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CU at 25 - Backside bubble to Nuk for 6...IZ for 5...Blitz, hits a stop route to AH for 4 behind the blitzer...Hot Rod IZ for 3, Rod should've cut that to the other side of Freeman...Quick swing route to AE for no gain, well played by WF. Tajh probably could've hit the receiver on the sideline ahead of AE though. Punt. 5 plays 18 yards, 02:19
WF from 22 - Pressure forces a bad throw incomplete...Pressure again forces him to throw a little early incomplete, well covered too...Davis sitting alone at the sticks as they pick up a blitz on 3rd down. I don't think we were properly adjusted to this formation, or someone blitzed and should've dropped, Peters was basically covering two men...Wildcat, Backside bubble throwback to Price for 7...IZ/ZR, Tig Willard blew that shit up. Really well played by Tig on the blocker. Loss of 1..Price rushes the throw incomplete. Punt.6 plays 22 yards, 01:51
Other than the one bust on the blitz call, fairly well played.
Really liked how Tig attacked his blocker and kept his leverage.
The wildcat throwback to Tanner Price was meant to set us up, for another pass.
CU at 15 - AE slips as WF gets penetration over the A-gap...Half-roll pass to Ford for 8...Loop stunt gets a sack by a linebacker over the A-gap. Freeman looked left and didn't pick up the guy looping around him on the right. Punt. 3 plays -2 yards
Put that one on Freeman.
WF at Clemson 47 - Crosser completed for 3...Counter? for 5, may have been a trap that wasnt run well...IZ for no gain. Punt. 3 plays 8 yards, 02:11
Grobe should have gone for this on 4th & 2 against us at the Clemson 39.
CU at 20 -Power for no gain, DJ...Stop route to Nuke for 7...Bootleg, too much pressure, Tajh runs it for 4 and a 1st down...Power left for 2, no push on left side...Blitz, AE stuck the blitzer, Sammy Watkins is wide ass open for 57. Safety went inside and left SW alone, CB didn't sink either when #1 went deep...IZ, Hot Rod for 1...Thomas false start...QB draw for 5....Boyd pressured, throws out to Brandon Ford running an out route for the TD, Sammy being in motion on a reverse during the play kept the defender's eyes away from Brandon. 7-0 Clemson. 8 plays 80 yards, 3:19.
Pace seemed slow.
WF at 25 - Fumbled exchange, Tig should've had this ball...Campanaro running a Post right up the middle for 26. That should never be completed. Looks like Meeks had the underneath coverage, and he made contact like he should've, but no one went with the receiver inside and the Safeties were back in C2, Hall too deep to stop this pass...PI called on Garry Peters, he was early to make contact on the comeback. If Peters is watching the ball, he either knocks it away or picks it off, but he played the receiver...Option pitch, Brewer knocks it away on the CB Blitz off the edge, they recover the fumble with a loss of 20...Delay of Game, looks like they had that wildcat throwback pass set up on Fieldside again...Same formation, Wildcat keeper up the middle for 6...IZ/ZR for 4. Punt. 5 plays 17 yards, 3:14.
We had two or three chances for turnovers on this drive. Mostly 3-4 front looks by the defense.
CU at 28 - WR screen for 5...OZ for 6, Beasley got whipped and forced this wider than it should've been...Boyd just too deep a throw for Sammy to pull down...Blitz, screen incomplete to AE. Had the right call on for it but the cut blocks on the frontside weren't good enough to give Boyd time. Start 2nd QTR. Sammy runs a comeback route and makes a catch between 2 defenders, both miss the tackle, goes 61 for TD. 14-0 Clemson. 5 plays 72 yards, 1:00.
They just blew the tackles, the LB did a good job just to get there from his hook zone and try to make a tackle, but blew it.
WF from 14 - IZ for 3...Spencer Shuey personal foul late hit on a throwaway, stupid and Dabo yanks him for it...TO WF...Price throws it into about 15 white jerseys incomplete...Swing route for 7...Quick hitch for 6. We just let him cut inside on a hitch that he broke off. Blanks showed blitz, had the inside locked down, and went outside for some damn reason...HB Pass, penetration eats that shit up. Anthony and Reader...Crosser can't get to the corner before Tig Willard, gains 5...Blitz on a twist outside, sack by Tig Willard. Punt. 7 plays 28 yards.
Tig had a good drive there, and we need to be playing Reader on 60-70% of snaps.
CU from 20 - Sweep for 12..PA pass to Jaron Brown running free over the middle for 29. Great catch..Incomplete to Nuk on what looked like a Dig, hit the ground first...Bryant hitch for 11...Power read pass to Brown over the middle for 9. That was an option pass...QB Power for 7...Threaded a needle to Sam Cooper for 12 yard TD. Just a little post route in 5 black jerseys. 21-0 Clemson, 7 plays 80 yards 1:51.
Good pace here, but wish we'd have run the ball with AE again.
TD pass was very risky throw.
WF from 25 -ZR/IZ for 1, good penetration...Trick formation, QB Draw for 3. Vic Beasley jumped upfield quickly, cutting off the screen pass, very well played...Campanaro for 7, after Travis Blanks just walked off the guy in the slot. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BLANKS?...ZR keep for 2, Beasley played this well...Slant incomplete to Campanaro, Blanks had the shoulder pad, thats a PI...Blitz, Beasley zooms past the LT for a sack. Punt. 6 plays 5 yards, 02:59
Vic Beasley had a great drive there, really well played on that screen in particular.
Blanks had good position and batted the last pass away, but he had a hand gripping the arm pad under the armpit.
CU from 32 - AE cut back for 7...half-roll flip to Watkins for 4...False start David Beasley, looked like he was pulling on a Power...Sammy Watkins leaves his man on a post for 50, if Tajh leads him thats 6...Blitz, Boyd tucks it for no gain...Boyd dumps it to AH incomplete, good that it was incomplete too...Nuk for 12 yard TD on a slant. 28-0 Clemson. 6 plays 68 yards, 01:41.
Wish we'd have called another run after Beasley jumped. You can't establish the run if you don't call the play.
WF from 25 -IZ for 4...MALLICIAH GOODMAN SACK HOLY SHIT. Inside move and just ran right up the B-gap...Dumps it out to the RB, Cortez Davis forces the fumble, Watson recovers.
CU from WF 19 - Reverse to Charone Peake for 4, liked that Tajh blocked the DE for Peake. Brandon Thomas has to block out there though on the edge for this to go for 6...QB Power for 2...Tajh keeps it for 11. Saw no one open...Fade pass to Peake for TD. 35-0 Clemson. 4 plays 19 yards, 01:08
WF at 25, with 1:18 - Stop route for 13...1 yard completion, SA called for a horse collar tackle for 15. The angle is bad to see whether this is BS or not, it looks like he had him by the rear of his pads...FB in the flats for 3..Stop route, Cortez Davis blows the tackle, he gets 25 as a result...Sack by Corey Crawford, face mask called. Angle is bad to check it...Price scrambles for 1...Stephone Anthony beaten on an outside-breaking route by the damn fullback for a TD. 35-7 Clemson. 6 plays 75 yards, 1:06.
Well, a very disappointing drive. We were playing more softer zone. They should not have had a chance with 1:18 left in the half but went right down the field. SA should not get beat by a fullback, and if Davis makes the tackle they probably don't score.
The TV view is not good enough to check whether the two calls are BS or not. If the horse collar was made then I don't see the hand on the collar, but I did see his hand on the back grabbing the pad covering the kidneys. ESPN did not replay either call from a good angle.
Clemson kneels on it to end the first half.
Halftime
The defense, aside from the last drive, played really well. We just need to tackle better and get a little more consistent in pressure. The penetration on the run plays is eating them alive.
If M. Goodman can get a sack, you know their OL sucks.
Clemson just hasn't called enough run plays to get a great feel for the rushing game. Freeman cannot handle Whitlock or any other 0-technique as per usual however and Beasley has been a weak link in the run game in the first half. I'm wondering where the DB we saw vs. Auburn went to.
Tajh has only thrown 4 incompletions and 5 TDs. 17/21 for 286.
Start 3rd QTR.
WF from 25 -Hit the receiver in the chest, incomplete..End-around for 12, not good up front...Thrown 10 yards too deep incomplete...Crosser for 4...Price evades Crawford sack, throws it away. Punt.
Renewed focus to get the ball to Campanaro on the drive.
CU from 39 - Wildcat Power for 5...Empty set, Tajh looks to a screen or dumpoff to AE and takes it himself for 6...Bryant running a 9 route, DB is right with him. Knocks it away...Slant to Sammy, batted away. Good coverage...Tossed out to AE in the flat, pushed out of bounds after 5. Punt. 5 plays 16 yards, 01:23
Not that I mind the bomb attempt to Bryant, because we should be doing that more often, but its 35-7 and we should run the football, with anyone but Boyd.
WF played really good coverage on the drive.
WF from 9 - IZ for no gain...Slant/hitch for 6...Pass nearly picked by Meeks, but Terry was wide open. Vic Beasley knocked down and banged up on the last play. Punt.
CU from 39 -IZ for 8...IZ for 3...Bryant right down the sideline for 34 on a stutter&go wheel...AE for about 3 on a ZR...AE can't get to the corner because Thomas gets beat, loss of 1...Boyd sacked, throws it backwards. BRAIN FART. Freeman got his ass kicked by Whitlock. 48 yard FG missed by Catman. 6 plays 30 yards, 02:39
WF from 31 - Price had Terence Davis open on a post route. Missed him...IZ, bad angles and over-pursuit, gain of 8...ZR/IZ, Linebackers both overpursue, he goes for 43. Shuey is backside LB and overran the play, same damn problem we've had all season. Meeks was blitzing and took too wide an angle, but ran down Harris 43 yards downfield....Fullback runs by Rashard Hall on a wheel route for 6. That bust is totally on Hall. 35-13 Clemson. 4 plays 69 yards, 0:58.
Pitiful. Defense fell asleep on this drive. No QB pressure either.
CU from 25 -IZ for 5...Rollout pass to Sammy for 9...IZ for 1, right side did a pitiful job blocking. Shatley standing around...Jet sweep to Sammy for 4. Edge blocking could be better...Nuk on an inside-breaking route for 9...ZR keep for 4...CB blitz, thrown too high over the middle to Nuk on a post...Sack on a delay blitz, Giff Timothy whiffed on that inside twist completely. Looks like a blown protection call more than Timothy. Punt. 8 plays 21 yards, 03:20
Have to see some killer instinct here and not seeing it at all, we outweigh this WF front by 302-262 average and we cannot control the LOS. Batson'd
We should be taking this game over up front by this point in the 3rd.
WF from 12 - Price has all day, looks like they cut us some, and hits Davis for 10 on a curl/stop...Jet sweep, we stuff that...Thrown too early, incomplete...3 man rush, everyone covered, Price dumps it off for 9. Punt.
Our DL is no longer winning up front.
CU from 32 -Power read keep for 9...Power read give for 1...Blitz, flips it out to Ford incomplete. Was a bootleg call...PA, Beasley so slow getting over that a blitzer gets to Tajh and he has to run for 3....False start Sammy...Forces a throw to Nuk, good coverage. Punt. 5 plays 8 yards, 01:45
WF from 24 - Price nearly sacked but had all day, hits Campanaro standing on sideline for 7..IZ, one tackle slipped and gets 2...IZ for 3..Price hits receiver standing on sideline stop for 8....Start 4th QTR....OZ for 10, Shuey can't get a tackle, and Davis is dragged a few yards...Harris in the flat for 3. Barnes is held on the edge big-time...Price hit as he throws by Williams...Price misses open receiver. Punt.
They should've gone for that on 4th & 7 at our 43.
CU from 14 - Lateral toss to Sammy for 14...WR screen to Jaron for 2...OZ for 6...Power read for 3...Same lateral/near-lateral toss to Nuk this time for 5...Nuk running down the sideline for 25 on a double-move. IZ for 1, hot rod...Power read give for 4, DJ...Sammy sweep for a few...Tried the trick play, direct snap to Hot Rod for 1. They were all over it...Bootleg, pass to Jaron on a wheel, PI committed...IZ for 1, DJ, no push on right side...QB Power for 4...Speed Option pitch to DJ Howard for the TD. 42-13 Clemson. 13 plays 86 yards, 05:02
Liked the playcalling better here, tried to force the issue with running the ball and had success.
Tajh should've been removed after this drive and wasn't.
WF from 18 - Beasley finally succeeds in speed rushing the freshman LT for a sack. If he could use his hands he'd have 4 sacks in the last two drives...Crosser for 4...Blanks bats away a pass to Campanaro. TO WF. Punt.
Vic Beasley is just speed rushing on every down. He needs some work on his technique.
CU from 24 - Batted away pass to Nuk on a stop...Blitz, pass tipped...Bryant zooms past the CB and catches a bad throw for 37. Tajh comes out with the record...IZ for no gain, Hot Rod...IZ, Hot Rod gets 6-7 but block in back called on Rodriguez...WR screen to Rodriguez, and Seckinger forgets he is supposed to block apparently, loss of 4...Same play but to Porter for 9...Delay of game intentionally accepted on the WF 43. Punt. 7 plays 28 yards, 03:03
WF from 19 - Humphries tackles Davis on a slant/hitch...IZ for 4...Crosser to Harris for 6...IZ for no gain. Rico made a good play...Hitch/stop to Davis for 7 on Humphries...Pass over the middle for 16...Jackson leaves Blanks behind but pass is too wide, incomplete...Blitz, Davis drops it, forced by SA but he recovers...Robert Smith near interception, drops the ball...4th & 6.Price nearly sacked by Watkins and Beasley, Wright leaves his man but the pass is incomplete. Turnover on downs. 10 plays 46 yards, 3:06.
CU from 35 - Kneels on it.
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Summarizing Thoughts
A much more complete performance, even better on the 2nd time through.
Very happy with the DL play overall. They got plenty of penetration, except for a 3rd Quarter lull where the whole team's focus could be called into question. We really did not get in Price's face enough in the 3rd Q.
Wake came out of the half with a renewed fire and intensity along with some halftime adjustments to force the ball to M. Campanaro, and Clemson weathered it. We are just better than they are and they couldnt make plays to make anything happen on the scoreboard.
Most of the backups on the DL got into the game. Dodd, Barnes, and Carlos Watkins all got some snaps. Barnes and Beasley probably had more snaps than usual. Vic could be a very good pass rusher if he spends the offseason in the gym and works on his technique, because he could've had another handful of sacks with any move other than a speed rush. He was just so much faster than their LT, especially the freshman, that if he could use his hands better he'd have really killed Price in the 2nd half.
Malliciah Goodman even played better, though his snap total has been heavily cut back (as it should be). Reader did not get as many snaps as Jarrett or Williams, and I'm still trying to figure out the exact reason.
Tig Willard and Spencer Shuey both played good games, and I'm not going to hold the dumb late hit against Shuey. I hope he does it to Shaw in a few weeks. I want to see that kind of attitude again on our defense, even if I don't want the penalty.
Q. Christian spent much of his time on the bench, because Wake is primarily a spread set team, but hopefully he'll do better with the wake up call. Blanks is responsible for two busts for not being lined up right in his increased action. Anthony is still very inconsistent but it appears he's doing a little better after his demotion.
Tony Steward rarely got on the field. Corico got the snaps.
All in all I can't find much fault with the defensive performance other than mental lapses and some questionable calls that went against them.
Offensively I do have some questions. We're running some more Outside Zone schemes, but I'm still not seeing things like the counter/inside trap/long trap. It appears they don't have enough confidence in David Beasley to call those plays any more, and they don't often pull Shatley, but I question why we don't even call them. I still can't get over why Andre Ellington is not getting 25 carries per game, and why Tajh's carries go up as a result.
Its not even that Hot Rod or DJ are taking AE's carries, they arent. We just aren't calling the plays. You have to call the plays to get the OL going in the run game.
I could see some of it being the lack of anyone to push DB or Timothy, but we aren't even subbing in backup OL other than maybe Norton to get any experience to push the starters. Kalon Davis has disappeared. Shaq Anthony is not a good run blocker because of his strength but he's got to get some snaps.
Wake was loading the box, but this is an excuse. We didn't fire off the ball. We couldn't move a defensive front we outweigh by 40lbs.
Tajh, Sammy, Nuk, and even Bryant (finally) played a good game, but I'd like to see someone push Brandon Ford a little. His production has dropped off of late and we always need production from the TE. We will need him as a weapon against SC.