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YOUR BALANCE
Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble
Tiger Boards - Clemson Football
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Replies: 41
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Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

11

Nov 7, 2024, 3:19 PM
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Capehart our DT is sounding like he may be done for the year. Tre Williams is also dinged up
Woods likely to miss multiple games
Aside from Parker No DE ready or able to play at a power 5 level. I watched aHoffler get sealed on Louisvilles final touchdown and it was absolutely pitiful

LBs: talented but terrible run fits. Carter for all his other abilities is a below avg. tackler. We are really missing Trotter

DBs : solid there but lacking depth with Lewis out for year. Jury still very much out on Wes and I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see this getting any better this year

Off-season to do list: pay Woods and Parker. Portal in several DEs and a DT or 2 as well

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

14

Nov 7, 2024, 3:27 PM
Reply

I heard an interview with the SMU coach and he said moving to a power 4 conference required them to add depth. He said they added 13 transfers to shore up their front 7 depth. He said that is why they have been so successful. He said a season is long and you must have functional depth. We are lacking functional depth on the defensive side of the ball for the first time in many years.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

2

Nov 7, 2024, 3:45 PM
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So, where does it come from?

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I dont know, maybe the transfer portal and developing players better?***

1
7

Nov 7, 2024, 4:01 PM
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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


The portal?

2

Nov 7, 2024, 4:44 PM
Reply

The portal that got us 14 loses and zero transfers in since the Gator Bowl?

That portal?

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Simple math. A lot of people can't do it. And that's astounding.***

2

Nov 7, 2024, 10:58 PM
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Sadly, you're right.

3

Nov 8, 2024, 4:01 AM
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The sunshine pumpers are doing their usual acting like it's 6 or 8 years ago and everything is fine.

The Dabo cultists are worse, because they're intentionally ignorant.

Since they don't seem to have the ability to discern, giving TDs here doesn't affect the problem at all. It's not going away.

At least a lot more TNetters are waking up to the issues since the Louisville game, and raising them here.

And...it's not just one problem that contributes. It's all of them. A single fix isn't going to help much.

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Re: Sadly, you're right.

1

Nov 8, 2024, 1:38 PM
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You make it sound like moving from Dabo will be the cure. If Clemson moves on from Dabo what it will more likely be is 15 years of flopping around looking for that other magic guy that gets it done...if we ever do find that guy. We need to face the truth here. Clemson has a strong football tradition, but we have not and may never get to be a perennial like Alabama, Georgia or (I hate to say it) Ohio State. We are a program that can leverage our postion about once in a generation. We boil up to the top and then we can't stay there yet everyone always expects that this time with be the time that we do it.
So I am no sunshine pumper, but I am one that says we stand far better chances being optimistic that the man that got us to the national championship game four times and the winningest caoch in ACC history is more likely to figure out how to do it again than starting over with an unknown.
Here's what happens if we go to a new coach. First we see a mass exodus to the portal. The new man struggles to get recruiting going again for at least 2 years. Then we are back to trying to find out if he can even come close to putting winning team together. Then its another 2-3 years to find out that he can't so we move on to another man. Rinse repeat. Then the program fades into more obscurity and becomes a program that used to be great once upon a time. Then we can become like UCLA or Tennessee or FSU...the host of other schools that had their day and can't seem to ever really find it again.

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I agree with most of what you said,


Nov 9, 2024, 9:40 AM
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except we are already fading into obscurity.

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Re: The portal?


Nov 8, 2024, 4:44 PM [ in reply to The portal? ]
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I can't tell if you're attacking Judge or not. But yes, if you lose 14 players to the portal and you don't replace them with the portal, then you're losing 14 players worth of depth on your roster.

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Re: I dont know, maybe the transfer portal and developing players better?***


Nov 8, 2024, 8:40 AM [ in reply to I dont know, maybe the transfer portal and developing players better?*** ]
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Sure. Maybe if we snagged players from say Carson-Newman or a benchwarmer from upper buttcrack state, there would be less injuries.

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Re: I dont know, maybe the transfer portal and developing players better?***

1

Nov 8, 2024, 10:46 AM
Reply

I mean.... yeah. taking promising players from a small university and giving them a spot in a big program is alot better than starting freshmen or playing pitiful backups

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 10:08 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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The Daniel High School pipe line. Everything will be fine…..In Dabo We Trust

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

8

Nov 7, 2024, 3:49 PM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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Our recruiting and talent have gone downhill. Our 1’s aren’t 1’s and our 2’s aren’t 2’s. Unless we use nil in recuiting we will continue to fall behind.

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Class of ‘71. Went through “rat season” and glad I did.


Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

1

Nov 7, 2024, 10:25 PM
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Sad to say, but I agree with you.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

6

Nov 7, 2024, 3:57 PM
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Great points. Tbh, I really like Carter but he's turned into an excuse train the last couple of years. Maybe I'm still sour over his post dook game last year saying he wasn't in fb ready shape or something like that.

Good article from the bluffton today paper? But it's derrien Carter/Greenville news.

https://www.blufftontoday.com/story/sports/college/clemson/2024/11/07/clemson-football-virginia-tech-dabo-swinney-run-defense/76001146007/

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

2
7

Nov 7, 2024, 4:21 PM
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Carter is NOT an NFL prospect. Iam convinced that the Defensive schemes of Wes Goodwin has crippled Clemson's defense, and now,injries have taken their toll. The dumbest hire Dabo made, putting Goodwin at DC. His smartest hire: Matt Luke. This team is in trouble for the next 4 games. The refusal of the NIL/Transfer portal has hurt the program. It's finally beginning to show. It's time for Dabo to leave.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

4

Nov 7, 2024, 4:59 PM
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sad to say but our dline and linebackers are not as talented as people think. Carter has struggled without Trotter and woodaz is slow as molasses. We cant blitz because the Blitzes dont get home when we do and this is a reflection of lack of talent overall. The Dline has some big bodies but they no longer strike fear into opposing offenses . Dabos refusal to go to the portal plus failure to land elite talent has created this less talented roster. our opponents each added a portal class to go along with a recruiting class , so we are spotting them 10 -20 players every year now. Yet Dabo is happy with who he has and has no regrets about not going to portal. We are indeed in trouble for rest of year and beyond.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

3

Nov 7, 2024, 5:59 PM
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Your credibility as someone who knows football melted when you characterized Woodaz as slow.

Woodaz is already a sure thing NFL draft pick. If he continues to improve next year as he’s improved between his FR to SO year, and between his SO year to this year, then he’ll be an All American and a high round NFL draft pick in the 2026 draft.

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Light Woodaz & his motor

1

Nov 7, 2024, 6:25 PM
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And hope he continues to improve.

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Re: Light Woodaz & his motor

2

Nov 7, 2024, 7:28 PM
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In addition to his outstanding speed and agility, Woodaz tackles well, covers well, and has the ball skills to make him a great coverage LB. He also is a good blitzer. He’s also been remarkably durable and has great stamina.

He’s gotten better each year. If he can improve upon his already good tackling ability and improve on gap understanding / discipline, the only other thing we could hope for is to stay healthy.

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Re: Light Woodaz & his motor


Nov 8, 2024, 4:45 PM
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That you Wade?

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Woodaz gets there but he does so slowly. I will bet you 100 dollars that.....


Nov 7, 2024, 11:02 PM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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...he doesn't get drafted. He might sign a free-agent deal but will not be drafted.

Let me know if you want to bet.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

3

Nov 7, 2024, 10:49 PM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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The reason our blitzes don’t get home is because of scheme not talent. If you recall, when Wes took over he stripped the playbook down because he said it was too complicated. Gone are all of BV’s exotic blitz packages and now we primarily run basic blitzes that the opposing offenses pick up easily.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

1

Nov 7, 2024, 10:50 PM
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Yeah, we don’t disguise them worth a sheet.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 7, 2024, 11:04 PM
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Nope not at all

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 7, 2024, 11:22 PM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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Goodwin style defense is prevelant in the NFL where there aren't mismatches all over the place.

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null


Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

1

Nov 8, 2024, 7:45 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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FINALLY......someone who knows what they are talking about when they discuss defense. Thank you marine4life!!

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 8:00 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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comparing the talent that Venables had with what we have now is insane. The Dline that Venables had made everyone look good, those front 4 were wrecking the offenses without blitz help. the current front 4 is getting knocked off the ball and cant tackle. apples to oranges. Compare Wilkins, Lawrence, ferrel, bryant, we even had backups that were very talented like pynckney. The current D line talent is not close to that . Woodaz plays hard but there is a problem when he is not making stops in the gaps and instead chasing down backs 10-15 yards downfield. The teams on our remaining schedule have the backs and talent to really expose this lack of talent in the front 4 and LB'S.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

1

Nov 8, 2024, 10:16 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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AMEN! it is the "ignorant" defensive schemes of Goofwin that has decimated this team's true talent. Worst defense in Clemson football since Tommy Bowden's teams. He is destroying tha talent Clemson has on Defense. I honestly don't see a victory at Blacksburg on Saturday, for i've lost all confidence in this program. I won't be watching the game, and when I hesr the results, I won't be surprised. "Middle of the road" Clemson has returned. Get a NEW Head Coach to bring back the GLORY of being a National Contender again.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble

1

Nov 8, 2024, 8:31 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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Our problem is the 4-2-5 defense. Both #17 and #0 are outside linebackers. Both have speed and coverage skills. Neither are run stoppers. Last week showed all you have to do is send the tight end straight down the field. Woodaz covers the tight end goes 15 yards down the field. They run the ball. That leave Barrett to cover the entire field. He gets covered over by the offensive line and is a non-factor. That leaves the defensive backs who are being blocked by receivers to make the tackle. They don't because they can't get off their blocks. That leaves Woodaz who is 15 to 20 yards down the field to make the tackle. It's a 25 yard gain. It happened last week multiple times. You can also send the tight end out in the flats. That get Woodaz out of the way as he covers the TE. We need to play a traditional 4-3-4. Put Sammy in as middle linebacker and move Woodaz outside.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 7, 2024, 7:34 PM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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God didn’t give Barrett Carter especially long arms. Most superior tacklers have long arms.

I love Barrett Carter as a college football player. He’s got tremendous speed and stamina. He’s outstanding in coverage. He’s managed to stay healthy as well. By all accounts, he is an outstanding person.

Despite his tackling ability challenges, I could foresee him maybe making a NFL roster because of his versatility. He’d be a good special teams player in the NFL.

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Thanks for posting article ClemsonGal


Nov 9, 2024, 9:34 AM [ in reply to Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble ]
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Seems like our Tigers from Swinney to players have amnesia concerning team makeup. Every year Coach stresses it's a new season with new players and team chemistry. And yet the past few seasons, when poor play has surfaced, coaches and players state "this is not Tiger Football."

But yes, it is the current state of Tiger Football. A weakened brand with lesser coaches and less talented players. And it starts with acknowledging current level of play. Carter had one tackle vs. Louisville? I can promise you a stronger, faster, and more aggressive Sammy Brown can improve on one tackle even while he learns the college game.

Work to do recruiting and adapting to the new rules of the game. Go Tigers!

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VT will rush for > 200 yds!***


Nov 7, 2024, 8:16 PM
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Re: VT will rush for > 200 yds!***

2

Nov 8, 2024, 1:19 AM
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I think Woodaz is a stud! He makes a lot of plays! I don’t think he is slow. He has a nose for the football and is fun to watch.

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What is Capehart's injury?***

2

Nov 8, 2024, 8:34 AM
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Good Luck finding out what anyone's injury is now.***


Nov 8, 2024, 2:52 PM
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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 8:38 AM
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every year on every team players get banged up and injured. Some years better and others worse.

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GO TIGERS - BEAT VT***


Nov 8, 2024, 11:07 AM
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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 11:29 AM
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Agree. Several years of missing on defensive line (DE) is showing itself. We need to buy an edge rusher.
I still have hope that Burley will quickly emerge as a monster. He was our number 1 commitment of the ‘23 class.

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 12:09 PM
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>Off-season to do list: pay Woods and Parker. Portal in several DEs and a DT or 2 as well

Agreed, but I don't see the portal part happening :(

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Re: Defensive woes and why I think we are in trouble


Nov 8, 2024, 1:47 PM
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We didn't want to use the portal because the coaches love their roster.

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Tiger Boards - Clemson Football
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