Clemson Front 7 Will Be X-Factor Against Ohio State
When you think of Clemson football, your mind races to two-time Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson.
That's fair. After all, the Tigers have finished in the top 20 nationally in scoring in each of Watson's two full seasons as a starter.
But he's not the most important piece of the puzzle for the two-time ACC champion and playoff-bound Tigers.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The real MVP is a front seven that consistently produces results despite enough roster turnover to make your head spin—and it will do exactly that against Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl national semifinal.
What's even more impressive is that defensive coordinator Brent Venables—the 2016 winner of the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach—has been able to get results from a unit that is so incredibly young.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney discussed Venables' contribution to the Tigers, according to the team:
"He has done an outstanding job for us his entire time at Clemson (since 2012). This year he had to replace seven starters from our 2015 team and we are still a top 10 defense in many categories, including total defense. He had to replace three starters in the secondary and we are fifth in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
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The defensive front lost Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd from last year's squad and Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett two years ago but still further solidified its reputation as one of the best lines in the game.
| 2014 | 260.8 | 1st | 4.0 | 1st |
| 2015 | 313.0 | 10th | 4.9 | 18th |
| 2016 | 313.9 | 9th | 4.6 | 7th |
Only one member of the starting front four—senior tackle Carlos Watkins—is an upperclassman. Only two players on the defensive line's two deep—Watkins and junior tackle Scott Pagano—are upperclassmen, and only four of 14 members of the front seven's two deep—Watkins, Pagano, junior "Sam" linebacker Dorian O'Daniel and senior "Will" linebacker Ben Boulware—are upperclassmen.
The centerpiece of that front seven is true freshman defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The 6'5", 340-pound 5-star prospect, per Scout, from Wake Forest, North Carolina, recorded nine tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and earned ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors from the conference's coaches.
"I feel like Venables has been much more selective with blitzes and stunts than a year ago," ESPN analyst and WUMP morning show host Cole Cubelic said. "He hasn't been able to be as reliant on elite edge-defenders. He understood he had inexperience in Lawrence but knew he needed him on field—put him in situations that allowed him to flourish."
Christian Wilkins is another member of the front seven who can wreak havoc on the Buckeyes offensive line. The 6'4", 310-pound sophomore defensive end is fast enough to be a force off the edge in passing situations, quick enough to track down Barrett in zone-read situations and can move inside on third downs to give the Tigers more speed.
"I like how he used Wilkins," Cubelic said. "Unconventional. Some by necessity; some by sheer ability."
The duo, along with Watkins and Clelin Ferrell, was monstrous in the ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech.
That front is going to present a problem for Ohio State, which was lit up like a Christmas tree by fast and physical defenses such as Michigan's (eight sacks) and Penn State's (six sacks).
What's more, Barrett hasn't exactly been stellar in the downfield passing game in 2016.
As Pro Football Focus noted on Twitter, Barrett's passer rating in the Buckeyes' double-overtime win over the Wolverines was abysmal.
Barrett needs to be on his game, because Venables' defense is founded on creating confusion before the snap.
"It's all about their front and coverages," Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said during Fiesta Bowl media day. "Whenever you see an evaluation or you do your statistical analysis, you do all percentages. You say, 'OK, on first down, they are 60 percent this, they're 4 percent, 6 percent, 8 percent this,' because it's just so much. There's very little tendencies."
The meeting of minds between Venables and Meyer—who made a name for himself as an offensive wizard—will be fascinating on New Year's Eve.
The matchup favors the Tigers, but Meyer with a month to prepare for an opponent is an equally terrifying task (just ask Alabama of 2014). How Meyer schemes around the Buckeyes' weakness and how Venables adjusts his defensive front accordingly will tell the tale of the Fiesta Bowl.
Based on their track record, I'll lean toward Venables and the Tigers to win and advance to the title game.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of CFBStats unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
