Stats & Storylines: Offensive implosion in Raleigh

Uiagelelei won't have Shipley for at least a month now after Shipley suffered a leg injury.

by Ryan Kantor - Contributor - Mon Sep 27 08:00:07 GMT-04:00 2021

Clemson’s defense fought valiantly, but the offensive implosion was eventually too much to overcome Saturday. The defense was on the field for nearly 42 of the 60 minutes in regulation plus two overtime periods. Prior to overtime, they defended 12 possessions and allowed just two scores. Clemson’s offense gave them little rest as they only mustered three drives lasting over two minutes and none lasting over three minutes. Even worse than wasting another stellar defensive gem were the injuries the defense suffered while playing such an outlandish amount. Linebacker James Skalski and Bryan Bresee both left the game from that side of the ball due to injury.

The defense made their share of mistakes, namely a bevy of silly offsides penalties, but they deserve their due credit for another overall impressive performance. With the offense putting them in an unenviable situation – and now hampered by injuries – they won’t post the gaudy numbers they could have, but they deserve kudos. Now, let’s look at the offensive issues that are plaguing this team.

DJ Uiagalelei: 12/26 111 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 63 rushing yards

On Clemson’s second drive of the game, Uiagalelei looked like the elite gunslinger we saw last season. He connected on a 29-yard pass to Ngata. Then he hit Beaux Collins for another deep pass, but it was dropped. He remarkably recovered to connect with Ross for a 32-yard TD. After that, the offense had virtually no success until the fourth quarter.

The pass blocking seemed adequate and Uiagalelei moved well in the pocket, yet even with time to throw he generally couldn’t connect with his receivers. It’s not all on Uiagalelei, but something is amiss.

It is beyond vexing how seldom he runs the ball early in the game. If the zone read is not presenting opportunities for him to run, dial up a QB power or a speed option. Clemson’s run blocking is struggling and every time he uses his legs it gives a big boost to the offense. Why is this held back until absolute desperation time? Clemson’s fourth-quarter TD was fueled by his 37-yard scamper. More of this, please.

Clemson Running Backs: 13 carries, 41 yards (3.2 YPC)

While the pass protection from the offensive line was more than adequate, the run blocking was poor. Marcus Tate was out of the lineup, replaced at left guard by Paul Tchio and Hunter Rayburn. Tchio looked good at times, but the overall run blocking still left much to be desired. If you exclude Shipley’s 16-yard run, Clemson running backs averaged under 2.5 yards per carry. They did what they could, but holes simply weren’t there. For a large stretch, the offense completely abandoned the run.

According to 247Sports, Clemson has the fourth-most talented roster in college football, but on the offensive line, they have fewer players than other top programs. Based on the 247Sports rosters, Clemson has just 14 rated O-line recruits on the roster. Georgia has 22, Ohio State has 19, Oklahoma has 16, and Alabama has 15. O-line is possibly the trickiest position to scout as many don’t pan at when they get to the college level. As such, using additional scholarships there could be a good investment because so much depth is needed.

Clemson Receivers - Justyn Ross: 77 receiving yards; Joe Ngata: 36 receiving yards; Rest of team: -2 yards

Aside from the final pass that he couldn’t haul in, Justyn Ross played great. He has shaken off the rust and is Clemson’s star receiver once again. Joe Ngata is the other receiver playing well. He added 36 yards, drew penalties, and looked sharp.

Will Shipley and Frank Ladson each had a catch for -1 yard. Nobody else had a catch. Beaux Collins had a bad drop. The tight ends were hardly a threat.

Final Thoughts:

NC State deserves all the credit in the world for bouncing back from a missed field goal at the end of regulation to claim its first Textile Bowl win in a decade. That said, they didn’t look like a great football team. This loss is about Clemson.

While the hope was that the offense would click – something that looked like was happening on the second drive – it now seems the problems are endemic and will be only further heightened by the Shipley injury.

While this season is unlikely to bring the final rewards many fans wanted – and even expected – there is plenty of time remaining for this group to grow and end the year with positive momentum and hope for the future. Hopefully, we see a more creative and inspired effort next weekend against the undefeated Boston College Eagles.