What to look for Clemson-Furman
By: Neil Burnett
Fresh off a Monday night victory against Georgia Tech, the Clemson Tigers will play host to the Furman Paladins on Saturday at 3:30pm, televised on the ACC Network. The question in this game is not if Clemson will win or not, but by how much.
How does Clemson go from preparing for an ACC opponent on Monday night to playing FCS Furman? According to Coach Dabo Swinney, it’s the same preparation process the Tigers go through for every game, no matter if it’s Furman or Alabama. Understandably, the game planning will be a lot different, but when playing teams of Furman’s caliber, the backups get all giddy at halftime.
This game should be over with on the scoreboard by the end of the first quarter. It’s easy to foresee a score in the range of 52-0 or 59-3 simply based on the talent level of both teams. There are some questions to consider going into the game.
How long will Dabo go before taking out the first unit? Generally, he has gone with the first unit the entire first half of games. This is the 2nd game of the season, and the first unit still needs reps in preparation for the rest of the season.
Will backup QB Cade Klubnik see time with the ones in the first half? Probably not, but this is a question that will be answered Saturday. Klubnik looked great in his first series as a Clemson Tiger, and many are already calling for him to start. Patience, grasshoppa.
When Clemson was being referred to as WRU, the wide receiver room consisted of big play wide receivers like Mike Williams, Deandre Hopkins, Tee Higgins, Sammy Watkins and Hunter Renfrow. The Tigers have not identified that “Alpha Dog” receiver yet, and no one has really stepped up and taken that role. Can Antonio Williams make a move in that direction? When will Adam Randall make his debut? Is he the one Clemson fans are waiting for to take over?
Will there be changes along the offensive line? Not for the foreseeable future. This offensive line has new starters at center, right guard and right tackles. Although Will Putnam and Walker Parks are returning starters on the offensive line, they are both playing new positions. They can get all the reps they want in practice and in the spring, but real game reps are a lot different. Freshman right tackle Blake Miller got his indoctrination making his first start, and watching the game, he played like a freshman at times. Look for him to improve each week, but also look for those 2nd team guys to keep pushing for playing time.
Can the defense get a shutout? They should. Shutting out a team in college football doesn’t happen too often, even against FCS schools, mainly because all it takes is one break, a fumble, an INT or one missed assignment to get in scoring position. Most schools not named USC will go out of their way to avoid a shutout.
Furman is the next most important game on the schedule for the Tigers. This is a game Clemson is supposed to win easily, and they more than likely will. Social media and college football “experts” will not give the Tigers credit for the win, no matter the margin. If Clemson wins by 40+, “hey, they were supposed to win by that much.” If the Tigers win by less than 40, “the dynasty is over.” Clemson fans are used to this, never mind the “experts”, go to the game, enjoy tailgating, and watch the Tigers win another game. Check out the reserves. They are the starters of the future.
