Faced With an Unexpected Defining Moment, Clemson Found Itself

It took me the better part of 24 hours to wrap my head around Saturday’s dramatic victory over Syracuse. Our worst fears were realized before halftime, and what very well could’ve been the most tumultuous week in Clemson since Tommy Bowden’s removal almost exactly 10 years ago nearly became the most disastrous.

We all know what happened Wednesday. We then learned of Mark Fields’ suspension, taking away one of only three known commodities at cornerback on the eve of an air raid. When Trevor Lawrence and later Trayvon Mullen went down, the perfect storm hit Death Valley a hell of a lot harder than the remnants of Hurricane Florence did only two weeks before. Clemson, already lacking depth at QB and cornerback, were suddenly forced to rely almost entirely on untested freshmen Chase Brice and Kyler McMichael at two of the most crucial positions.

Down 10 points in the 4th quarter following another muffed punt, I can’t be alone in thinking Clemson had blown its championship hopes 5 mere weeks into the season. One of the ACC’s few pleasant surprises this season, Syracuse would have to lose twice for Clemson to have a chance at simply winning the division; never mind its College Football Playoff aspirations.

But Clemson survived. Its defense held Syracuse completely in check in the 2nd half and kept the crowd (wonderfully noisy for a noon kickoff) in the game while Brice gained his footing. Clemson found just enough from its once-spectacular QB depth to — make no mistake about it — save its season with Chase Brice In His Veins on a 4th down throw I don’t think Kelly Bryant would’ve even attempted. (Not to say I think Clemson wouldn’t have ultimately won with Bryant on the team). I’ll detail the 4th quarter on Wednesday, but this throw is worth a look right now:

Clemson called a slant corner route to Higgins with a flare from Galloway underneath it, against Syracuse’s disguised cover 2. (I know I tweeted about this being cover 3 initially, I was wrong). Unlike normal cover 2, where safeties split the deep halves, the field corner on the backside has a deep half, which is why this looked like cover 3 at first glance). Moving into cover 2 from a single high cover 3 look means the safety with deep responsibility against Higgins is out of position at the snap, and the corner route will be open between the free safety and boundary corner.

Syracuse tried to fool Brice into thinking it was cover 3 with a single deep safety look; when a corner has a deep zone it’s usually cover 3 or cover 4. But the middle linebacker dropping into a deep coverage, the deep safety immediately running to one deep half, and the boundary corner sitting in flat coverage all tell cover 2.

The boundary cornerback releases Higgins to the safety and has to mind Galloway in the flat, which is the corner’s responsibility. The deep safety has to run across the field to get to his half, which is why the corner route to Higgins was going to be open for a split second. Brice, in turn, has to let it rip before the safety gets to his deep half and before the corner peels off his flat coverage, so he can fit the ball between those two converging defenders.

Notice the corner sit in his flat coverage (basic cover 2) before trying to peel in front of Higgins. This is an unbelievably gutsy throw. If it’s late it’s an easy interception, but the call, read, and execution were perfect. Whether or not Brice ever starts another game, dare I say his legacy at Clemson was secured with this play. Hyperbole? I don’t care.

Many wondered what it would take for Clemson to finally show commitment to feeding Travis Etienne more than roughly 15 times per game, but none of us imagined it would take a 4th quarter comeback against Syracuse. The greatest development post-Syracuse isn’t Swinney’s “we can win with all our quarterbacks” comment vindication, but hopefully a renewed focus on running the ball upwards of 65% of the time.

Etienne, Tavien Feaster, and some beautiful power/counter run blocking gashed Syracuse in the most spectacular of ways all game long, taking pressure off Brice when it mattered most, and there’s nothing Clemson fans should want to see more. Regardless of quarterback, moving forward the expectation should be to run the ball as often as it did in the 2nd half Saturday, and feast on RPOs when defenses have to commit against Etienne and Feaster. Clemson’s real Heisman candidate (Lawrence has Heisman betting odds despite limited snaps) isn’t at quarterback; it’s Travis Etienne. Run the ball and everything else becomes so, so easy with the talent on this offense.

With more than a full season’s share of adversity behind it already, Clemson now has to flex its muscles against a schedule which is growing weaker, well, weekly. Considering Clemson’s shaky moments and the reputation of the worse-than-ever ACC, it will take some help for a 1-loss ACC champion to make the Playoff yet again; meaning there is absolutely no room for error. Clemson has played with fire, and in the most unexpected way, been forged by it. Now the Tigers must unleash it.

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GOOD TWEETS

I love when my friends document a pending meltdown. I can hear myself screaming internally.

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1st Quarter Film Review

After an egregious Syracuse personal foul and a couple of stoned runs later, Clemson gives us the most beautiful sight visible to the human eye:

The 1st quarter expires after a Syracuse 3 & out and punt.