“We have a lot of inexperience. But you have to start somewhere”. It has been (a long eight months between games). And there are other factors, such as the opening game being on the road. What will end up deciding this game is the play at quarterback, the Tigers have an elite quarterback and Florida State doesn’t. “It’s a big challenge out of the gate for us”.
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-LB Ben Boulware is the heart and soul of the Clemson defense, an inside linebacker who plays full-bore on every play – or, as defensive coordinator Brent Venables says, “with his hair on fire”. They have a lot of experience back. “We didn’t have a change here because he wasn’t a good coach”, Swinney said. “He has a very good first step, similar to Nick Marshall, as far as his explosiveness”. “We’ve had a lot of consistency over the last several years”. The two had disagreements about defensive strategy that led to the breakup. “He’s got to get those legs back to where he needs to be”.
After the game, Adams said the game plan was to keep Prescott in the pocket and force him to pass.
GEorgia and Clemson first met in 1897 and have played 64 times. “With the amount of formations and exotics that they present you”. I was like “I gotta go take a peek.’ Thats what I did”. They don’t make any bones about it. “They were a really, really disruptive defense last year, and we expect them to be the same this year”. They hang their hat on running the ball … “You’re down a touchdown when you get off the bus”. That can only be done by winning the national championship. You have to be able to adjust to win first games. After watching him play last season I did see a future National Football League linebacker in him, on the big stages that Clemson was on previous year Boulware showed up big time and emerged as one of Clemson’s better defenders.
Malzahn said Auburn’s team policy is for players not to have handguns, licensed or not. “There’s some newness to that so we’re going to need those older guys, and Marcus, being a leader, to step up for us”. We’ll see what happens. “I think we ended the week well last week.Just mentally, you want them to be crisp”.
Leggett’s now a senior All-America candidate who’s played in a national championship game.
Clemson junior QB Deshaun Watson indicated that he is not anxious about the NFL Draft at this juncture.
“Maybe a better understanding of what it takes”, Swinney said. “More focused. Probably a better appreciation for his talent and the opportunity to play football – his health. It’s just a matter of going through the process of getting better”. He’s the best version of Mike Williams that I’ve ever seen. His commitment. What he’s done in the weight room – all of those type of things.
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Zach Lentz is a Clemson University alumnus who got his start working with the Tigers basketball team from 1999-2004. Now a resident of Orangeburg County, he reports on Clemson sports as a correspondent for The Times and Democrat.
