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2011 Clemson vs. Virginia Tech Depth Chart Recruited Talent Analysis

Clemson cruises up to Blacksburg Virginia this weekend to face the Virginia Tech Hokies.   We'll see how this squad's recruited talent compares to our Clemson Tigers. Before we get into the analysis, I'll point out that I have taken the depth charts for both teams DIRECTLY from the Clemson website (www.clemsontigers.com).  A pdf version of this can be found here.  I will go ahead and tell you that because of injuries and Monday depth chart adjustments, some items here may end up a little out of place come gametime.  I won't try to interpret or guess.  In an effort to maintain consistency, I'll use both teams' depth charts as presented on the official Clemson Athletics website.

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 depth chart roster as referenced above.  It does not weigh experience nor does it evaluate coaching, preparation, etc...  We think this is an interesting and valuable tool that is useful in overall program evaluation because there is a link between these star ratings and other metrics in both college football and the NFL.

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".  We picked carefully through the data and believe all is correct.  However, if we've overlooked an item we apologize in advance and ask that you point it out so that we can make the correction in our database.

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 depth chart. 

The first thing you will notice here is the overall advantage Clemson has in terms of stars per player over Virginia Tech.  Clemson clearly has out recruited the Hokies in terms of high school talent on the two-deep depth chart.  This is also a great example of how great coaching and good fundamental play can overcome talent alone.  Virginia Tech's coaching staff routinely takes teams with lower rated talent and wins conference championships over teams with superior rated recruited talent.

Table I: Overall Data
Team Recruiting Service Offense Defense Specialists Overall Average
Clemson Scout 3.44 3.29 3.22 3.35
Rivals 3.56 3.38 3.00 3.40
Average 3.50 3.33 3.11 3.38
Virginia Tech Scout 3.00 2.71 2.91 2.86
Rivals 2.95 3.08 2.73 2.96
Average 2.98 2.90 2.82 2.91

 

Two_deep_medium

Figure 1:  Overall Depth Chart Talent Comparison

 

Figure 2:  Offensive Comparison
Clemson Offense
Virginia Tech Offense
Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals
Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals
LT 79 PHILLIP PRICE 6-5 315 *Sr. NA NA
LT 72 ANDREW LANIER 6-5 306 *Sr. 2 2

63 Brandon Thomas 6-3 300 *So. 4 4

54 Nick Becton 6-6 326 *Jr. 3 3
LG 63 BRANDON THOMAS 6-3 310 *Gr. 4 4
LG 75 GREG NOSAL 6-6 297 *Sr. 3 2

73 David Smith 6-5 310 *Gr. 3 3

59 Courtney Prince 6-3 282 *Jr. 2 2
C 55 DALTON FREEMAN 6-5 285 *Jr. 4 4
C 74 ANDREW MILLER 6-4 290 *So. 2 3

62 Mason Cloy 6-3 310 *Gr. 3 3

79 Caleb Farris 6-3 309 Fr. 3 3
RG 74 ANTOINE McCLAIN 6-6 335 Sr. 4 4
RG 68 JAYMES BROOKS 6-2 307 *Sr. 3 3

62 Mason Cloy 6-3 310 *Gr. 3 3

67 Michael Via 6-7 292 *Jr. 3 3
RT 72 LANDON WALKER 6-6 305 *Gr. 4 4
RT 62 BLAKE DeCHRISTOPHER 6-5 311 *Sr. 3 4

70 Gifford Timothy 6-6 315 *Fr. 2 3

71 Vinston Painter 6-6 303 *Jr. 4 4
TE 83 DWAYNE ALLEN 6-4 255 *Jr. 4 4
TE 33 CHRIS DRAGER 6-4 264 *Sr. 3 3

80 Brandon Ford 6-4 235 *Jr. 3 4

86 Eric Martin 6-2 269 *So. 2 2

86 Sam Cooper 6-4 240 *Fr. 2 2
SE 81 JARRETT BOYKIN 6-2 218 Sr. 3 3
WR 6 DeANDRE HOPKINS 6-1 200 So. 4 4
or 18 D.J. COLES 6-3 224 Jr. 4 4

1 Martavis Bryant 6-5 205 Fr. 4 4
QB 3 LOGAN THOMAS 6-6 254 *So. 5 4
QB 10 TAJH BOYD 6-1 225 *So. 5 4

6 Mark Leal 6-0 209 *Fr. 3 3

8 Cole Stoudt 6-4 200 Fr. 3 3
TB 4 DAVID WILSON 5-10 205 Jr. 4 3
RB 23 ANDRE ELLINGTON 5-10 190 *Jr. 4 4

2 Josh Oglesby 5-11 218 *Sr. 3 3

5 Mike Bellamy 5-10 175 Fr. 4 5
FB 45 JOEY PHILLIPS 5-11 221 *Jr. N/A N/A

22 D.J. Howard 5-11 195 *Fr. 3 3

25 Martin Scales 5-11 207 *Jr. N/A N/A

25 Roderick McDowell 5-9 190 *So. 3 4
FLK 19 DANNY COALE 6-0 200 *Sr. 3 2
FB 30 CHAD DIEHL 6-2 260 *Sr. 2 3

7 Marcus Davis 6-4 228 *Jr. 3 3

84 Darrell Smith 6-2 245 *So. 3 2
or 83 Corey Fuller 6-2 189 *Jr. 2 3
WR 18 JARON BROWN 6-2 200 *Jr. 3 3









19 Charone Peake 6-3 205 Fr. 4 4









26 Marquan Jones 5-10 195 Sr. 3 4








WR 2 SAMMY WATKINS 6-1 200 Fr. 5 5









13 Adam Humphries 6-0 190 Fr. 3 2








 

 

Figure 3:  Defensive Comparison
Clemson Defense Virginia Tech Defense
Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals
DE 97 MALLICIAH GOODMAN 6-4 280 Jr. 4 4 DE 42 J.R. COLLINS 6-2 240 *So. 3 3
90 Kourtnei Brown 6-6 255 *Gr. 4 4 95 Zack McCray 6-4 254 *Fr. 4 4
NG 98 BRANDON THOMPSON 6-2 310 Sr. 4 4 90 Duan Perez-Means 6-4 248 *Fr. 2 3
43 Tyler Shatley 6-3 295 *So. 3 3 DT 98 DERRICK HOPKINS 6-0 301 So. 2 2
DT 94 RENNIE MOORE 6-3 265 *Sr. 3 3 96 Corey Marshall 6-1 253 Fr. 4 4
99 DeShawn Williams 6-1 290 Fr. 3 3 DT 56 ANTOINE HOPKINS 6-1 306 *Jr. 3 3
BE 40 ANDRE BRANCH 6-5 260 *Sr. 2 2 92 Luther Maddy 6-1 283 Fr. 2 2
93 Corey Crawford 6-5 280 Fr. 4 4 DE 99 JAMES GAYLE 6-4 257 *So. 2 3
SLB 34 QUANDON CHRISTIAN 6-2 220 *So. 3 3 66 Tyrel Wilson 6-1 219 *So. 2 4
8 Justin Parker 6-1 225 So. 3 4 OLB 43 JERON GOUVEIA-WINSLOW 6-2 205 *Jr. 2 3
41 Daniel Andrews 5-11 205 Sr. 2 2 28 Alonzo Tweedy 6-2 189 *Jr. 2 2
MLB 42 CORICO HAWKINS 5-11 230 Jr. 3 3 LB 24 TARIQ EDWARDS 6-3 231 *So. 3 3
12 Stephone Anthony 6-3 235 Fr. 5 5 57 Telvion Clark 6-1 228 *So. 3 3
33 Spencer Shuey 6-3 250 *So. 3 3 LB 51 BRUCE TAYLOR 6-2 243 *Jr. 3 4
WLB 46 JONATHAN WILLARD 6-2 220 *Jr. 3 4 52 Barquell Rivers 6-0 250 *Sr. 3 3
7 Tony Steward 6-1 245 Fr. 4 5 CB 17 KYLE FULLER 6-0 187 So. 3 3
CB 15 COTY SENSABAUGH 6-0 185 *Gr. 2 2 9 Cris Hill 5-11 180 *Sr. 3 4
17 Bashaud Breeland 6-0 185 *Fr. 4 3 ROV 15 EDDIE WHITLEY 6-1 200 Sr. 3 3
SS 5 JONATHAN MEEKS 6-1 210 Jr. 4 4 23 Boye Aromire 6-0 201 Fr. 3 3
27 Robert Smith 5-11 210 Fr. 3 3 FS 1 ANTONE EXUM 6-0 220 *So. 3 3
FS 31 RASHARD HALL 6-1 210 J*Gr. 3 3 26 James Hopper 5-9 180 *So. 2 2
32 Carlton Lewis 6-2 205 *Jr. 3 3 or 21 Theron Norman 6-3 196 *Fr. 2 3
CB 29 XAVIER BREWER 5-11 190 *Jr. 4 3 CB 20 JAYRON HOSLEY 5-10 171 Jr. 3 4
21 Darius Robinson 5-11 170 So. 3 4 8 Detrick Bonner 6-0 189 *Fr. 3 3

 

 

Figure 4:  Specialist Comparison
Clemson Specialists Virginia Tech Specialists
Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals Pos. # Player Hgt Wgt Cl. Scout Rivals
PK 39 CHANDLER CATANZARO 6-2 200 *So. NA NA PK 89 CODY JOURNELL 5-11 178 *So. 3 2
36 Ammon Lakip 5-10 185 Fr. 3 2 48 Justin Myer 6-1 220 Sr. N/A N/A
P 96 DAWSON ZIMMERMAN 6-2 205 Sr. 3 2 P 29 SCOTT DEMLER 5-11 194 *Jr. N/A N/A
13 Spencer Benton 6-2 195 *Jr. 2 2 or 19 DANNY COALE 6-0 200 *Sr. 3 2
KO 13 Spencer Benton 6-2 195 *Jr. 2 2 38 Michael Branthover 5-8 179 Fr. N/A N/A
LS 52 Phillip Fajgenbaum 6-0 220 *Fr. NA NA KO 48 Justin Myer 6-1 220 Sr. N/A N/A
75 Michael Sobeski 6-2 195 *Fr. NA NA 89 Cody Journell 5-11 178 *So. 3 2
H 13 Spencer Benton 6-2 195 *Jr. 2 2 LS 50 Collin Carroll 6-3 232 *Sr. 2 2
PR 6 DeAndre Hopkins 6-1 200 So. 4 4 65 Joe St. Germain 6-1 213 *Fr. N/A N/A
2 Sammy Watkins 6-1 200 Fr. 5 5 H 16 Trey Gresh 6-1 205 *Fr. N/A N/A
KOR 2 Sammy Watkins 6-1 200 Fr. 5 5 6 Mark Leal 6-0 209 *Fr. 3 3
18 Jaron Brown 5-10 190 *Jr. 3 3 PR 20 Jayron Hosley 5-10 171 Jr. 3 4
19 Danny Coale 6-0 200 *Sr. 3 2
KOR 4 David Wilson 5-10 205 Jr. 4 3
& 22 Tony Gregory 6-0 190 *So. 2 3
9 Cris Hill 5-11 180 *So. 3 4
& 31 Demitri Knowles 6-0 167 Fr. 3 3