Clemson vs. Florida State: How Tigers Can Take Advantage of Winston's Absence
No. 1-ranked Florida State will have its hands full against the No. 22 Clemson Tigers on Saturday.
With star quarterback Jameis Winston's suspension for shouting an obscenity increased to a full game instead of just the first half, per Marc Tracy of The New York Times, Clemson won't have to worry about the Heisman Trophy winner accomplishing any second-half heroics. Instead, they can concentrate on redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Maguire, who will be leading the charge in Winston's absence.
The majority of college football observers would have penned this game in as a loss for Clemson prior to the beginning of the season, but as it stands the Tigers have an unbelievable opportunity to play spoiler and improve their own ranking with an upset win over the top-ranked team in the nation. Naturally, the focus will be on how Maguire handles the pressure of this contest.
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Let's take a look at three ways Clemson can take advantage of Winston's absence from this pivotal Week 4 matchup.
Dial Up the Pass Rush
Nothing ratchets up the first-game jitters like a heavy pass rush. Maguire will be depending on his talented teammates to help him navigate this crucial contest, but he's on his own should his offensive line falter and force him to run or make throws in a quickly collapsing pocket.
Defensive end Vic Beasley will be crucial to the Tigers' success in this area. Already regarded as a one of the top pass-rushers in the nation after posting 13 sacks in 2013, his ability to make offensive lineman miss and quick burst upfield will be crucial in this matchup.
Beasley is excited to take on Florida State left tackle Cam Erving, who prevented him from recording a sack in the Seminoles' blowout victory over Clemson last season.
"Oh yeah, I've been waiting on that opportunity," Beasley said, via Aaron Brenner of The Post and Courier. "I love going against the best. He did pretty well on me last year. So definitely, I'm looking forward to that matchup."
This strategy does leave them susceptible to draw plays and counters. Sports Illustrated's Zac Ellis believes Noles running back Karlos Williams will be key in this contest:
"Williams should have the protection necessary to find open holes. After all, the 'Noles boast one of the country's best offensive lines, one that starts five seniors. If Williams can extend plays and help take pressure off Maguire, Florida State still has the talent on both sides of the ball to hold off Clemson in this game.
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Williams is a fine running back, but he hasn't put up spectacular numbers this season and isn't a big enough threat to keep Clemson from backing off the pressure. He's averaged a steady 4.1 yards per carry in 2014, but his longest rush is 20 yards, and he isn't a major threat in the passing game.
If Maguire gets rattled early, the Tigers should be able to control the tempo of the game and potentially force some turnovers that Winston wouldn't be as likely to commit. Florida State has a formidable defense, and Clemson may need some drives on a short field to establish an early advantage.
Take Rashad Greene out of the Game
This task is much easier said than done. Wide receiver Rashad Greene has been Florida State's best pass catcher in this young season. He's an excellent route runner with the ability to make players miss in the open field, resulting in an 18.9 yards per catch average after two games.
Greene is confident he won't have a problem getting the ball without Winston calling the shots.
"My chemistry with [Maguire] is as good as with Jameis," Greene said, via Ellis. "We spend time with both of the quarterbacks in case situations like this happen. We’re ready for it. We won’t miss a beat.”
Maguire has been in Florida State's system as a backup for two years now. He's had plenty of time to observe and absorb the Seminoles offense, so the entire playbook should be available to him in this contest.
However, that doesn't mean Maguire won't be quick to look for Greene when he gets in trouble. Taking away his first option and forcing him to go through his progressions gives the pass rush a chance to make their mark and will test Maguire's ability to handle the pressure.
Seminoles tight end Nick O'Leary and wideout Kermit Whitfield are strong possession receivers but don't boast the game-breaking ability of Greene—or at least, they haven't shown it yet in 2014.
The Tigers would be wise to focus on maintaining a psychological edge and preventing Maguire from getting any confidence boosts from hooking up with Greene downfield.
Control the Clock
The Tigers calmly and efficiently took care of business against South Carolina State, posting six drives that featured seven or more plays in the blowout victory.
Clemson also featured three drives of 10 plays or more in the first half of their Week 1 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. Of course, this was before the Tigers were fully introduced to the highlight-mongering play of Georgia running back Todd Gurley, but Florida State doesn't feature an offensive player as singularly talented as the Bulldogs halfback—except Winston.
Quarterbacks Cole Stoudt and Deshaun Watson will have to focus on protecting the football and keeping the offense in rhythm.
Maintaining consistency can be tough for a team still looking for the right fit at quarterback, but winning the time-of-possession battle and putting up points in the process can induce panic in Florida State if they can't rely on Winston's ability to extend drives of his own with his legs or come up with the killer downfield pass for a quick-strike score.
Maguire still has the potential to make these plays happen, but he may need time to get into a proper rhythm. Playing keep-away prevents Maguire from getting comfortable and gives Clemson a fantastic shot at grinding out a victory.
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
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