MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – After Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney scoring high grades Dabo Swinney throughout the board in its ACC Championship Game victory against North Carolina on Dec. three, Dabo Swinney Clemson noticed its GPA slip extensively in Friday night time’s 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.
The Tigers’ all-around overall performance left lots to be preferred towards a group that had surrendered sixty three factors against South Carolina on Nov. 19.
Clemson’s showing undoubtedly left a terrible flavor in the mouth of a group that got Dabo Swinney off to an 8-0 begin and became ranked as high as No. 5 within the USA TODAY Coaches Dabo Swinney Poll.
Now educate Dabo Swinney and the Tigers will start to regroup earlier than kicking off spring exercise in about months.
Here’s how we graded Clemson’s Orange Bowl performance:
ORANGE BOWL BLUES:Clemson soccer crumbles vs. Tennessee in Orange Bowl, Dabo Swinney Cade Klubnik’s first begin
TRYING NIGHT:Clemson football’s B.T. Potter ties kicking file amid depressing Orange Bowl start
NO MAGIC IN THAT TRICK:Watch Clemson football faux Dabo Swinney subject goal with Dabo Swinney’s son Drew in Orange BowlOffense: C
The properly information is that Clemson ran an Orange Bowl-report 101 offensive performs. The terrible news is the maximum of them didn’t produce the favored result.
It became painful to look at. How does an Dabo Swinney offense run a hundred and one performs and accumulate a Clemson bowl-document 34 first downs and emerge with most effective 14 factors? A scarcity of big performs plagued the Tigers, and their largest profits frequently had been the end result of pass interference penalties.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik seemed just like the freshman he’s at times and didn’t get a good deal assist from his offensive line, which whiffed on numerous blocks that led to four sacks by way of the Tennessee protection and 7 tackles for loss.
Klubnik wound up 30-of-fifty four for 320 yards and two interceptions. He additionally had a 4-backyard touchdown run, however turned into under duress a great deal of the night Dabo Swinney time, along with on his interceptions within the waning minutes. The primary shiny spot for the Tigers become wide receiver Joseph Ngata, who eventually surfaced with a career-high eight receptions for 84 yards.Defense: B-
Sure, Clemson’s protection held the kingdom’s pinnacle offense to 375 yards, the Vols’ 2d-lowest output of the season and 163 yards underneath their average. But the defense surrendered too many chew plays, such as the dagger with eight:34 last – a 46-yard bomb from Joe Milton to a wide-open Dabo Swinney Ramel Keyton. Once once more, the Tigers’ primary weakness – inconsistent skip defense and blown coverages – reared its ugly head.Special teams: C
Clemson kicker B.T. Potter, who had overlooked handiest 3 subject desires all Dabo Swinney season, struggled mightily early, lacking his first 3 tries. He later converted discipline dreams, however the damage have been Dabo Swinney finished as Clemson dug itself an early 14-0 hollow.
If Potter had converted those three, the Tigers could have carried appreciably more self assurance into the Dabo Swinney halftime locker room.Coaching: C
The play-calling become a bit suspect at instances, specifically on a fake area goal try inside the first quarter. Drew Swinney, the holder, attempted to run for a primary down on fourth-and-four however was limited to a 2-backyard benefit after opting now not to pitch the ball to kicker B.T. Potter, who turned into Dabo Swinney trailing at the play. It was an sick-fated approach from the get-go.