Clemson’s offensive problems have drawn plenty of blame this season, and most of it has landed on true freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, the offensive line and coordinator Chad Morris. But after the Tigers’ 20-16 home loss to Virginia Tech, Dabo Swinney put a different issue under the spotlight: Gideon Davidson.
The sophomore running back has been Clemson’s leading rusher, but Swinney said the production has come with too many costly mistakes.
“He really hurt us,” Swinney said of Davidson. “I mean, the first third-and-one.
He actually got it, but it should have been about a 20-yard gain. If he beats the safety, he might score.
He's kind of feast or famine, and that's where he's got to grow up.”
Davidson entered the game with 492 rushing yards, five touchdowns and a 5.3 yards-per-carry average, and Clemson’s run game has climbed to 78th nationally. That’s a far cry from the Tigers’ brutal start on offense, when they opened the season with just 145 total yards, including 40 on the ground, against LSU. Still, Swinney made it clear the numbers don’t tell the full story.
“I love Gid. I think he's a special talent, but he's a maturing player still, and he just sometimes gets his eyes all over the place,” added Swinney.
“He's just trying to do too much. If he'll just trust and do his job, it's there.
And when he hits his big plays, that's what happens.”
Against the Hokies, Davidson carried 14 times for 62 yards, a 4.4-yard average. But a handful of errors loomed larger than the stat line.
Swinney pointed to a third-and-1 late in the first half, when Clemson still had nearly 50 seconds and a timeout. Instead of staying with the clear running lane that could have set up a field goal chance, Davidson cut back into an unblocked defender and the Tigers ended up punting.
Swinney also said Davidson was responsible for two of the four sacks Clemson allowed against Virginia Tech, and those mistakes trimmed his workload after halftime.
That kind of stretch can reach beyond one game, too. Asked whether Davidson could lose his starting job, Swinney didn’t hedge.
“Absolutely. You got to do your job.
We got to do the job. That's what we're here to do.
And when it's there, then you got to give somebody else an opportunity.”
Even with the criticism, Swinney said Davidson’s work ethic is not in question and believes the competition in the backfield can help push him forward. The coach also said he expects the Liberty Christian Academy product to respond.
“But the best thing about Gid is there ain't nobody that cares more than that kid. So, that's why I know he'll get it. So those are some growing pains that we're going through with some really talented players.”
For Clemson, Davidson’s role now looks tied to more than rushing totals. The talent is obvious.
The production is there. What Swinney wants next is cleaner execution.
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