Saturday’s spring game presented the opportunity for coaches and fans alike to analyze the next Clemson football team, complete with returning veterans and superstar newcomers. Many players and position groups flourished — the offensive line, however, did not.
Both the orange and white team’s offensive line groups had rough outings. While the starters were split into separate teams, their struggle was evident in their play. The defensive fronts from both teams put pressure on the offensive lines, but it was an underwhelming performance from a position group that many speculated would improve under Matt Luke.
The offensive line’s spring game performance raises this question: is the offensive line too weak, or is the defensive line too strong?
There were 21 tackles for loss between both teams in the first half, eight of which were sacks. Team White finished the game with two sacks and seven tackles for loss, while Team Orange put up the top performance with nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss. In total, the Clemson defense managed a total of 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss.
The offensive line has been one of the Tigers’ biggest weaknesses over the past few seasons, and their spring game performance was no different. However, it is only spring, allowing coaches ample time to find weaknesses in their players and fix key issues.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is aware that his offensive front is due for improvement during the remainder of the offseason.
“There’s a lot of work to do this summer from a technique and skills standpoint,” Swinney stated. “If you look at our grades regarding position, the offensive line grades at a high level from an assignment standpoint. They know what to do, but when you look at their technique grade, they are much lower.”
The split highlighted troubles for the offensive line, who could not perform at their peak due to the split. However, allowing 21 tackles for loss creates issues for Clemson as they open up the season with a matchup against Georgia in August, a team infamous for their ability to take control of a game in the trenches.
