Clemson vs Duke: 1st Quarter Film Review

If you expect some humble pie from me here you are sorely mistaken. This is a pecan pie only palate this week and I’m not concerned about Clemson’s offense after one bad half. Aside from the obvious dropped passes throughout, the offensive line wasn’t great and the play-calling was mystifying at times, but it isn’t that Clemson ignored the run game so much as Trevor Lawrence checked out of runs and kept on most RPOs.

I wouldn’t be so bold as to say Tony Elliott needs to call fewer RPOs; they’re some of Clemson’s most effective plays and should indeed never be wrong in theory. But it’s remarkable how unnecessarily often Clemson continues to throw the ball. The only rationale I can find for it — aside from Elliott’s perpetually overthought “take what is given” which is actually just letting a defense dictate your approach — is that it’s more live passing reps for Lawrence. Even if Lawrence is trying to do too much and is needlessly checking out of runs, keep in mind it’s crucial he grows more comfortable and seasoned for the postseason than any other player on offense.

But here’s where I have an issue: Duke was giving Clemson the run by nature of a 6 man box and by simply being a horribly undermanned Duke defense. Duke timed a few run blitzes well, but never loaded the box pre-snap to warrant a check or keep on the RPO. My guess is Lawrence is perhaps a bit too pass happy (this is understandable) but Elliott needs to adjust earlier than halftime, say to hell with it, and feed Travis Etienne.

That said, this was the worst quarter of the entire season and I can’t sugarcoat it more than I did above. The few runs Clemson actually attempted went nowhere or outright backwards. Even the defense gave up a few chunk plays through the air (we finally saw a coverage bust) and on the ground. All that can be said is they forced Duke into field goals.

This quarter is an aneurism. Punch me in the face.

Flush this down the toilet.