Tajh Boyd tests his arm in Thursday’s practice
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has ratcheted up the intensity in the practices leading up the Chick-Fil-A Bowl match up with LSU Monday night. Swinney knows his team will be facing a big, strong, physical team in LSU which has a defensive reputation for beating up less physical offenses.
And Clemson, in a spread offense, is viewed as one of those less physical teams.
But what has to be most painful to Clemson fans is the perception of some that Clemson is soft on defense. The Tigers are only 74th in the country in total defense allowing 411 yards per game. In the history of Clemson football, only the 1970 team, which yielded 433 yards per game, allowed more yards per game than this year’s team.
The Tigers practiced Thursday at the Georgia Dome and afterwards several players talked about what this LSU game means for the Clemson football brand.
AUDIO: OL Brandon Thomas [3:10]
AUDIO: DL DeShawn Williams [4:05]
AUDIO: DB Travis Blanks [4:26]
The Tigers are six point underdogs. They will practice again Friday at the Georgia Dome.
Observation and question.
Observation: At this moment, most rational football fans would concede that LSU is a better, more complete football team than USC.
Question: When considering the observation above, how in the world does clemson think it can “prove its manhood” against LSU when it couldn’t do it against USC?
It’ll be sad, maybe as sad as last years Clemson bowl performance except Clemson won’t score as much.
I can’t wait