Clemson can't beat us with talent. So they're going to try to beat us with scheme.
That's what jumped off the tape when former Hurricanes wide receiver Ahmmon Richards put on the lab coat and went through Clemson's LSU, Cal and North Carolina games.
On offense, they have to scheme guys open because a true freshman quarterback isn't going to win this game with his arm and on defense, they live in man coverage and try to scramble our offensive line's communication on third down.
And a lot of what their offense runs is stuff our defense sees every day in practice, same formations, same tight end leak we ran on Wake Forest for Elija Lofton's touchdown.
The good news is that scheme comes with tells. Clemson has plenty of them. They also have a soft spot at safety that AR thinks we can run right at.
"I'm telling you, when that tight end is the opposite side of the running back, you're looking at run," AR said.
LSU linebacker Whit Weeks clearly studied it. On third and two near midfield, he saw the tight end down block, didn't chop his feet, triggered immediately and blew the play up for a loss of three. Clemson punted. That's the standard AR wants from our linebackers.
When the tight end and running back are on the same side, watch for the RPO. Clemson hit a fade to Wesco against a loaded box because they had him one-on-one. AR's advice to whichever DB is on the island: inside release means slant, outside release means go. There's no time for a double move, and against press, it's just the go.
Expect a lot of single-man motion to the field to pull eyes that way. Expect deep overs to clear the corners out, and then the tight end slipping up the field behind all of it. Expect running back leaks too. Out of 20 personnel, they'll run outside zone read with pulling guards, and one linebacker taking one step the wrong way turned into a 25-yard gain. AR also pulled up the same read-option look Elijah Arroyo scored on against Cal, where Cam Ward could keep it, hand it or throw it. Cal's linebacker didn't bite, and it went for a five-yard loss on third and goal.
"If you want to end the narrative about our linebacker play, this is the week," AR said. "Because you're going to be tested. I'm telling you right now."
Credit where it's due. Our run defense has been solid so far. But our linebackers in coverage have been a question mark, and Clemson knows it. They'll also throw speed outs into our nickel fire looks. A free five-yard completion is no different to them than a five-yard run. We have to be tighter in coverage when the splits are tight.
"I think they have really good corners, but their safeties aren't the same," AR said. "In the run game, they don't get off blocks, and they take terrible angles."
He showed an LSU run where a Clemson safety in cover four lined up right over the linebacker instead of a yard or two outside to fill the C gap. He guessed, followed the tight end, and the run went right up the alley between the left guard and left tackle. That's the duo concept Shannon Dawson talks about, the kind that can hit inside or outside depending on what the back reads. LSU also broke a run on second and 16 that got to the five. That's not good football.
It's not just the safeties either. Across the LSU, Cal and North Carolina games, Clemson's defensive backs don't shed blocks. Cal turned a quick screen into 20 yards and a swing route into another 15 because nobody came off a block. Eric Mac Lain told me Clemson's portal safeties are making a lot of tackles. AR's answer: somebody has to make the tackle when runs keep breaking.
So yes, I know our fan base hates screens sometimes. This might be the week to live with them. Our receivers are feisty on the perimeter and they don't let go. AR called it a chance for them to show off their blocking.
On third and five or longer, AR expects the mug look. Sammy Brown (No. 47) walks up two or three steps to make our offensive line account for him, then drops out and reads the quarterback's eyes. They'll challenge our guards and challenge our communication, a hat on a hat up front. Against the slot, they play outside leverage and let the middle-field safety jump anything breaking inside. Their interior linemen also get their hands up when they aren't getting home, so expect a batted ball or two. AR gave Tom Allen credit for the calls.
Sometimes, though, Brown is just coming.
"If I'm Matthew McCoy, I'm pointing at 47," AR said. "He's coming. He's not even hiding it."
The one that worried AR most was a field pressure against Cal.
Will Heldt (No. 13) dropped out of his rush into the flat, right where a young quarterback looks first against the blitz. The quarterback froze, couldn't get to his second read, and Brown came free. When they man blitz, their corners sit on routes too. Communication up front is going to decide a lot of this game.
AR showed a fourth and two where the tight end was wide open and Reynolds kept drifting toward the sideline before finally throwing it behind him.
"His clock is just very young," AR said. "We're going to speed it up for him."
But he can run. He's more dangerous escaping vertically than going sideline to sideline, and he isn't a slider. On one broken play against Cal, he went straight up the A gap, broke two tackles and picked up 20.
We need to tackle better than we did in the second half against Wake Forest. AR also showed a third-down slant that should've gained five and turned into 20 because of a missed tackle in a tie game. That's how momentum flips in a place like that.
AR wants us to man blitz him. Hetherman blitzes a lot, but usually with zone behind it, which gives a young quarterback a quick check-down as a bailout.
"Danny, I'm telling you right now, do not give Clemson the opportunity to get momentum off of a punt return," AR said.
No holding penalties, no missed tackles on coverage, and backups on special teams have to play like starters.
And about the rain, AR wants that narrative dead. It rains on Greentree all the time, we played Florida and Notre Dame in the rain last year - That's South Florida football.
If our linebackers pass this test and our receivers block like they're capable of, the rest takes care of itself.
AR went clip by clip on the telestrator for close to an hour, and there's a lot more in there than we could fit here. Go watch the full breakdown and subscribe to the CanesInsight channel. We're live every day, including on location at Clemson this week.
That's what jumped off the tape when former Hurricanes wide receiver Ahmmon Richards put on the lab coat and went through Clemson's LSU, Cal and North Carolina games.
On offense, they have to scheme guys open because a true freshman quarterback isn't going to win this game with his arm and on defense, they live in man coverage and try to scramble our offensive line's communication on third down.
And a lot of what their offense runs is stuff our defense sees every day in practice, same formations, same tight end leak we ran on Wake Forest for Elija Lofton's touchdown.
The good news is that scheme comes with tells. Clemson has plenty of them. They also have a soft spot at safety that AR thinks we can run right at.
The tight end tells you everything
Clemson's offense has a tell, and AR hammered it all night. When the tight end lines up on the opposite side of the running back, it's a run. Usually inside zone, with the tight end inserting himself up to the linebackers."I'm telling you, when that tight end is the opposite side of the running back, you're looking at run," AR said.
LSU linebacker Whit Weeks clearly studied it. On third and two near midfield, he saw the tight end down block, didn't chop his feet, triggered immediately and blew the play up for a loss of three. Clemson punted. That's the standard AR wants from our linebackers.
When the tight end and running back are on the same side, watch for the RPO. Clemson hit a fade to Wesco against a loaded box because they had him one-on-one. AR's advice to whichever DB is on the island: inside release means slant, outside release means go. There's no time for a double move, and against press, it's just the go.
This is the week for our linebackers
Clemson's quarterback isn't going to throw for 400 yards on us. So they have to scheme guys open, and the scheme is aimed straight at our linebackers.Expect a lot of single-man motion to the field to pull eyes that way. Expect deep overs to clear the corners out, and then the tight end slipping up the field behind all of it. Expect running back leaks too. Out of 20 personnel, they'll run outside zone read with pulling guards, and one linebacker taking one step the wrong way turned into a 25-yard gain. AR also pulled up the same read-option look Elijah Arroyo scored on against Cal, where Cam Ward could keep it, hand it or throw it. Cal's linebacker didn't bite, and it went for a five-yard loss on third and goal.
"If you want to end the narrative about our linebacker play, this is the week," AR said. "Because you're going to be tested. I'm telling you right now."
Credit where it's due. Our run defense has been solid so far. But our linebackers in coverage have been a question mark, and Clemson knows it. They'll also throw speed outs into our nickel fire looks. A free five-yard completion is no different to them than a five-yard run. We have to be tighter in coverage when the splits are tight.
Their safeties are the soft spot
Clemson has two really good corners. The safeties are another story."I think they have really good corners, but their safeties aren't the same," AR said. "In the run game, they don't get off blocks, and they take terrible angles."
He showed an LSU run where a Clemson safety in cover four lined up right over the linebacker instead of a yard or two outside to fill the C gap. He guessed, followed the tight end, and the run went right up the alley between the left guard and left tackle. That's the duo concept Shannon Dawson talks about, the kind that can hit inside or outside depending on what the back reads. LSU also broke a run on second and 16 that got to the five. That's not good football.
It's not just the safeties either. Across the LSU, Cal and North Carolina games, Clemson's defensive backs don't shed blocks. Cal turned a quick screen into 20 yards and a swing route into another 15 because nobody came off a block. Eric Mac Lain told me Clemson's portal safeties are making a lot of tackles. AR's answer: somebody has to make the tackle when runs keep breaking.
So yes, I know our fan base hates screens sometimes. This might be the week to live with them. Our receivers are feisty on the perimeter and they don't let go. AR called it a chance for them to show off their blocking.
Third down is where Clemson lives
Defensively, Clemson plays a lot of man and doesn't hide it. When we motion Malachi Toney to see what they're in, they'll show us cover one across the board.On third and five or longer, AR expects the mug look. Sammy Brown (No. 47) walks up two or three steps to make our offensive line account for him, then drops out and reads the quarterback's eyes. They'll challenge our guards and challenge our communication, a hat on a hat up front. Against the slot, they play outside leverage and let the middle-field safety jump anything breaking inside. Their interior linemen also get their hands up when they aren't getting home, so expect a batted ball or two. AR gave Tom Allen credit for the calls.
Sometimes, though, Brown is just coming.
"If I'm Matthew McCoy, I'm pointing at 47," AR said. "He's coming. He's not even hiding it."
The one that worried AR most was a field pressure against Cal.
Will Heldt (No. 13) dropped out of his rush into the flat, right where a young quarterback looks first against the blitz. The quarterback froze, couldn't get to his second read, and Brown came free. When they man blitz, their corners sit on routes too. Communication up front is going to decide a lot of this game.
Speed up the freshman
Tait Reynolds is a true freshman and he plays like one: He holds the ball too long.AR showed a fourth and two where the tight end was wide open and Reynolds kept drifting toward the sideline before finally throwing it behind him.
"His clock is just very young," AR said. "We're going to speed it up for him."
But he can run. He's more dangerous escaping vertically than going sideline to sideline, and he isn't a slider. On one broken play against Cal, he went straight up the A gap, broke two tackles and picked up 20.
We need to tackle better than we did in the second half against Wake Forest. AR also showed a third-down slant that should've gained five and turned into 20 because of a missed tackle in a tie game. That's how momentum flips in a place like that.
AR wants us to man blitz him. Hetherman blitzes a lot, but usually with zone behind it, which gives a young quarterback a quick check-down as a bailout.
Special Teams
AR saved his loudest message for special teams. Wesco can take a punt the distance. He did it on a short, low punt where the coverage couldn't get downfield in time, and nobody touched him."Danny, I'm telling you right now, do not give Clemson the opportunity to get momentum off of a punt return," AR said.
No holding penalties, no missed tackles on coverage, and backups on special teams have to play like starters.
The bottom line
Clemson will run man, blitz, and show us the mug look. Their weakness is that their defensive backs don't get off blocks and their safeties are undisciplined in the run fits. AR thinks we have the better team and the better staff. I agree.And about the rain, AR wants that narrative dead. It rains on Greentree all the time, we played Florida and Notre Dame in the rain last year - That's South Florida football.
If our linebackers pass this test and our receivers block like they're capable of, the rest takes care of itself.
AR went clip by clip on the telestrator for close to an hour, and there's a lot more in there than we could fit here. Go watch the full breakdown and subscribe to the CanesInsight channel. We're live every day, including on location at Clemson this week.
