Collapse of Clemson?
Success is not sustainable in college football, in the past 20 years we’ve seen historic programs such as Michigan and Notre Dame fall from the pedestal they stood so high on. In the meantime, the emergence of teams like Auburn, LSU, and Clemson has formed lethal threats in the college football landscape. Through all of the dynasties that have formed Clemson has seen the most success in school history. Throughout the rise, Clemson won two national titles against arguably the most prominent program in CPB history, Alabama. However, in the last three years, three losses have shown the digression of the Dabo Swinney era. With all this said the question is raised, has Dabo Swinney and his Clemson Tigers dynasty seen its peak?
Photo Credirt: Jared C. Tilton
On the Surface
With the glory days of Deshaun Watson, we saw the pinnacle turn of the Tigers from a regional power to a national powerhouse. Excusing a rough year with Kelly Bryant separating Trevor Lawrence, Clemson remained at this peak of college football with four title appearances in five years. However, in 2019 Clemson encountered a juggernaut in the LSU who stomped their way through the season and Clemson in the title game. The following year Clemson didn’t make their first title game in the Lawrence era when they lost to Ohio State for the first time in program history. Finally this year they have lost their first non-conference regular-season game since 2014.
Under the Surface
Photo Credit: Kevin C. Cox
While DeShaun Watson lit up scoreboards and brought Clemson to the top of college football the beginning of controversy is in 2018 which was their most recent year of dominance. In this year they ranked 38th in offense behind freshman QB Trevor Lawrence. Despite the new starter, their offense produced 429 yards per game and 57 touchdowns through the whole season. Their defense was great under Brett Venables ranking fourth in the country and giving up only 276 yards per game. While a defense that seemed to be impenetrable the offense controlled time of possession in each game rushing for nearly 200 yards per game.
Following the impressive run in 2018 Clemson was poised to come back even better with another year of experience under Trevor Lawrence. However, this year the effects of the transfer portal took over when star quarterback Joe Borrow took home the Heisman and brought LSU back on top for the first time since Les Miles. However, when Clemson came in seeded third questions were raised. In contrast to the previous year, the Tigers started out struggling with two close encounters against Texas A&M and North Carolina. While the offense and defense stayed relatively the same, not much improved and game plans didn’t revolve around Lawerence as many expected. On offense, Lawrence doubled his interceptions from the previous year and scored eight fewer touchdowns.
When 2020 rolled around an odd year was looming due to the pandemic which would restrict fans. Nonetheless, Lawrence came back under high expectations to win a championship to go full circle in his career at Clemson. His counterpart Etienne also came back to make what seemed to be an impeccable offense. While Covid-19 held back Trevor Lawrence and only allowed him to compete in 10 of Clemson’s 12 scheduled games he still increased his pass percentage and scored six more touchdowns than his previous season. This all came to a halt when Clemson made the playoffs facing off against Ohio State in a rematch from the previous year’s semi-final. However, this game Clemson couldn't get the run game involved forcing Lawrence to pass just below 50 passes in a blowout. The true difference was this year the defense seemed to fall apart at times they gave up 38 more yards per game and nine more points per game. The draw to concern is they did this in an all ACC schedule in 2020.
The fall of Clemson should not be exaggerated, regardless of recent losses they produce great recruiting classes year after year. However, their inability to win in the last two playoffs (featuring two blowout losses) rectifies the question being asked. Clemson may not be out of the playoff anytime soon but given the decrease of inexperience and inability to improve offensively beyond Trevor Lawrence’s freshmen year Clemson may no longer be a championship-caliber team but, rather a playoff threat.