Clemson Tigers
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Clemson Tigers often find themselves at the top of the recruiting lists and dazzle the media and the country with their ability to find talent. The problem is that they have failed to deliver on that talent year after year. But 2011 saw their regular season fortunes change. Coach Dabo Swinney has finally seen his enthusiastic approach pay off. With a high-powered offense that can strike at any moment, the Tigers locked up the Atlantic Division on November 11 with a win over Wake Forest. They now have their long-awaited shot at the ACC title.
2011 Record: 10-3, 7-2
Last Bowl Appearance: 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. South Florida (L 26-31)
Big Wins: 9/24 Florida State (35-30), 10/1 at Virginia Tech (23-3)
Bad Losses: 10/29 at Georgia Tech (17-31), 11/19 NC State (13-17)
Coach: Dabo Swinney (29-18 at Clemson, 29-18 overall)
Bowl Record: 1-2 at Clemson, 1-2 overall
Offensive Coordinator: Chad Morris
Defensive Coordinator: Kevin Steele
Strengths:
Clemson’s offense has come alive in the 2011 season. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has played outstanding football for the Tigers. He leads the No. 2 offense in the conference with 439 yards per game and they score nearly 34 points per game. And he has help around him. Freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins has been a lightning rod, not only in the passing game but also as a kick returner. He has 12 total touchdowns this year. Watkins leads the conference in all-purpose yards. Andre Ellington leads the running game behind a solid offensive line. He has gained nearly 1,000 yards this season despite an injury for part of the year. In his stead, they have a solid option in Mike Bellamy. Offensively, there is so much firepower, that the Tigers can sub out players due to injury/fatigue and not miss a beat. On the other side of the ball, Clemson boasts a strong passing defense. They allow less than 130 yards per game through the air.
Weaknesses:
Clemson’s defense is fairly porous outside of the secondary. They rank bottom three in the conference in rushing defense and scoring defense. High-powered rushing teams can wear down the Tiger defense as evidenced by the Georgia Tech game in October. Tajh Boyd is an athletic, mobile quarterback, but he has also been known to try and do too much with the ball and ultimately take a sack as a result. He gets sacked around twice a game. That number could be worse if he weren’t such a bear to bring down. One of the bigger questions is how Clemson is feeling mentally. Early in the year, this team thrived on playing in big games with nothing to lose. In the last three weeks, after they had locked up the Atlantic, they have been playing poorly and dropped two of three. The focus of this team will come into question. In recent years, Clemson has been highly-regarded and come up short in the regular season and in bowl games. That stigma will follow them unless they can become the consistent team that many people believe they can be.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Andre Ellington, RB, 1,062 yards
Passing: Tajh Boyd, QB, 3,578 yards
Receiving: Sammy Watkins, WR, 1,153 yards
Tackles: Corico Hawkins, LB, 91
Sacks: Andre Branch, DE, 10.5
Interceptions: Jonathan Meeks, S, 3
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 150.75 (67th in nation, 5th in conference)
Passing Offense: 288.50 (17, 1)
Total Offense: 439.25 (29, 2)
Scoring Offense: 33.25 (30, 2)
Rushing Defense: 186.50 (92, 11)
Pass Defense: 197.00 (28, 2)
Total Defense: 383.50 (63, 8)
Scoring Defense: 27.50 (66, 9)
Turnover Margin: -.08 (65, 7)
Sacks: 1.83 (66, 7)
Sacks Allowed: 2.42 (88, 9)
