Game of the Week: #5 Clemson vs. #3 Louisville

The day has come, ACC matchup between #3 Louisville and #5 Clemson. The top 2 college quarterbacks in the game, Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson. Powerhouse vs. Powerhouse. In Death Valley, I’m hyped. The team who wins will likely appear in the National Championship this year. Hopefully it’s the Tigers, who heartbreakingly lost to Alabama last year 45-40. That game brought more emotions out of me in 4 hours than I’ve experienced in quite sometime. Watching a Clemson football game is an intense experience. I was sweating after the game. (And I’m not that big guy who just sweats when sitting on the couch like Pizza the Hutt from Spaceballs), so this was new. 

Let’s breakdown how the Tigers will win this game and if they don’t follow my strategy from many many years of experience leading my NCAA football dynasty team on Xbox 360 to National Championships…

But seriously, this is a Tigers focused blog so all I’m going to say about Louisville is put the focus on QB Lamar Jackson. Bill Belichick often takes away the opposing teams best player not making them a factor in the game at all. That’s a little hard when the teams best player is the quarterback. Jackson is a dual-threat QB, has legs like Michael Vick, and throwing ability as good as anybody in college football. He’s a defensive nightmare. He has made other teams defenses look like TRASH. Florida State got spanked 63-20. They were the #2 team in the nation at the time. Does this make me feel a bit uneasy, kind of, but then I remembered who our defensive coordinator is:

Brent-Fucking-Venables. I’ve never seen him smile before. He’s the most intense guy I’ve ever seen. Last week he got mad at one of the defensive cornerbacks during a play where he tackled the running back behind the line of scrimmage forcing a punt. It’s like he wanted him to kill the guy instead of just tackle him. He’s always fired up and that’s exactly how I want my defensive-coordinator to be: badass. Sending guys flying around the field and destroying every body. And one more thing: there is literally a guy (strength coach) who’s job during the game is to make sure Coach Venables doesn’t venture too far onto the field. He’s gotten a penalty before for screaming too intensely in the referee’s face because he was on the field during the play.

There’s a reason why Clemson has the #5 ranked defense in the nation. Coach Venables every year has one of the best front-four in the game. The offense is considered WR-University (Hopkins, Watkins, Bryant, Allen, etc.) and under Venables, the defense is DE-U (Lawson, Beasley, Branch, Bowers, etc.). Look for Boulware, Clemson’s star middle-linebacker, to QB spy Jackson all game. Watkins and Wilkins are this years big time impact players on the defensive line. They will need to disrupt Louisville’s offensive front to keep Jackson rattled and force throws.

Forced throws = opportunities for the defense to make big plays. Defense hasn’t been the problem this year, it’s been Deshaun Watson and the offense.

This guy needs to get his shit together. He was money on every throw last year, he made big decisions and executed them on the fly as the play was happening. Watson hasn’t been the same since last year. So far he has been overthrowing receivers, throwing picks, and not making the decisions we know he can make. It’s like he’s been in warm-up mode for the past 4 games. I’ll be okay with that if he goes out there today and lights it up. But I’m skeptical and nervous for him.

But it’s not all on Watson, he needs his big play receivers to step up. Give Mike Williams the ball more. He’s this years Nuk (DeAndre Hopkins). He missed most of last season due to a neck injury, but now he’s back and healthy. He’s taller than most DB’s, fast as fuck, and catches everything. Clemson also has the best Tight-End in all of college football, Jordan Leggett. Watson finally started throwing Leggett the ball last game and the results showed, touchdown for our boy!

In order for the passing game to strive, Clemson needs to establish the run. 

Bro, Wayne, Buddy, where’ve you been? 1,500 rushing yards last season, record holder, All aboard the Wayne-Train. This year 256 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns in 4 games, not bad, but not the downhill runner we all know and love. I know this is the game Gallman is going to shine. The emphasis on Louisville’s defense is going to be heavily focused on Watson, because like Lamar Jackson, he’s a dual-threat QB. This leaves Gallman room to excel. Gallman can do it all, run, catch, and often overlooked, pass protect like a motha-fucka. Just don’t run the ball up the middle every time. IT. DOESN’T. WORK. QB-option maybe, run behind the tackle and bust it outside, cmon guys, this isn’t brain surgery.

And one more thing: BRING IN THE JUMBO PACKAGE! As a last resort if we can’t run in at the goal-line with Gallman or Choice or Dye or Watson, use the damn jumbo package. Clemson is 2/2 so far this year, I’d like to see it, and also I’d like to see a fellow masshole score another TD this season (Christian Wilkins, DT, Absolute Savage, Springfield, Mass.).

Anybody remember this play from last season:

Last season Artavis Scott had 93 receptions, 901 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns. He’s been minimally involved in the offense so far this year with 0, goose-egg, nada, Touchdowns. Ray-Ray McCloud has taken over his role as the reverse, screen option. He’s a stud, but doesn’t have experience like Scott (That punt return drop/fumble before the goal-line in the Troy game was hard to stomach). However he’s a threat, imagine having Scott and McCloud on the field at the same time, speed kills.

Overall, this is probably going to be the best game all season. I’m nervous, excited, and will probably be sweating sitting on my couch again. But I’m ALL-IN, WE TOO DEEP