What positions on this years team

[canes41590]

Are good enough to compete/win a national title? Let me start by saying I do not think as a team we’re good enough or going to win the national title, but I do expect a playoff spot barring big time injuries.

I have us good enough at
QB
RB
TE
OL
DE
LB

Don’t think we’re there at
WR
DT
CB
S

Cam ward can definitely make up for and help our WR, I just don’t see the 1st and 2nd round guys at that position that most title contenders typically have.

All of this is assuming good health. Curious your guys’ thoughts?

 

[airrang]

Are good enough to compete/win a national title? Let me start by saying I do not think as a team we’re good enough or going to win the national title, but I do expect a playoff spot barring big time injuries.

I have us good enough at
QB
RB
TE
OL
DE
LB

Don’t think we’re there at
WR
DT
CB
S

Cam ward can definitely make up for and help our WR, I just don’t see the 1st and 2nd round guys at that position that most title contenders typically have.

All of this is assuming good health. Curious your guys’ thoughts?

 

[CreativeCane]

Are good enough to compete/win a national title? Let me start by saying I do not think as a team we’re good enough or going to win the national title, but I do expect a playoff spot barring big time injuries.

I have us good enough at
QB
RB
TE
OL
DE
LB

Don’t think we’re there at
WR
DT
CB
S

Cam ward can definitely make up for and help our WR, I just don’t see the 1st and 2nd round guys at that position that most title contenders typically have.

All of this is assuming good health. Curious your guys’ thoughts?

Obviously good health goes without speaking for any team, but let me argue the following:

• Put me in the column of actually liking our WR room. We may not have an Isaiah Bond or Evan Stewart clear cut #1 NFL type, but we have 3 super productive WRs with a lot of experience. X is so under appreciated; he is a #1 WR in college football. Guy just gets open and produces every game and has proven he can be the go-to guy on 3rd down when everyone knows where the ball is going. Hunter Renfrow was Clemson's best WR when they won the title with Watson and was not a 1st or 2nd round guy. Add in the freshmen WRs, we have a ton of talent and options. I actually like having multiple reliable options over one dude. Any good DC can gameplan around one guy if there isn't anything behind him. Harder to do it when there are a good 3-4 guys on the field who can get open consistently with a QB who can consistently find them. I'm saying "consistently" a lot because I think it was one of our biggest issues last year at QB. When TVD was on, no one had issues with our WR room.
• I'm also of the opinion the DT room is being downplayed. Adding Barrow and Clark with the stud freshmen coming in (and hopefully some development with guys who have been here), I think that room is better than people are saying. And don't forget guys like Mesidor and Bain can move inside on obvious passing downs.
• CB is thin, but I like our top 3. Need others to develop. Hoping Chevis will make an impact here coaching.
• Safety is the one giant question mark for me. But getting Hill lets Powell move back there, which should help. I also think Zaquan could play early and often like Kam did.

 

[Bender]

Are good enough to compete/win a national title?

There's no point in asking that question outside of fan interactions to keep the off-season slump at a minimum.

Beat Florida first. We're a long way from the National Title even happening in September.

 

[canes41590]

Obviously good health goes without speaking for any team, but let me argue the following:

• Put me in the column of actually liking our WR room. We may not have an Isaiah Bond or Evan Stewart clear cut #1 NFL type, but we have 3 super productive WRs with a lot of experience. X is so under appreciated; he is a #1 WR in college football. Guy just gets open and produces every game and has proven he can be the go-to guy on 3rd down when everyone knows where the ball is going. Hunter Renfrow was Clemson's best WR when they won the title with Watson and was not a 1st or 2nd round guy. Add in the freshmen WRs, we have a ton of talent and options. I actually like having multiple reliable options over one dude. Any good DC can gameplan around one guy if there isn't anything behind him. Harder to do it when there are a good 3-4 guys on the field who can get open consistently with a QB who can consistently find them. I'm saying "consistently" a lot because I think it was one of our biggest issues last year at QB. When TVD was on, no one had issues with our WR room.
• I'm also of the opinion the DT room is being downplayed. Adding Barrow and Clark with the stud freshmen coming in (and hopefully some development with guys who have been here), I think that room is better than people are saying. And don't forget guys like Mesidor and Bain can move inside on obvious passing downs.
• CB is thin, but I like our top 3. Need others to develop. Hoping Chevis will make an impact here coaching.
• Safety is the one giant question mark for me. But getting Hill lets Powell move back there, which should help. I also think Zaquan could play early and often like Kam did.

I really like the receiver room as well, I still think you need a true #1 and as much as I like X he’s not that. Renfrow was good for Clemson but was not their #1. They had tee Higgins and Justyn Ross. I think for their 2016 team they had Mike Williams and Deon Cain.

As for DT I like the top 2 but I wouldn’t consider either game changers and you don’t want to rely on freshman especially at that position.

 

[CreativeCane]

I really like the receiver room as well, I still think you need a true #1 and as much as I like X he’s not that. Renfrow was good for Clemson but was not their #1. They had tee Higgins and Justyn Ross. I think for their 2016 team they had Mike Williams and Deon Cain.

As for DT I like the top 2 but I wouldn’t consider either game changers and you don’t want to rely on freshman especially at that position.

I was looking more at the 2016 season pre Higgins and Ross. Forgot about Mike Williams, but I just remember Renfrow always seemed to have the big catches (including the title winning TD vs Bama), similar to X. My point was you don't have to be 6'2" or 6'4" to have a big impact. Good route running and not dropping the ball goes a long freaking way. No, X isn't going to do a lot of jump balls or have 60 yard catches, but he's made a number of over-the-shoulder and toe tap catches. Even Justin Jefferson isn't a huge jump ball guy or deep threat; he's just consistently open all the time due to impeccable route running. A creative playcaller and good QB can lead to more options. I think of that little quick goal line pass to George TD last year against TAMU where he started in motion and immediately cut back and had an easy TD.

 

[canes41590]

I was looking more at the 2016 season pre Higgins and Ross. Forgot about Mike Williams, but I just remember Renfrow always seemed to have the big catches (including the title winning TD vs Bama), similar to X. My point was you don't have to be 6'2" or 6'4" to have a big impact. Good route running and not dropping the ball goes a long freaking way. No, X isn't going to do a lot of jump balls or have 60 yard catches, but he's made a number of over-the-shoulder and toe tap catches. Even Justin Jefferson isn't a huge jump ball guy or deep threat; he's just consistently open all the time due to impeccable route running. A creative playcaller and good QB can lead to more options. I think of that little quick goal line pass to George TD last year against TAMU where he started in motion and immediately cut back and had an easy TD.

Ya for sure, renfrow was huge for them and I think x is in that same category. Maybe ward will take the group to another level, but as of now I wouldn’t put that room at the level it needs to be. I think it’s good enough for a playoff spot, but is it good enough to beat those top 4 elite teams?

 

[htownkidd]

QB
Edge

 

[canes_aaron]

QB
Edge

I would add T and RG to the list.

C and LG are still question marks to me.

 

[htownkidd]

I would add T and RG to the list.

C and LG are still question marks to me.

Eh, I don’t individualize the OL positions. The unit as a whole isn’t championship caliber, too many ? for that IMO. It’s good enough to win 10 games with our schedule though, especially if our HC and his sidekick are OL experts.

 

[AlexCane]

The thing with Cam is, can he keep fumbles and sacks down? He's got 46 fumbles in his career and has been sacked 134 times including 46 and 38 the last 2 years. Those numbers should improve with our OL, but I think some of that is also Cam trying to do something when he likely should either checkdown or simply get rid of it and get to the next down. I'm hopeful that as a now-5th year player he can improve those numbers, because if he can, this offense should be really good.

 

[Canesfan1899]

There's no point in asking that question outside of fan interactions to keep the off-season slump at a minimum.

Beat Florida first. We're a long way from the National Title even happening in September.

So we just supposed to stop all conversation until after Florida?

 

[Colombie]

The OL should help Ward but also the Running game. Defenses have to key in on Martinez as a threat to hit a big run every time he touches the ball. That is not going to be easy for opposing Defensive coordinators to account for.
Pick your poison really.

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

Eh, I don’t individualize the OL positions. The unit as a whole isn’t championship caliber, too many ? for that IMO. It’s good enough to win 10 games with our schedule though, especially if our HC and his sidekick are OL experts.

4 of the 5 likely starters have been all conference. There can’t be too many other schools that can boast that.

 

[FL Cane]

The WR room is good enough to compete with anybody. A thousand yard receiver plus two 800 yard receivers. Not to mention the talent coming in.

 

[Bender]

So we just supposed to stop all conversation until after Florida?

You can dream about a national title if you feel like.

There's just no point. That's really it. And the team shouldn't be thinking about it either.

Win Week 1. Then win Week 2. Then Week 3. And so on. The main weakness this program has had for 20 years is believing in the hype and start feeling themselves whenever things got rolling.

 

[JayCane20]

QB, RB (if Fletcher is healthy to go along with Martinez), DE, MLB (Kiko is one of the best in the country), and IMO the OL as a whole is that caliber.

Other positions I think the talent in there but it's borderline or unproven - WR (good talent but no real major NFL pieces) and TE (likely multiple NFL TEs that are unproven)

Blatantly not championship caliber - DT, CB, S, and WLB. I think all of these positions are serviceable. Just thin and no major difference makers at any of the positions.

 

[mcnaire2004]

Are good enough to compete/win a national title? Let me start by saying I do not think as a team we’re good enough or going to win the national title, but I do expect a playoff spot barring big time injuries.

Playoffs are mandatory

I have us good enough at
QB
RB

Okay. Martinez+Allen or whoever is#2 should work

TE

To be seen. Was an abortion last year.

OL

Probably

DE

Yeah

LB

Yeah

Don’t think we’re there at
Wr

Are you insane? We have the best WRs in the ACC.

DT

We're good enough

CB
S

Yeah, probably right. Massive question mark here.

Cam ward can definitely make up for and help our WR, I just don’t see the 1st and 2nd round guys at that position that most title contenders typically have.

I don't think WR is a concern for anyone at all.

All of this is assuming good health. Curious your guys’ thoughts?

You have them.

 

[Canesfan1899]

You can dream about a national title if you feel like.

There's just no point. That's really it. And the team shouldn't be thinking about it either.

Win Week 1. Then win Week 2. Then Week 3. And so on. The main weakness this program has had for 20 years is believing in the hype and start feeling themselves whenever things got rolling.

It’s a fan message board man, it’d be really ****** dull if people didn’t talk about anything.

And I never brought up a national championship.

 

[mcnaire2004]

It’s a fan message board man, it’d be really ****** full of people didn’t talk about anything.

And I never brought up a national championship.

You said it with your eyes.