Clemson may have spent four games searching for its offensive personality, but the answer has started to show itself: feed Gideon Davidson and keep feeding him.
That has to be the foundation for Chad Morris’ plan, especially with Miami coming in. Davidson has become the Tigers’ most dependable weapon, and the numbers back it up. He has 59 carries for 346 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the season, then took another step in ACC play with 105 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown against UNC before ripping off 159 yards and a game-sealer at Cal.
For Clemson, that kind of production changes everything. It gives the offense a pulse.
It helps the Tigers control the clock. And it keeps the game in a place where they can actually win it.
This is not a team built to survive a track meet, least of all against a Miami squad described here as a juggernaut. The defense can hold up its end.
The offense has to be run-first.
Morris also cannot afford to get fancy. The Tigers need something close to 40-plus rushing attempts per game, and Davidson has to be the centerpiece of that plan.
True freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds can run, but he is not nearly as effective on the ground as Davidson. Morris would like more from the tight ends and wideouts, but the reality is that Reynolds is still a work in progress.
That makes Davidson even more valuable. He has given Clemson’s offensive line a reason to lock in, and the group has clearly taken some confidence from blocking for him.
That matters, because the Tigers’ line has not exactly been an overwhelming force on its own. With Davidson driving the offense, the line can settle into the game and stay more engaged when Reynolds does have to throw.
There is also a depth issue now after David Eziomume was lost for the season with his major injury at Cal. Chris Johnson Jr. and Jarvis Green could spell Davidson here and there, but the source of Clemson’s rushing identity is clear enough: Davidson has to carry the load.
That should also force defenses to react. If opponents start crowding the box to slow the run, Reynolds should get chances to make them pay through the air.
He is talented and has plenty of football savvy, and that kind of pressure can eventually open windows for him. But the order of operations is simple right now: the run has to come first.
Morris may get more attention if Reynolds develops into the quarterback he wants him to be, but that is a longer-term project. Reynolds is still a true freshman, and Clemson does not have the luxury of waiting around for the passing game to become the whole story.
The hot hand is Davidson. Clemson needs to use it. If the Tigers want any shot at knocking off Miami, they cannot drift away from the rushing attack.
In Other News...
Bryant Wesco Jr. Just Delivered Clemsons Special Teams Breakthrough
Bryant Wesco Jr. turned Clemsons trip to California into a special-teams milestone, breaking loose for a punt-return touchdown in the Tigers 24-10 win. For a player working his way back from a previous injury he suffered on special teams, the play carried extra meaning, and it also fit into a broader Clemson effort to sharpen a phase that has mattered plenty in the early going.
Wesco pointed to special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia as a key voice behind the units improvement, with the emphasis staying on fundamentals and effort. The returner sounded upbeat about where things are headed from here, too, suggesting this may not be the only time Clemson gets a game-changing spark from him in the return game. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces A Backfield Test In Its Biggest ACC Stage Yet
Clemson heads into its biggest ACC spotlight with a major challenge already in place, as No. 4 Miami arrives as a 16.5-point favorite for the matchup in Clemson. The series is perfectly split at 7-7, but the Hurricanes are also chasing a milestone of their own, looking for their first win on Clemsons field since 2010.
The backfield picture adds another layer to the stakes for the Tigers. Clemson has to adjust after losing depth at running back, while Miami is trending the other way with its lead back set to be back in the mix after an injury absence. In a game that already carries plenty of conference weight, the matchup on the ground could loom especially large. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces A Miami Threat That Could Decide Everything
Clemson heads into a huge matchup with Miami coming off a win, but the challenge waiting on the other side is the kind that can tilt an entire ACC race. Miami has looked every bit like a top-five team, and the Hurricanes bring difference-makers on both sides of the ball, from quarterback Mensah to receiver Toney to defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr., whose presence up front has been part of what makes that defense so difficult to handle.
The matchup becomes even more interesting with Moten expected back from an arm and shoulder injury, adding another layer to a front Clemson will have to account for from the opening snap. Mensah has also been operating at a level few teams can match, piling up big passing numbers without giving the ball away, which puts extra pressure on Clemsons defense to keep the game in front of it and force Miami into uncomfortable situations. [Read more 🡒]