5 Keys for UNC to Defeat Clemson
By: Andrew Jones - Tarheel IllustratedTrips to Clemson have been rather infrequent since the ACC expanded 20 years ago, as North Carolina will make just its fourth trip to Memorial Stadium on Saturday in that span, and its first in nine years.
The No. 20 Tar Heels last played at Clemson in 2014, when they dropped a 50-35 decision, which also happened to be Deshaun Watson’s college starting debut. Clemson visited UNC in 2019, and other than that, the only two other meetings between the teams over the last decade have taken place in the ACC championship game in 2015 and last season.
This is a big game for both teams, as UNC looks to match last year’s win total with a victory, and the Tigers look to continue their upward trajectory, which includes wins over Notre Dame and last weekend by 21 points over Georgia Tech.
UNC is 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the ACC. Clemson is 6-4 and 3-4.
Here are 5 Keys for UNC to defeat Clemson:
Stop The Run
Clemson has run for 436 yards over its last two games, and the first prong on its offensive game plan will be to establish a ground attack against a defense that has been inconsistent trying to stop it over the last month.The Tigers rank 48th nationally in running the ball averaging 169.7 yards, but its 218 average the last two weeks would rank it among the top 10 in the nation. And it isn’t just Will Shipley, who has been banged up some, it’s Phil Mafa who has really transformed the Tigers on the ground with 282 yards the last two games, including 186 against the stingy Irish.
Interestingly, Mafa has a run of 31 or more yards in six different games this season.
If Clemson establishes a consistent ground game, it will eat clock to keep Drake Maye and the UNC offense off the field as much as possible.
Establish The Run
Running the ball effectively will be a key to this game for both teams. While it’s a must for the Tigers, UNC generating a ground attack that moves the chains, hits on some chunks, and sucks in the Tigers’ linebackers would be huge and the perfect complement to Drake Maye and the passing game.UNC running back Omarion Hampton has run for 100 or more yards in each of the last five games, the second longest such stretch in program history. He has gained 775 yards and scored six touchdowns during the streak, too. And remarkably, 830 of his 1,234 yards on the season have come after contact.
Carolina must have success with Hampton while Maye chips in here and there. Hampton doesn’t have to run for 150, but if he’s in the 85-plus range, and Maye can leg out some first downs, plus Hampton is used in the short passing game, that might be enough for UNC’s offense.
That Clemson is ranked No. 19 in rushing defense makes this task quite challenging.
By the way, Hampton has 16 receptions during the five-game stretch.
Maye's Day
Drake Maye might still have a huge game even if the Tar Heels struggle establishing success on the ground, though his chances would be greatly enhanced if they do run it well. Nevertheless, Maye has it in him to rise up on this stage against by far the best defense UNC has faced to lead his team to enough points to earn a victory.Now, the Tigers rank seventh nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 162.5, and they rank fifth in pass efficiency defense. Maye’s low passing game as a starter in his career is 202 yards.
So, Maye having a big day is crucial for Carolina. Plenty of eyes will be on him, as he creeps closer to being more widely regarded as the top pick in next spring’s NFL Draft. That won’t matter to him Saturday, competing and winning will. And if he has to post ridiculous numbers, he will grind to make it happen, and may well do it.
"Special" Teams
Outside of Noah Burnette turning in an All-ACC year having converted 18 of 19 field goal attempts and all 33 of his PATs, plus quality kickoffs by Liam Boyd, the Tar Heels have had major issues on special teams.Well, Alijah Huzzie has been solid returning punts. Everything else has been covered with warts.
*Punt protection has allowed two blocks.
*Just last week, Duke converted a fake punt.
*UNC has allowed a kickoff return for a TD and several other big returns.
*The Heels failed to pounce on a pooch kick muffed by the opposition.
*Multiple kickoff returns have included 15-yard penalties.
*And last weekend, a muffed fair catch on a kickoff forced UNC to start at its 1-yard-line.
This is the kind of game in which special teams can make mistakes that cost a team the game. So, UNC must be clean on these units.
Buck The Trend
No matter what the score is heading into the fourth quarter, UNC’s defense must reverse course from its recent play in the final periods of games.In the fourth quarters of Carolina’s last four ACC games, which equates exactly to one full game, the Tar Heels have allowed 65 points, 790 yards, and 39 first downs. They lost two of those games, blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in another escaping in double-overtime, and held off a hard-charging opponent in the other.
So, if the Heels enter the final quarter Saturday with a lead, even a double-digit advantage, its fans won’t rest easy. The issues defensively in the final quarters has been by far the biggest blemish on what was one time shaping into an outstanding season.
If this is a close game or UNC is leading entering the fourth period, breaking that trend is imperative for the Heels to get a win.
