Not much new here but interesting to see what is being said about us outside of the Southeast.
Clemson finished in the AP Top 15 for the third straight season on the strength of a defense that finished No. 1 nationally in total defense (260.8 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense, No. 3 in scoring defense (16.7 points per game) and No. 5 versus the run (103.4 yards per game).
Clemson Tigers (Oct. 3)
2014 Record: 10-3, after crushing Oklahoma, 40-6, in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Series Record: 1-1. In the first meeting, Notre Dame rallied in the fourth quarter for a crucial 21-17 win at "Death Valley" on Nov. 12, 1977 during its march to the national title.
Last Meeting: In the return match at home on Nov. 17, 1979, Clemson won 16-10.
Projected Starters Returning: 10, with seven on offense and three on defense. The Tigers also return kicker Ammon Lakip (21 of 28 on field goals last season).
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney — 61-26 (.701) in seven seasons, or since taking over for Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into the 2008 season.
Head coach Dabo Swinney has led three straight impressive bowl wins.
Spring News
In front of an Orange & White Spring Game record crowd of 37,000, reserve running back C.J. Davidson rushed for 100 yards and two scores to lead the White team to a 35-24 victory.
No. 2 quarterback Nick Schuessler, a transfer from Mississippi State, saw action on both teams. Esteemed starter DeShaun Watson sat out while recovering from ACL surgery last fall. Schuessler was a combined 11-of17 passing for 201 yards and two TDs, one for each team.
Perceived Strengths
Few teams rival Clemson's skill-position talent on offense. Watson, Rivals.com's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback recruit in 2014, lived up to his billing while coming off the bench and excelling in the Florida State loss to take over as the starter. Before a partial tear in his ACL late in the year, Watson completed 67.9 percent of his passes, averaged 10.7 yards per attempt and tossed 14 TDs to only two interceptions. He also rushed for 200 yards in the spread.
Other underclass standouts were the second-team All-ACC receiving tandem of Artavis Scott (76 catches) and Mike Williams (18.1 yards per catch on 57 receptions), and running back Wayne Gallman (team high 769 yards rushing).
Perceived Concerns
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables will undergo major rebuilding after losing eight starters. Three of them were first-team All-ACC performers, led by first-round NFL pick Vic Beasley, the school's all-time sacks leader, and a second-team All-ACC performer at corner in Garry Peters.
Of Note
This is the fewest returning defensive starters Clemson has had since 1979 - the last time the Irish met the Tigers. That Clemson defense led by All-American Jim Stuckey and all-time leading tackler Bubba Brown, finished the season third in the nation in scoring defense (8.4) and won at Notre Dame, 16-10. That is the second fewest points Notre Dame has scored on Senior Day since 1970.
DeShaun Watson is one of the nation's top dual-threat QBs.
Summary
Unlike in 2014, the defense will be rebuilding while a greater onus will be placed on the offense. That will be an interesting dynamic because 2011-14 Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris departed this winter to become the head coach at SMU. Taking his place as co-offensive coordinators are running backs coach Tony Elliott and receivers coach Jeff Scott, both of whom have been with Swinney at least three years.
The defense had come full circle since the 70-33 defeat to West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl and the hiring of Oklahoma's Venables thereafter.
Notre Dame vs. Clemson Projection
Over the past couple of decades, Clemson was sort of known as the Notre Dame of the South because both usually had highly ranked recruiting classes, but did not fare well on the big football stage.
That has gradually changed for the Tigers. Clemson has produced four straight 10-win seasons, three consecutive Top 15 finishes, and won bowl games versus LSU, Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes in the Orange and slaughtered Oklahoma. Clemson has reached more of a "program" status whereas Notre Dame is still a "team" that has flashes but isn't consistent enough year to year.
This is the first game of 2015 where the Fighting Irish might be deemed the underdog, in good part because they're on the road at "Death Valley," one of only two such contests in the first seven games. A lot depends on how well the Tigers rebuild along the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Clemson has signed four straight recruiting classes ranked in Rivals.com's top 15, highlighted by this year's No. 4 group that features three five-star players in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, receiver Deon Cain and athlete Ray-Ray McCloud III.
The Tigers have momentum to remain a Top 10-caliber program. They will continue to challenge Florida State for ACC supremacy despite some major losses on defense.
Clemson finished in the AP Top 15 for the third straight season on the strength of a defense that finished No. 1 nationally in total defense (260.8 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense, No. 3 in scoring defense (16.7 points per game) and No. 5 versus the run (103.4 yards per game).
Clemson Tigers (Oct. 3)
2014 Record: 10-3, after crushing Oklahoma, 40-6, in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Series Record: 1-1. In the first meeting, Notre Dame rallied in the fourth quarter for a crucial 21-17 win at "Death Valley" on Nov. 12, 1977 during its march to the national title.
Last Meeting: In the return match at home on Nov. 17, 1979, Clemson won 16-10.
Projected Starters Returning: 10, with seven on offense and three on defense. The Tigers also return kicker Ammon Lakip (21 of 28 on field goals last season).
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney — 61-26 (.701) in seven seasons, or since taking over for Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into the 2008 season.
Head coach Dabo Swinney has led three straight impressive bowl wins.
Spring News
In front of an Orange & White Spring Game record crowd of 37,000, reserve running back C.J. Davidson rushed for 100 yards and two scores to lead the White team to a 35-24 victory.
No. 2 quarterback Nick Schuessler, a transfer from Mississippi State, saw action on both teams. Esteemed starter DeShaun Watson sat out while recovering from ACL surgery last fall. Schuessler was a combined 11-of17 passing for 201 yards and two TDs, one for each team.
Perceived Strengths
Few teams rival Clemson's skill-position talent on offense. Watson, Rivals.com's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback recruit in 2014, lived up to his billing while coming off the bench and excelling in the Florida State loss to take over as the starter. Before a partial tear in his ACL late in the year, Watson completed 67.9 percent of his passes, averaged 10.7 yards per attempt and tossed 14 TDs to only two interceptions. He also rushed for 200 yards in the spread.
Other underclass standouts were the second-team All-ACC receiving tandem of Artavis Scott (76 catches) and Mike Williams (18.1 yards per catch on 57 receptions), and running back Wayne Gallman (team high 769 yards rushing).
Perceived Concerns
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables will undergo major rebuilding after losing eight starters. Three of them were first-team All-ACC performers, led by first-round NFL pick Vic Beasley, the school's all-time sacks leader, and a second-team All-ACC performer at corner in Garry Peters.
Of Note
This is the fewest returning defensive starters Clemson has had since 1979 - the last time the Irish met the Tigers. That Clemson defense led by All-American Jim Stuckey and all-time leading tackler Bubba Brown, finished the season third in the nation in scoring defense (8.4) and won at Notre Dame, 16-10. That is the second fewest points Notre Dame has scored on Senior Day since 1970.
DeShaun Watson is one of the nation's top dual-threat QBs.
Summary
Unlike in 2014, the defense will be rebuilding while a greater onus will be placed on the offense. That will be an interesting dynamic because 2011-14 Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris departed this winter to become the head coach at SMU. Taking his place as co-offensive coordinators are running backs coach Tony Elliott and receivers coach Jeff Scott, both of whom have been with Swinney at least three years.
The defense had come full circle since the 70-33 defeat to West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl and the hiring of Oklahoma's Venables thereafter.
Notre Dame vs. Clemson Projection
Over the past couple of decades, Clemson was sort of known as the Notre Dame of the South because both usually had highly ranked recruiting classes, but did not fare well on the big football stage.
That has gradually changed for the Tigers. Clemson has produced four straight 10-win seasons, three consecutive Top 15 finishes, and won bowl games versus LSU, Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes in the Orange and slaughtered Oklahoma. Clemson has reached more of a "program" status whereas Notre Dame is still a "team" that has flashes but isn't consistent enough year to year.
This is the first game of 2015 where the Fighting Irish might be deemed the underdog, in good part because they're on the road at "Death Valley," one of only two such contests in the first seven games. A lot depends on how well the Tigers rebuild along the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Clemson has signed four straight recruiting classes ranked in Rivals.com's top 15, highlighted by this year's No. 4 group that features three five-star players in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, receiver Deon Cain and athlete Ray-Ray McCloud III.
The Tigers have momentum to remain a Top 10-caliber program. They will continue to challenge Florida State for ACC supremacy despite some major losses on defense.
