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Let's talk about this wildly overrated Clemson defense....

Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:14 am
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:14 am
Start with the positive:

-bringing back a lot of talent, esp on DL
-made an upgrade at DC (Tom Allen from Penn St)

But are people forgetting how mediocre they were last year in a shitty ACC? They we're solid vs 3rd & 4th but not much else. Their pass D stats are way inflated because they faced 2 great throwers all season (Shough & Beck) and both had nice days. So did Jennings through the air (not a great thrower IMO)...

Clem D
Opp Points/Game 24.2 (#47)
Opp Yards/Game 373.2 (#62)
Opp Points/Play 0.344 (#44)
Opp Yards/Play 5.3 (#54)
Opp 3D Conv % 35.39% (#32)
Opp 4D Conv % 44.44% (#22
Opp RZ Scoring % 84.09% (#73)
Opp Yards/Rush 4.6 (#90)
Opp Rush Yards/Game 150.8 (#60)
Opp Completion % 57.02% (#14)
Opp Yards/Pass 6.3 (#20)
Opp Pass Yards/Game 222.3 (#66)


"What your point?" Glad you asked. They might be a good defense, you can see the path for it coming together for sure. But based on last year, you're going on a whole lot of "vibes" or "trust me bro" going into 2025.

Tom Allen will obviously help but forgive me if I don't buy he's got them firing on all cylinders week 1 of year 1 after a few mediocre seasons defensively. We've had several awesome DCs join this team with loaded rosters (Muschmp, Pellini, Chavis, Aranda) and it was not always roses right out of the gate.


TL;DR, I gotta see it before I believe it. Geaux Tigers.



Posted by p226
Lafayette
Member since Sep 2016
2024 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:15 am to
I hope you’re right. I wanna believe.
Posted by CajunBullet
New Iberia
Member since Sep 2017
2753 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:17 am to
How well did this Clemson team do against Georgia in their opening game of 2024? We will see if they live up to all of this year's hype!


Posted by LSUScores
Member since Oct 2015
1284 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:20 am to
How do you know they are wildly overrated before they play a game?
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:21 am to
It was a 12 point spread ish and they lost by 30.

Not so good, Al!
Posted by JimTiger72
Member since Jun 2023
15402 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:22 am to
I see their DL giving our OL fits.
I don’t know much about the rest of their defense
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:22 am to
quote:

How do you know they are wildly overrated before they play a game?


They haven't done it yet. That's my point. Their projected improvement gap (which I admit could happen) is massive.

And for a 1st year DC? You know Dabo aint calling plays. Let me see it first.
Posted by SludgeFactory
Middle of Nowhere
Member since Jun 2025
2084 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:23 am to
After the way we performed against a dog shite USC team last year in the opener, I REFUSE to sit here and say Clemson is overrated.

Clemson is a program that is coached by a multiple championship winner. We are not. Until then, I would hold back the shite talk.
Posted by misey94
Member since Jan 2007
32376 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:24 am to
quote:

Tom Allen will obviously help but forgive me if I don't buy he's got them firing on all cylinders week 1 of year 1 after a few mediocre seasons defensively. We've had several awesome DCs join this team with loaded rosters (Muschmp, Pellini, Chavis, Aranda) and it was not always roses right out of the gate.


Something to note about Allen- he inherited a top 3 defense and kept them in the top 10. That said, a lot of Penn St fans weren’t sorry to see him go, especially in exchange for Knowles.

Allen is likely an upgrade at DC for Clemson, but he may not be as elite as some are making him out to be after his one year stopover at PSU.
Posted by misey94
Member since Jan 2007
32376 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:26 am to
quote:

After the way we performed against a dog shite USC team last year in the opener, I REFUSE to sit here and say Clemson is overrated. Clemson is a program that is coached by a multiple championship winner. We are not. Until then, I would hold back the shite talk.


Most of us don’t listen to troll alters.
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:34 am to
quote:

After the way we performed against a dog shite USC team last year in the opener, I REFUSE to sit here and say Clemson is overrated.

Clemson is a program that is coached by a multiple championship winner. We are not. Until then, I would hold back the shite talk.


You're addressing the elephant in the room, which is that all my criticism of Clemson could be true for us too. That's fair.

But it's also worth pointing out the two are not mutually exclusive, there's a world where both of us are 8-4 type teams or 11-1 type teams.
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:37 am to
quote:

Something to note about Allen- he inherited a top 3 defense and kept them in the top 10


That's a good nugget, I didn't realize that.

quote:

That said, a lot of Penn St fans weren’t sorry to see him go, especially in exchange for Knowles


I'm of the mind he's the best DC in CFB. His work at Duke, Okie St, then OSU is impressive. I'd be happy to see just about anyone go if i was getting him.
Posted by Htxtiger17
Houston
Member since Feb 2025
908 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:41 am to
Now do our defense
Posted by vidtiger23
Member since Feb 2012
7541 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:41 am to
quote:

How do you know they are wildly overrated before they play a game?

How do you know they aren’t? He’s giving an opinion based on relevant stats from the year prior.
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:44 am to
quote:

Now do our defense



....No
Posted by Lacreus
30A
Member since Aug 2025
680 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:46 am to
I wouldn’t look too much into statistics from last season.

We still have a very unproven OL along with a smaller QB room now that VB is injured. Losing Lindsey definitely didn’t help our RB room as that’s a position you’ll never have too much of.
Posted by Topwater Trout
Red Stick
Member since Oct 2010
69363 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:53 am to
quote:

Opp Completion % 57.02% (#14)
Opp Yards/Pass 6.3 (#20)


this is concerning
Posted by tgerb8
Huntsvegas
Member since Aug 2007
6548 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:55 am to
quote:

How well did this Clemson team do against Georgia in their opening game of 2024? We will see if they live up to all of this year's hype!


Are you under the impression that we wouldve beaten Georgia week 1 last year? In fact, our opening loss to USC was probably worse than their 30 point loss to Georgia.

I get it.. "Chinks in the armor" and such. but objectively speaking I think you HAVE to pick Clemson. Not saying LSU won't win and I certainly want them to they just dont have many advantages on paper.
Posted by mwade91383
Washington DC
Member since Mar 2010
7112 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 11:59 am to
Agreed! But look who they went against in terms of passing offenses.

The only times they we're tested it didn't go well.
Posted by wrongRob
Tampa FL
Member since Oct 2017
1238 posts
Posted on 8/19/25 at 12:05 pm to
quote:

I see their DL giving our OL fits.
Quick throws & run at the DE's problem solved. I'll be sure to advise Coach Sloan.
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