Through four weeks, one of Clemson’s biggest quiet successes has been Jeremiah Alexander’s rise at linebacker. The former Alabama transfer is in his fifth college season, but next to Sammy Brown he’s starting to look like the player Clemson always hoped he could become.
That development matters because Miami is about to ask a far tougher question than Clemson has faced so far. The Tigers have already seen Alexander pile up tackles at a pace that has him nearing a career high, but slowing California’s run game is one thing.
Dealing with Mark Fletcher Jr. and Miami’s rushing attack is a different level entirely. UNC’s ground game, as the source material notes, sits somewhere in between.
The numbers tell the story. Miami is averaging 227.5 rushing yards per game while allowing just 39.5 on the ground.
Clemson, meanwhile, is putting up 158.3 rushing yards per game and giving up 157.8. That gap is hard to ignore heading into Saturday night.
Alexander’s comfort has been one of the clearest signs that Clemson’s defense is moving in the right direction. His play alongside Brown has helped the unit tighten up, and the Tigers have started to click better up front as a result. Brown’s job has gotten easier, too, with Alexander taking on more responsibility and looking more and more like a natural fit.
A big reason for that jump is Tom Allen. Clemson’s coordinator has helped steady the program after a rough stretch, and his impact shows up in how he’s deploying players like Alexander. Allen also serves as Alexander’s position coach, which has helped unlock a version of the linebacker that Clemson is seeing in real time.
Still, confidence only goes so far against Miami. Shannon Dawson brings one of the best offensive minds in the sport, and Clemson will need more than individual progress to slow him down. The Tigers may be able to lean on their elite secondary, but Allen’s biggest challenge is to get the most out of Alexander, Brown and the rest of the linebackers while forcing Miami out of its preferred balance.
That’s the formula if Clemson wants any chance of leaving Death Valley with a win. Miami is going to move the ball through the air, but taking away the run would at least make the Hurricanes one-dimensional.
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Clemson's New Edge Could Put Miami In A Dangerous Spot
Mario Cristobal spent part of a recent media session breaking down what has made Clemson so difficult to deal with lately, and the answer started with how the Tigers have finished games. Their second-half play has stood out, along with the kind of discipline and in-game adjustments that can turn a tight matchup into one that gets away from an opponent. For Miami, the message is simple enough: if the Hurricanes want to avoid getting dragged into Clemsons preferred kind of game, they need to get on the board early and force the Tigers to chase.
That is easier said than done against a team that has shown both defensive resilience and a coaching staff capable of tightening things up as the game wears on. The matchup sets up as a test of styles and sideline management, with Miami trying to create enough early cushion to keep Clemson from settling into its rhythm. From Clemsons side, the recent formula has been clear enough to be dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces A Growing Availability Worry Before Huge Miami Test
Clemson is entering a crucial stretch with availability becoming a bigger part of the conversation than the opponent on the other sideline. Ahead of the Miami game, Dabo Swinney said several injured players are still being monitored, with some getting work in practice and others continuing to work back from recent injuries as the Tigers try to sort out their depth before a marquee ACC matchup.
The group includes Corian Gipson, Elyjah Thurmon and Devarrick Woods, all of whom are still in uncertain territory heading into the week, while backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina remains out with an elbow issue. Defensive tackle Kourtney Kelly is making progress from an ACL tear, but Clemson is still waiting to see how much of this injured core will actually be available when the Tigers need it most. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces One Huge Test After Its Cross-Country Win
The trip to Berkeley ended the way Clemson needed it to, with a 24-10 win over Cal and a quick turnaround back home to South Carolina afterward. Dabo Swinney liked the effort his team showed in managing the long haul, and the Tigers were back on the practice field Sept. 28 as they shifted attention to what comes next.
What comes next is the kind of game that can define an ACC season, with No. 4 Miami arriving in Death Valley on Oct. 3. Cross-country trips have not always been kind to league teams in the game that follows, so Clemsons focus now turns to whether it can carry the same edge from California into a matchup that will tell plenty about where the Tigers stand. [Read more 🡒]