Clemson, Georgia will be line of scrimmage battle
Football programs are built from the inside out. The same thing is true for Clemson and Georgia.
Both the Bulldogs and the Tigers have star quarterbacks who can unlock flashy skill position talent in the passing game, but that can’t be accomplished unless the guys on the line of scrimmage do their jobs. In the Week 1 matchup, the highly anticipated contest will likely be determined in the trenches.
Clemson must get pass protection
Establishing the run can be very difficult when facing a Kirby Smart defense. Over the last two seasons, Georgia has ranked in the top-two nationally in yards per rush allowed. The Bulldogs are big and physical.
“Obviously, they’re big, right? And not just big but very good players as well,” redshirt senior Matt Bockhorst told reporters on Tuesday. “They’ve been No. 1 stopping the run for a reason, and I don’t anticipate that could change. I think that we’re going to have a challenge opening out of the gate.
With a pair of new starters and potentially Bockhorst moving to center, the Tigers could have their handful with the beefy Georgia front. Nose tackle Jordan Davis is one of the best run stoppers in college football while Clemson had many issues establishing a ground game with a first-round draft pick, Travis Etienne, at tailback last season. The Tigers may have to go pass-heavy, but protection is needed.
On the EDGE, Nolan Smith was a former top-five recruit and Adam Anderson was the third-highest ranked pass rusher in college football last season according to PFF. The Tigers must be able to hold up to keep D.J. Uiagalelei clean, but Bockhorst believes the offensive line has an advantage.
“It’s interesting for me to think about just because we have an opportunity this fall camp to go against such a great defensive line.”
Can the d-line dominate?
On paper, Clemson has the best defensive line in college football. Both Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy have All-American potential as true sophomores. Veterans Justin Foster and Xavier Thomas both can be havoc creators. K.J. Henry and Justin Mascoll are good enough to start for just about every other defensive line in college football.
However, the Tigers are facing a talented group.
Jamaree Salyer has started 12 games in his career and could be a dominant force at left tackle or left guard. Justin Shaffer was an All-SEC selection who is excellent in both the run and passing game. Meanwhile, there are a plethora of other blue-chip talents for offensive line coach Matt Luke to utilize.
Clemson has a chance to be the best defense in college football mostly due to the sheer talent and depth on the defensive line. To begin the season, this group has a big challenge. If the Tigers can dominate, that would mean great things for the season and could give Clemson a huge advantage during Week 1.
The blockbuster matchup will be won in the trenches.