PFF grades and playing time breakdown for Clemson's win over No. 20 UNC

Clemson's defense graded its best versus a Power 5 opponent this season, per Pro Football Focus.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Mon Nov 20 14:26:54 GMT-04:00 2023

Taking a look at the playing time and notable Pro Football Focus grades position by position from the 31-20 win over North Carolina.

Offense

(The number by a player's name initially is the game's snap count. The snaps are all offensive and defensive snaps and do not count special teams. Snap totals for scholarship players and depth chart members are listed in the feature. The entire participation report is attached below.)

(PFF grades tend to run lower than school grades, so high 80 grades are on the high end, and it's a harsher grade below 60 or so).

PFF unit performance grades: Offense - 63.5; Passing - 63.2; Pass blocking - 63.2; Receiving - 60.7; Running - 61.4; Run blocking - 63.8.

QB: Cade Klubnik 90, Hunter Helms 1, Christopher Vizzina NS, Paul Tyson NS. Notes: The deep throws opened up again for the offense, and Klubnik connected on two big-time throws in his seven pass attempts of 20+ yards, totaling 67 yards. In medium-range passes (10-19 yards), he suffered two drops in his five throws and had a lone completion for 18 yards. When it comes to the bulk of the completions, he connected on 19-of-21 throws from behind the line of scrimmage to nine yards out. With a clean pocket, Klubnik graded at 77.6 with 6.5 yards per attempt. He was only under pressure on eight of his 39 dropbacks and graded 39.6 there.

Klubnik paced the Clemson running game grades-wise (70.7) with two missed tackles forced and 36 yards after contact.

RB: Phil Mafah 62, Will Shipley 37, Domonique Thomas 1, Keith Adams Jr. ST, Jarvis Green NS, Jay Haynes NS. Notes: Shipley paced the group thanks to his grade in the passing game (77.3) with three catches in three targets for 58 yards. Shipley averaged 7.1 yards per carry as well on 17 rushes, while Mafah forced five missed tackles in his 23 rushes for 84 yards and a score.

WR: Troy Stellato 69, Tyler Brown 68, Adam Randall 60, Beaux Collins* 29, Ronan Hanafin 7, Hamp Greene 6, Hampton Earle 1, Noble Johnson 1, Clay Swinney ST, Brannon Spector* NS, Antonio Williams* NS. Notes: Randall saw some more action with Collins getting injured midgame (foot), which paved the way for him to pace the group in PFF grade (68.6). He tallied 28 of his 57 receiving yards after the catch.

TE: Jake Briningstool 82, Banks Pope 23, Josh Sapp 10, Olsen Patt-Henry 5, Markus Dixon NS. Notes: With Sage Ennis done for the year (knee), walk-on Banks Pope stepped into the role and actually started with Briningstool, ranking fourth in run blocking grade (65.7) with all but six of his snaps coming in the run game.

OL: Blake Miller 91, Tristan Leigh 91, Will Putnam 91, Harris Sewell 71, Collin Sadler 64, Trent Howard 26, Mitchell Mayes 20, Bryn Tucker 1, Dietrick Pennington ST, Zack Owens NS, Ian Reed* NS, Ryan Linthicum NS. Notes: After mixing in a healthy rotation last week, the numbers narrowed with three starters going all 91 snaps and the guards seeing rotation. Putnam graded out best overall (69.1; 82 in pass blocking; 65.9 in run blocking), and the freshman Sewell graded his best this season (66.4; 66.9 in the run, 58.4 with the pass). Presumably, Tucker got in along with Helms on the senior tribute kneel-down at the end.

Defense

PFF unit performance grades: Defense - 82.2; Run defense - 72.5; Tackling - 53.7; Pass rush - 65.8; Coverage - 88.6.

ED: Xavier Thomas 53, TJ Parker 41, Justin Mascoll 40, Cade Denhoff 8, Jahiem Lawson NS, AJ Hoffler NS, Zaire Patterson NS, David Ojiegbe NS. Notes: Thomas paced the defense in a tie with Ruke Orhorhoro with three pressures. Thomas was a menace to UNC’s offensive tackles and one Drake Maye had to keep an eye on. Parker was in on a sack and totaled two stops on the night.

DL: Ruke Orhorhoro 41, Tyler Davis 45, Peter Woods 25, DeMonte Capehart 15, Payton Page 15, Tré Williams 6, Caden Story ST, Stephiylan Green NS. Notes: Woods led the Tiger D-line with an 82.9 PFF grade, while Orhorhoro was next-best (74.6) with a sack and two QB hurries.

LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. 72, Barrett Carter 72, Wade Woodaz 21, Jamal Anderson ST, Kobe McCloud ST, Dee Crayton NS,. Notes: Carter returned from the ankle injury to play as many snaps as his Butkus Award semifinalist teammate Trotter, pacing the group in PFF grade (71.6) with solid marks in pass rush (71.7) and coverage (68). He did not have a receiver targeted on him in 40 coverage snaps. Woodaz ranked second for the LB group in PFF grade (69.7) with a QB hurry, two tackles and a lone catch allowed for five yards.

DB: Nate Wiggins 73, Andrew Mukuba 72, Avieon Terrell 71, RJ Mickens 56, Khalil Barnes 67, Sheridan Jones 3, Shelton Lewis 2, Toriano Pride ST, Kylon Griffin ST, Rob Billings ST, Tyler Venables ST, Myles Oliver NS, Kylen Webb NS, Branden Strozier NS. Notes: Wiggins is a star and led Clemson’s defense with an 84.1 grade, 79.5 in coverage with an interception and 90.2 in run defense after his incredible dash to strip a ball at the goal line. Terrell has taken hold of a starting role as a freshman and graded second only to Wiggins in coverage (72.3). He is allowing a 45.6 rating passing his way, with four yards per target, no TDs and the one INT.

Players listed as out for the game (based on that week’s depth chart): CB Jeadyn Lukus, S Jalyn Phillips.

Players listed as out for the season: TE Sage Ennis, S Sherrod Covil Jr., DL Vic Burley, WR Cole Turner, OG Walker Parks, WR Misun Kelley, OL John Williams.

ST - Special teams-only

NS - No snaps listed

* Been noted as injured by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.