Clemson Football

Georgia Tech at Clemson Q2 Film Review

It wasn’t all pretty, but the Tigers disposed of Tech rather easily in the season opener.

By JP_Priester@JP_Priester Sep 4, 2019, 11:05am EDT

The second quarter gets underway with the Tigers leading 14-0. They capitalized on an early Tech turnover and got a score, then got another on a long TD run from Travis Etienne. We pick it up with the Tigers possessing the ball at their own 46.

Clemson 14, Ga Tech 0

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 CU 46, 15:00

Quick screen to Diondre Overton to the weak side, gain of 3.
2nd & 7: Lyn-J Dixon runs up the middle for a loss of one. LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling made the tackle in the backfield, coming through untouched.
3rd & 8: Trevor Lawrence cannot hook up with Justyn Ross on an out route to the left side of the field.
4th & 8: Tigers punt 43 yards

Ga Tech Ball, 1st & 10 GT 9, 13:21

James Griffin runs for 5 behind the RT.
2nd & 5: QB keeper and Tobias Oliver gets 4 around the left side. Isaiah Simmons in on the tackle
3rd & 1: Handoff to Jamious Griffin, Chad Smith meets him a yard and a half in the backfield and forces the fumble, Xavier Kelly with the recovery.

Tigers have been selling out to stop the run. Lots of Cover 0 daring Tech to throw the ball.

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 GT 16, 12:45

IZ and Etienne goes untouched 14 yards for the score. Huge hole to run through behind Cervenka and Anchrum.

Clemson 21, Ga Tech 0

GT Ball, 1st & 10 GT 25, 12:33

Oliver sprints out to the right, shovels to Jordan Mason, and Simmons makes the stop for no gain. Simmons having a great first half.
2nd & 10: Oliver looking to throw, takes off around the right edge, gains 8. Nolan Turner with the tackle.
3rd & 2: Zone read and Oliver keeps it, takes it around the left side, gains 11. Tech 2-for-6 on 3rd downs.
1st & 10: Handoff to Mason to the right side, picks up 11. Sklaski misses a tackle one yard in the backfield.
1st & 10 at CU 45: Mason straight up the gut for gain of 6. Jordan Williams with a missed tackle.
2nd & 4: Mason takes the ball around the right side again, gain of 3. Chad Smith with the tackle.
3rd & 1: Mason stopped for no gain.
4th & 1 at CU 39 and after a Georgia Tech timeout: It’s Mason again but he is stopped short. Nolan Turner the first to get there to make the stop. Tigers take over on downs.

The Tigers completely sold out here to stop the run, allowing Turner to come through freely.

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 CU 36, 8:47

IZ Etienne with a gain of 3
2nd & 7: Lawrence is picked off trying to hit Cornell Powell on the outside. Just looked to be fooled on the coverage and CB Tre Swilling jumped the route.
Lawrence makes up for it by making the TD saving tackle at the 2.

Ga Tech Ball, 1st & Goal CU 2, 8:09

Oliver with a QB keeper gets a yard, Denzel Johnson with the tackle
2nd & Goal: Oliver with another keeper, no gain. Chad Smith and Justin Foster in on the stop.
3rd & Goal and after a Tech timeout: The Jackets try a little trickery. With Oliver lined up in the shotgun and shouting out directions, the ball is snapped directly to Mason who is stuffed for no gain. Tigers not fooled at all.
4th & Goal: Tech tries to throw. Oliver rolls right off a play fake, Skalski tips the pass and Johnson gets the pick.

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 CU 6, 6:35

(False start on Luke Price backs it up to the CU 3.) IZ Etienne straight up the middle for 7.
2nd & 6: Etienne picks up 7 more.
1st & 10: Dixon picks up 10 on a draw.
1st & 10: Dixon around the left side for 11 more.
1st & 10 at CU 38: Lawrence to Tee Higgins for the 62-yard TD on a go route. Great throw, even better catch.

Clemson 28, Ga Tech 0

Ga Tech Ball, 1st & 10 GT 25, 4:24

Mason with a 9-yard run to the left side. Skalski misses a tackle in the bacfkield, and Turner also misses him.
2nd & 1: Mason up the middle, picks up 4. Skalski misses another tackle right at the LOS.
1st & 10: Oliver rolls to his right, looks downfield and is swarmed by defenders. Loss of 8. K.J. Henry is the first one there, with Tyler Davis in on the stop as well.

2nd & 18: Jerry Howard picks up 2 up the middle.
3rd & 16 at the GT 32: After a Tigers timeout, Oliver loses 3 on the QB keeper. Baylon Spector makes the stop. Jackets punt 51 yards.

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 CU 20, 2:12

(False start on Sean Pollard): Lawrence hits Higgins on a deep crossing route for a gain of 22. One of the rare times (along with the long TD pass to Higgins) the offense really attacked vertically in this one.
1st & 10: Lawrence connects with Ross on what would have been a 36-yard gain, but as Ross laid out for it his knee came down out of bounds. Incomplete.
2nd & 10: Screen to Etienne to the left side, gain of 3
3rd & 7: Lawrence’s pass intended for Overton is broken up by the CB, and almost picked off again. Tigers punt 35 yards.

Ga Tech Ball, 1st & 10 GT 25, 1:00

Lucas Johnson in at QB, and his first pass is batted down by Nolan Turner.
2nd & 10: Johnson looks to throw but has to take off scrambling, and Simmons stops him for a gain of 1.
3rd & 9 (Timeout Tigers): Johnson’s pass incomplete, Jackets punt 42 yards.

Clemson Ball, 1st & 10 CU 32, 0:28

Lawrence to Higgins incomplete, just over shot him on a crossing route over the middle.
2nd & 10: Lawrence rolls right, hits Ross down the sideline for 10 yards
1st & 10: Lawrence flushed out of the pocket, throws it away (Holding penalty on John Simpson).
1st & 20: Lawrence cannot connect with Higgins on an out route.
2nd & 20: Lawrence rolls to his left, then throws it downfield and it is picked off by Kaleb Oliver to end the half. He said afterwards he was just trying to throw it away. Two uncharacteristic INTs in that second quarter for T-Law, but there’s nothing to see here. It happens.