Paws up: first quarter
Although Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh may have ended in heartbreak for Clemson fans, the first quarter of the game offered a sense of hope for the team’s potential.
The defensive line held steady, allowing no points in the entire first quarter. Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables said he thought the “first five drives were excellent.”
While the Clemson offense has been struggling this year with so many inexperienced players, the first quarter provided a few shining moments of hope. First, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was able to find a hole in the Panthers defense five minutes into the quarter and rushed for a first down, making the Tiger fans in the crowd go wild.
Additionally, with 3:14 left in the first quarter, Uiagalelei threw an impressive 36-yard pass to receiver Ajou Ajou, a rare big play for Clemson this season. Uiagalelei finished the game 12 for 25 for 128 passing yards.
Paws down: tired defense
Considering nine out of 11 members of the Tigers defensive line are returning players, it was never a doubt that the defense, under the guidance of Brent Venables, would be a force to be reckoned with this season. Game after game the defense has stepped up to fill the gaps left by an “unconfident offense,” according to Swinney.
However, defense cannot win a game by itself. As the defensive line remained on the field for the majority of the game, it was obvious that they were growing tired and allowed more holes to open in a formerly impenetrable wall.
“We lacked the precision it takes to stop them,” said Venables in a post-game conference
Paws up: Will Shipley returns
The first few games of the 2021 season saw praise for freshman running back Will Shipley. After being injured in September during Clemson’s loss to North Carolina State, Shipley sat out for a month, leaving the Tigers to rely heavily on the depth of an already struggling running back group.
With Shipley’s return to the field, it once again became clear why he was a top recruit in the country for the class of 2021. Although he may not have made Hail-Mary catches or run for more than 14 yards at a time, Shipley was involved and obviously eager to get back to where he was in the weeks before meeting the Wolfpack.
Shipley finished with 52 rushing yards on ten attempts, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Swinney praised his chemistry with Uiagalelei, who he said made a few beautiful throws to the running back.
Paws down: DJ throwing dimes…to the other team
Uiagalelei was noticeably plagued by overthrows and panicking in the pocket. Halfway through the first quarter, a pass intended for wide receiver Justyn Ross was intercepted by Pittsburgh defensive back Damari Mathis, who ran it back to the 20-yard line.
In the Tigers’ first offensive drive in the second-half, Uiagalelei attempted a routine shovel pass to running back Kobe Pace, which was instead picked off by Pittsburgh linebacker SirVocea Dennis. Uiagalelei tried to bring him down at the knees but was outpaced as Dennis ran the ball to the endzone.
Paws up honorable mention: Swinney’s attitude
Head Coach Swinney is the backbone of the Tigers, and his unwavering commitment to the men of the team shows. In a post-game conference, he accepted full responsibility for the loss and admitted whatever problems the team faces begin with him as it is his job to ensure success.
He accepted the loss to an incredible Pittsburgh team with humility.
“They just kicked our butts, simple as that,” said Swinney.
