Stats & Storylines: Clemson’s depth takes another hit against the Huskies

The injuries keep piling up this season.

by Ryan Kantor - Contributor - Mon Nov 15 09:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

The Tigers were coming off their best win of the season against Louisville, but things were sloppy right from the start Saturday against the Huskies. UConn dropped the opening kickoff and bumbled around before securing the football and running it 99 yards for a kick return touchdown. Clemson scored 44 points, good by any measure, but the offense was very disjointed throughout most of the game. Excellent field position, several fourth down conversions, and a fake field goal touchdown helped them rack up the gaudy point total.

Clemson entered with a roster depleted from injuries and an ultra-conservative roster management strategy that I’ve written about previously and it showed. Fortunately for the Tigers, the defense was completely dominant and prevented this contest from ever truly being scary. Freshman Dacari Collins and tight end Jake Briningstool had big games, while kicker BT Potter had a perfect day that included two long field goals. It was never truly competitive, but there’s plenty to analyze before Wake Forest comes to Death Valley seeking to clinch the Atlantic Division and earn their first-ever win against Dabo Swinney and first win in Death Valley since 1998.

Clemson Running Backs: 35 carries, 99 rushing yards (2.8 YPC), 1 TD, 1 fumble lost

The Tigers were without their top two running backs, Will Shipley and Kobe Pace, who were held out, and right guard Will Putnam, but it was still surprising to see the running game struggle so much against the one-win UConn Huskies. Freshman Phil Mafah led the Tigers with 17 carries, but he found very little running room and collected just 49 rushing yards (2.9 YPC). Original walk-on turned sixth-year senior scholarship player, Darien Rencher, doubled his career-high in carries with 14. He didn’t find much running room either. Rencher was held to just 37 yards (2.6 YPC) and fumbled the ball at the goal line leading to a turnover.

UConn had allowed 4.4 yards per carry coming into the game and they only faced two Power Five teams (Purdue and Vanderbilt) on their prior schedule. This is a team that you’d expect Clemson to impose their will upon, but it was not to be.

DJ Uiagalelei: 21/44 (48%), 241 passing yards (5.5 yards/attempt), 1 TD, 1 INT

Last week I wrote glowingly about the Clemson’s passing game and suggested they had a chance to build upon their progress with two mediocre pass defenses (UConn and Wake Forest) coming up. The Huskies were allowing 7.7 yards per pass attempt, but Clemson didn’t reach that efficiency. Sometimes it was protection issues and sometimes there were drops, but mostly DJ Uiagalelei simply struggled. He missed his wide receivers numerous times. After a strong showing in Louisville that included several clutch throws, he had arguably his worst game of the season. Many assumed it was due to the knee injury he was playing through, but Clemson coach Dabo Swinney dismissed that notion:

“He’s been great in practice. I mean he was awesome all week. He was very inaccurate for the first quarter and a half there. Just missed some. I mean he was just very, very inaccurate, but he wasn’t that way in practice all week. He looked great… For whatever reason he was just a little off early with some easy plays for him, but again he finished the half well and he finished the game well so that was a positive.” – Swinney

On the bright side, he threw a perfect ball that hit Beaux Collins in stride for a 32-yard touchdown pass. Plays like that remind you of his upside. He also picked up a first down from short-yardage with a QB sneak – a simple play that was seemingly missing from the playbook earlier in the year. The ACCN announcer said “it does warm your heart to see a QB sneak.” I couldn’t agree more.

TE Jake Briningstool: 2 receptions, 56 yards, 1 TD

Briningstool continues to shine as a pass catcher. His playing time was limited early on as he worked on his blocking technique, but with Braden Galloway and now Sage Ennis getting hurt, he has been getting more opportunities. He caught a touchdown from QB Billy Wiles by simply going up and winning a jump ball.

WR Dacari Collins: 6 receptions, 97 yards

If last week was the Beaux Collins game, this week it was Dacari’s turn. He set career-highs in receptions and yards and has moved up the depth chart. When asked about it after the game, Swinney acknowledged that Dacari Collins has passed Ajou Ajou on the depth chart. It is encouraging to see Dacari’s development. He will be needed down the stretch as Clemson is missing several receivers due to injury.

Clemson defensive line: 5 sacks

Clemson’s special teams started the game by allowing a kickoff return touchdown and the offense was sloppy for large stretches, but the defense was dominant throughout. UConn was held to 99 total yards and got just 1.7 yards per play. This contest could have become dicey if the defense wasn’t focused and allowed an early score or two, but Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables’ group was dialed in and played another great game.

The defensive line was especially dominant. They tallied five sacks. Myles Murphy, who has been heating up lately, led the way with 1.5 sacks. Tré Williams had a half-sack while KJ Henry, Tyler Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro each added one.

The defensive line wasn’t alone in carrying the load. Linebacker Trenton Simpson added a sack to give Clemson six total on the day. Cornerback Andrew Booth was out, and Mario Goodrich and Sheridan Jones rose to the occasion, each getting an interception. Cornerback was a serious concern entering the season, but this position group has been consistently outstanding all year.

BT Potter: 3/3 FGs (49, 49, and 30 yards)

After a poor performance against Florida State, BT Potter has bounced back and been great. He hit two clutch fourth quarter field goals (34, 40 yards) at Louisville. In this contest, he knocked in two 49-yarders and a 30-yard field goal. It is easy to overlook a kicker, but he will be sorely missed when he departs.

Injuries further cut into Clemson’s depth

Clemson has had horrible injury luck this year. They began the game without eight notable offensive contributors (RB Will Shipley, RB Kobe Pace, WR Joe Ngata, WR Frank Ladson, QB/WR Will Taylor, RG Will Putnum, LG Matt Bockhorst, and TE Braden Galloway). They were also without arguably their two best defensive players, DT Bryan Bresee and CB Andrew Booth. It was a good time to face a weak opponent, but the Tigers' bad luck continued as several players exited due to injury or injury-related precaution.

Justyn Ross rolled his ankle and tweaked an injury he had been playing through all year, what was described by Swinney as a "very small stress fracture" in his foot. Reserve linebacker Sergio Allen had to be carted off after a leg injury. LB James Skalski, TE Sage Ennis, S Jalyn Phillips, DE Justin Mascoll, DE Xavier Thomas, and QB Taisun Phommachanh all left the game.

The good news is Swinney has already said Shipley, Pace, Putnam, and Booth will be good to go against Wake Forest after missing the UConn game. Additionally, he confirmed that Thomas’ exit was precautionary (hamstring) and both Phillips and Skalski will be fine for next week. A big X-factor could be Justyn Ross, who the Tigers really need with Joe Ngata out for at least one more week. Swinney indicated that they don’t know his status for next weekend yet.