye on that, as even one turnover could cost the Canes the game.
2) Can Miami’s wide receivers win one-on-one matchups? Clemson’s cornerbacks have been beaten this year, and the Miami wide receivers need to get chunk-yardage plays to help pull off the upset.
3) Can the Hurricanes control the line of scrimmage with the offensive line, running back Jaylan Knighton, and its rushing attack? Last week, Miami averaged 4.9 yards per carry against Georgia Tech. A similar result will be needed, and Clemson has proven to be susceptible to power rushing attacks.
4 Clemson’s pressure looks, will Miami's offensive line know how to handle them? Part of what Clemson will do is show six and even seven defenders near the line of scrimmage. If Miami cannot find a way to still run the football against those looks, as well as hit some shot plays from the passing game, it’s going to be difficult to win. Look for Clemson to come after Miami early and often.
5) Can Miami come up with a big special teams play to change momentum and produce excellent field position? Without question, Miami needs to have a great day on special teams, as it can take the crowd out of the game and give confidence to the Hurricanes.
6) How well will the Miami defensive line be able to pressure Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei? Clemson has given up 20 sacks this season, and the Hurricanes are No. 5 in the nation with 34 sacks. Additionally, if the Canes can pressure Uiagalelei with just four rushers, that would greatly increase the chances for an upset road victory.
7) Will Miami continue to take the football away against Clemson? Miami’s secondary was on fire against Georgia Tech. Even adding one interception today would be huge.
8) Related to the question above, how well will Miami cover Clemson’s rising freshman receiver Antonio Williams? During Clemson’s last game against Louisville, Williams had 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. He’s a twitchy receiver that can make plays in space, so how well the Hurricanes cover him and break down to tackle him will be vital.
9) Can the Hurricanes limit talented Clemson running back Will Shipley? He’s already at 899 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, and he’s averaging 5.8 yards per tote. If the Canes can hold Shipley to four yards or less per carry, that’s a good sign.
10) Finally, and this is probably the biggest key to the game, can the Hurricanes play good defense when Clemson enters the red zone? So far in 2022, opposing teams have kicked a field goal or scored a touchdown 79% of the time against Miami; only 50% of the time teams have scored a touchdown in the red zone. Clemson, however, has been a juggernaut once inside the opponent’s 20, scoring 95.6% of the time. The Tigers have also scored a touchdown 81.6% of the time after entering the red zone.
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