Clemson Midseason Report Card

Clemson is off to a 3-3 start to a season that has thus far underwhelmed by most accounts. Midway through the 2009 campaign, here is the Tigers' Report Card.

Offense: C+

The Tigers' offense hasn’t lived up to expectations through the first half of the season. However, there have been glimpses of greatness, mostly from running back C.J. Spiller.

In addition to Spiller, the emergence of Andre Ellington in the running game has been a nice surprise. Ellington is averaging just under seven yards per carry on the season.  

Freshman quarterback Kyle Parker has been up and down, but he looked very solid in the Wake Forest game. Part of his success was due in part to the tight ends, who have begun to pick up the slack left by the wide receiving corps.

Within the receiving corps, Jacoby Ford is having another quality season, but beyond Ford, the drop off is severe. Clemson’s second leading receiver, Marquan Jones, has a mere seven receptions this season.

Once again, the Tigers' offensive line appears to be their primary weakness. This group is better than last year, and occasionally manages to open up good running lanes, but the line continually fails to dominate the trenches or give Kyle Parker much time in the pocket.

Overall, the offense through the first half of the season has been sub par and fairly stale. Against Wake Forest, the offense showed their true potential as Dabo Swinney and Bill Napier added a quarterback draw wrinkle that helped open things up. Clemson ranks eighth in scoring in the ACC at the midpoint and earns a grade of a C+, with much room for improvement.

Defense: A

Kevin Steele’s defense has been ferocious thus far this season. With the exception of road losses at Georgia Tech and Maryland, the defense has completely shut down opposing offenses.

The defensive line has done an excellent job of pressuring quarterbacks this year, as the Tigers have already recorded more sacks than they did all of last season. Ends Ricky Sapp and Da’Quan Bowers have established themselves as one of the best defensive end pairs in the country.

Clemson ranks second in the ACC in pass defense thanks to the superb play of the secondary. Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler are playing well, while safety DeAndre McDaniel is tied for the lead in interceptions per game in the nation.

The linebackers have been a mixed bag this season. Brandon Maye and Kavell Connor are racking up the tackles, but the rest of the linebacking corps trails far behind.

Overall, Clemson’s defense through the first half of the season has been a major strength for the team. The unit stands among the best in the conference, allowing just 17 points per game.

Special Teams: A-

Jacoby Ford and C.J. Spiller have made the return game a dangerous one for opposing teams to play. The respect they get was evident against Wake Forest who continually kicked humorously short to avoid a possible return. Kicker Richard Jackson has been good so far, save several misses against Maryland. The only downside to the special teams falls to the punter Dawson Zimmerman who is averaging under 40 yards per punt.

Coaching: C+

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and special teams coordinator Andre Powell have their units running like well-oiled machines most of the time. Steele still must prove he can motivate his defense to come up big on the road though. As far as offense goes, Dabo Swinney and Billy Napier are getting better. They still have a lot to learn and must continue to polish the playbook. The offense seemed to come alive against Wake Forest, but Swinney and Napier need to ensure consistency week to week.

Overall: B-

The Tigers may have disappointed by dropping a game to Maryland and two games to top 15 teams, but Clemson remains in the thick of the Atlantic Division race. With tiebreakers over Wake Forest and Boston College, Clemson is as close to the driver’s seat in the Atlantic as anyone. Even though this team sits at .500 with three tough losses, it remains in position to win the division with a chance for a statement game this Saturday at Miami. All Clemson fans ask for is a shot at an ACC title, and even though it hasn’t been pretty, the Tigers are still in the hunt.