We continue to examine how Clemson's two-deep roster matched up to opponents from a season ago. Today we compare the Clemson Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks just prior to their annual post-Thanksgiving football matchup. We were able to attain the two-deep roster posted on Tigernet prior to the Clemson/Carolina matchup for this exercise (special thanks to T-Net for this info and STS member RazzMcTazz for running down links to the pregame two-deep for us).
We should not have to tell you this, but some folks debate what to take from these articles. We expect you, the reader, to form an opinion of your own. Often we will give you our take on things, but you should independently form your own thoughts based on information out there. This article shows recruiting data for the two-deep roster. It does not weigh experience nor does it evaluate coaching, preparation, etc... We think this is an interesting and valuable tool and useful in overall program evaluation because there is a link between these star ratings and other metrics in both college football and the NFL. Clearly, the results of last season's contest did not mirror the data you see below, so you know there is much more to college football than February's Signing Day.
Keep in mind as you look through this data that only players who were officially signed were given a "Star Rating". Players who were not signed could not be quantitatively assessed a recruiting rating. Such players get a "NA" rating and were not included in the averaged data. Again, all data was attained from www.Scout.com and www.Rivals.com. Players whose Scout/Rivals data was not available but were signed were assigned a "NR".
Figure 1 and Table I both show an average of offensive players, defensive players, and specialist listed on the two-deep roster. Tables II through IV show the two-deep roster used for analysis along with the recruiting ratings for each player on the roster.
The matchup numbers show a Clemson team with overall higher star ratings. The Tigers averaged 0.40 stars better than its in-state rival offensively, the Gamecocks were slightly better than Clemson on the defensive side (0.01 via mathematical rounding). Clemson was 0.02 stars per player better on special teams. Overall, Clemson maintained a 0.15 star average advantage per player over the USC.
Data can be seen below and after the Jump.
Figure 1: Average Star Rating per Player (Two-Deep Depth Chart)
Table I: Average Star Rating Per Player (Two-Deep Depth Chart)
Team |
Recruiting Service |
Offense |
Defense |
Specialists |
Overall Average |
Clemson |
Scout |
3.45 |
3.36 |
3.00 |
3.33 |
Rivals |
3.55 |
3.45 |
2.90 |
3.39 |
|
Average |
3.50 |
3.41 |
2.95 |
3.36 |
|
South Carolina |
Scout |
3.00 |
3.36 |
2.86 |
3.13 |
Rivals |
3.19 |
3.48 |
3.00 |
3.29 |
|
Average |
3.10 |
3.42 |
2.93 |
3.21 |
Table II: Star Ratings per Offensive Player
Clemson Offense | South Carolina Offense | |||||||||||||||
Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
LT | 61 | CHRIS HAIRSTON | 6-7 | 325 | *G r. | 2 | 3 | LT | 68 | KYLE NUNN | 6-5 | 304 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | |
63 | Brandon Thomas | 6-4 | 300 | *Fr. | 4 | 4 | 76 | Jarriel King | 6-5 | 324 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |||
LG | 73 | DAVID SMITH | 6-5 | 315 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | LG | 77 | DUANE CHISOLM | 6-6 | 303 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |
62 | Mason Cloy | 6-3 | 295 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 73 | Rokevious Watkins | 6-4 | 325 | Jr. | 3 | 2 | |||
C | 55 | DALTON FREEMAN | 6-5 | 285 | *So. | 4 | 4 | C | 55 | T.J. JOHNSON | 6-4 | 302 | So. | 3 | 3 | |
78 | Ben Ramsey | 6-4 | 280 | *Sr. | N/A | N/A | 67 | Ronald Patrick | 6-1 | 292 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | |||
RG | 74 | ANTOINE McCLAIN | 6-5 | 330 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | RG | 73 | ROKEVIOUS WATKINS | 6-4 | 325 | Jr. | 3 | 2 | |
54 | Matt Sanders | 6-6 | 320 | *So. | 3 | 3 | 60 | Terrence Campbell | 6-3 | 305 | Jr. | 2 | 3 | |||
RT | 72 | LANDON WALKER | 6-6 | 310 | *Jr. | 4 | 4 | RT | 66 | HUTCH ECKERSON | 6-4 | 281 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |
79 | Phillip Price | 6-5 | 300 | *Jr. | N/A | N/A | 68 | Kyle Nunn | 6-5 | 304 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | |||
TE | 83 | DWAYNE ALLEN | 6-4 | 255 | *So. | 4 | 4 | TE | 47 | PATRICK DiMARCO | 6-1 | 243 | Sr. | 2 | 2 | |
80 | Brandon Ford | 6-4 | 220 | *So. | 3 | 4 | 87 | Justice Cunningham | 6-3 | 268 | So. | 2 | 2 | |||
82 | Drew Traylor | 6-5 | 245 | *Jr. | 3 | 2 | 89 | MikeTriglia | 6-4 | 239 | So. | 2 | 2 | |||
WR | 6 | DeANDRE HOPKINS | 6-1 | 195 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | WR | 1 | ALSHON JEFFERY | 6-4 | 233 | So. | 4 | 4 | |
85 | Brandon Clear | 6-5 | 210 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 8 | Lamar Scruggs | 6-3 | 227 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | |||
QB | 11 | KYLE PARKER | 6-1 | 200 | *So. | 4 | 4 | QB | 5 | STEPHEN GARCIA | 6-2 | 227 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | |
10 | Tajh Boyd | 6-1 | 230 | *Fr. | 5 | 4 | 14 | Connor Shaw | 6-1 | 202 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | |||
RB | 8 | JAMIE HARPER | 6-0 | 235 | Jr. | 5 | 4 | TB | 21 | MARCUS LATTIMORE | 6-0 | 218 | Fr. | 5 | 5 | |
25 | Roderick McDowell | 5-9 | 185 | *Fr. | 3 | 4 | 10 | Brian Maddox | 5-11 | 229 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | |||
FB | 30 | CHAD DIEHL | 6-2 | 265 | *Jr. | 2 | 3 | 31 | Kenny Miles | 5-10 | 192 | So. | 3 | 3 | ||
48 | Kasey Nobles | 6-1 | 250 | *Sr. | N/A | N/A | FB | 47 | PATRICK DiMARCO | 6-1 | 243 | Sr. | 2 | 2 | ||
WR | 18 | JARON BROWN | 6-2 | 200 | *So. | 3 | 3 | 10 | Brian Maddox | 5-11 | 229 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | ||
21 | Xavier Dye | 6-5 | 210 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | WR | 81 | TORI GURLEY | 6-5 | 230 | So. | NR | NR | ||
WR | 26 | MARQUAN JONES | 6-0 | 195 | Jr. | 3 | 4 | 9 | Ace Sanders | 5-7 | 166 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | ||
7 | Bryce McNeal | 6-1 | 180 | *Fr. | 4 | 4 | 80 | DeMario Bennett | 6-2 | 174 | Fr. | 2 | 2 | |||
WR | 82 | D.L. MOORE | 6-4 | 211 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
4 | Jason Barnes | 6-4 | 211 | Jr. | 3 | 4 |
Table III: Star Ratings per Defensive Player
Clemson Defense | South Carolina Defense | |||||||||||||||
Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
DE | 93 | Da’QUAN BOWERS | 6-4 | 275 | Jr. | 5 | 5 | DE | 98 | DEVIN TAYLOR | 6-7 | 249 | So. | 2 | 3 | |
97 | Malliciah Goodman | 6-4 | 265 | So. | 4 | 4 | 92 | Byron McKnight | 6-5 | 235 | Jr. | 2 | 2 | |||
NG | 98 | BRANDON THOMPSON | 6-2 | 310 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | DT | 42 | TRAVIAN ROBERTSON | 6-4 | 293 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | |
89 | Miguel Chavis | 6-5 | 285 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | 52 | Aldrick Fordham | 6-4 | 263 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||
DT | 99 | JARVIS JENKINS | 6-4 | 315 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | DT | 91 | LADI AJIBOYE | 6-1 | 290 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |
94 | Rennie Moore | 6-4 | 270 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 94 | Kenny Davis | 6-3 | 303 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||
BE | 40 | ANDRE BRANCH | 6-5 | 260 | *Jr. | 2 | 2 | or | 70 | Byron Jerideau | 6-0 | 339 | So. | NR | 2 | |
90 | Kourtnei Brown | 6-5 | 250 | *Jr. | 4 | 4 | DE | 83 | CLIFF MATTHEWS | 6-4 | 268 | Sr. | 5 | 4 | ||
SLB | 34 | QUANDON CHRISTIAN | 6-3 | 215 | *Fr. | 3 | 3 | 6 | Melvin Ingram | 6-2 | 264 | Jr. | 3 | 4 | ||
8 | Justin Parker | 6-1 | 225 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | 90 | Chaz Sutton | 6-4 | 244 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | |||
MLB | 42 | CORICO HAWKINS | 5-11 | 230 | So. | 3 | 3 | MLB | 41 | JOSH DICKERSON | 6-1 | 225 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |
33 | Spencer Shuey | 6-3 | 250 | *Fr. | 3 | 3 | 45 | Rodney Paulk | 6-0 | 225 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | |||
WLB | 46 | JONATHAN WILLARD | 6-2 | 220 | *So. | 3 | 4 | WLB | 44 | TONY STRAUGHTER | 6-0 | 201 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | |
20 | Brandon Maye | 6-2 | 235 | *Jr. | 2 | 3 | 24 | Quin Smith | 6-0 | 233 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||
CB | 12 | MARCUS GILCHRIST | 5-11 | 190 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | SPUR | 26 | ANTONIO ALLEN | 6-2 | 205 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | |
15 | Coty Sensabaugh | 6-0 | 180 | *Jr. | 2 | 2 | 33 | Damario Jeffery | 6-3 | 220 | So. | 4 | 4 | |||
SS | 2 | DeANDRE McDANIEL | 6-1 | 215 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | CB | 5 | STEPHON GILMORE | 6-1 | 189 | So. | 5 | 4 | |
32 | Carlton Lewis | 6-3 | 215 | *So. | 3 | 3 | 3 | Akeem Auguste | 5-10 | 191 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | |||
FS | 31 | RASHARD HALL | 6-2 | 200 | *So. | 3 | 3 | SS | 36 | D.J. SWEARINGER | 5-11 | 201 | So. | 3 | 3 | |
5 | Jonathan Meeks | 6-1 | 205 | So. | 4 | 4 | 21 | DeVonte Holloman | 6-2 | 228 | So. | 4 | 4 | |||
CB | 29 | XAVIER BREWER | 5-11 | 190 | *So. | 4 | 3 | FS | 3 | AKEEM AUGUSTE | 5-10 | 191 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | |
36 | Byron Maxwell | 6-1 | 205 | *Gr. | 4 | 4 | 36 | D.J. Swearinger | 5-11 | 201 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||
CB | 39 | MARTY MARKETT | 5-10 | 168 | Jr. | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
12 | C.C. Whitlock | 5-10 | 178 | Jr. | 4 | 4 |
Table IV: Star Ratings per "Specialist"
Clemson Specialists | South Carolina Specialists | |||||||||||||||
Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
PK | 39 | CHANDLER CATANZARO | 6-2 | 205 | *Fr. | N/A | N/A | PK | 34 | SPENCER LANNING | 5-11 | 192 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | |
19 | Richard Jackson | 6-0 | 195 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 | 18 | Jay Wooten | 6-3 | 198 | Jr. | 2 | 2 | |||
P | 96 | DAWSON ZIMMERMAN | 6-2 | 205 | Jr. | 3 | 2 | P | 34 | SPENCER LANNING | 5-11 | 192 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | |
19 | Richard Jackson | 6-0 | 195 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 | 18 | Jay Wooten | 6-3 | 198 | Jr. | 2 | 2 | |||
KO | 13 | Spencer Benton | 6-2 | 195 | *So. | 2 | 2 | KO | 18 | Jay Wooten | 6-3 | 198 | Jr. | 2 | 2 | |
LS (PK) | 52 | Phillip Fajgenbaum | 6-0 | 225 | *Fr. | N/A | N/A | 46 | Joey Scribner-Howard | 6-1 | 207 | Jr. | N/A | N/A | ||
71 | Matt Skinner | 6-7 | 230 | *So. | 2 | 2 | LS | 59 | Charles Turner | 6-4 | 250 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
LS (P) | 71 | Matt Skinner | 6-7 | 230 | *So. | 2 | 2 | 51 | Walker Inabinet | 5-9 | 194 | So. | N/A | N/A | ||
52 | Phillip Fajgenbaum | 6-0 | 225 | *Fr. | N/A | N/A | H | 11 | Seth Strickland | 6-2 | 191 | So. | N/A | N/A | ||
H | 16 | Michael Wade | 6-2 | 210 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 | 9 | Ace Sanders | 5-7 | 166 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | ||
14 | Donny McElveen | 6-2 | 205 | *Fr. | N/A | N/A | PR | 9 | Ace Sanders | 5-7 | 166 | Fr. | 3 | 4 | ||
PR | 12 | Marcus Gilchrist | 5-11 | 190 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | 5 | Stephon Gilmore | 6-1 | 189 | So. | 5 | 4 | ||
6 | DeAndre Hopkins | 6-1 | 195 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | KOR | 22 | Bryce Sherman | 5-4 | 155 | So. | N/A | N/A | ||
KOR | 12 | Marcus Gilchrist | 5-11 | 190 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | 36 | D.J. Swearinger | 5-11 | 201 | So. | 3 | 3 |