CLEMSON: The weight of the home losing streak to Power Four teams off his back, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is now focused on getting even with the team that started the whole thing.
Last season’s 33-21 loss to Louisville, Clemson’s first in nine games against the Cardinals, was the first of six straight home defeats at the hands of P4 teams. That day, the Cardinals rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Isaac Brown carried 20 times for 151 in what Dabo Swinney called Tuesday an embarrassing performance by his defense.
The Tigers might not have to face Brown Friday night in Louisville. He suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the win over Virginia Tech and missed last Saturday’s overtime loss to Cal. Brown has averaged 8.6 yards per carry, the best figure in the nation.
Without Brown last Saturday, the Cards were held to 148 rushing yards in the three-point loss. Both of their losses this season, the other to Virginia, have been by three points in overtime.
The Tigers are 4-5 overall and 3-4 in the ACC. They need two wins in their final three games to become bowl eligible. The offense has come alive averaging over 34 points per game in their last five games. Quarterback Cade Klubnik started in four of those games and completed 77.8% of his passes for 1140 yards. Since October 1st, Klubnik has the nation’s third highest pass efficiency rating at 180.5.
Klubnik has been dealing with a sprained ankle and a thigh contusion that kept him out of some practice time last week, but Swinney said Tuesday Klubnik has been moving around just fine in practice this week.
Friday night’s game will kickoff at 7:30 PM on ESPN. Louisville is a three point favorite.
Some of Swinney’s key comments Tuesday
- Short week for them but been a good week so far, guys have adjusted well coming off the late night win over Florida State.
- Impressed with Louisville, Jeff Brohm has a well coached team, very good on offense, lot of eye candy and movement with their scheme, lot of talent on the offensive side, big play offense, very good offensive line.
- Got to stop the Louisville run game, even if Brown is out, they ran through his defense last season, it was embarrassing to watch. Brown had 151 of the 210 rushing yards.
- Louisville is one of the best defenses in the country, aggressive and physical up front, they will challenge with their physicality.
- Louisville defense doesn’t have a lot of busts, so they’ve limited the explosive plays against them, his offense has got to be sharp and precise.
- Louisville is a complete team, two plays away from being undefeated.
- Proud of his team and how they competed against Florida State, still areas where they can improve.
- Thought his defense had a very good night against Florida State, case of sticking with the process and being consistent, had a couple of cases where there were breakdowns in coverage, but for the most part it was good.
- Klubnik is a lot healthier, his ankle is good, had a bad thigh contusion that bothered him in practice last week but that’s gotten better as well.
- Assistant strength coach Dennis Love will be taking over for the retiring Joey Batson. Deal was actually done last summer when Love was offered the job with the Minnesota Vikings, he decided to stay at Clemson.