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For example, is the Clemson team that just won this year better than the one that won a couple of years before?
Overall best team for Clemson.. I'd actually say is the team that lost to Alabama in 2016.
I thought the offense clicked a whole lot better in the first game vs the second game.. And, between those two games against Alabama.. Either team could have won either of those games.
Well what comes to mind for me has to be Colo Buff in 1988. Then of course there have been a lot of great USC teams way back in the 60s. I know I am going way back, but those are me teams, as well SDSU way back when. None of our teams have done much in the past 20 years.
Overall best team for Clemson.. I'd actually say is the team that lost to Alabama in 2016.
I thought the offense clicked a whole lot better in the first game vs the second game.. And, between those two games against Alabama.. Either team could have won either of those games.
That Clemson team ranked 120th in special teams on the season which was the big reason Clemson lost.
Clemson also didn't have Mike Williams due to injury and Cain due to suspension, and some key injured players on defense as well.
That Clemson team ranked 120th in special teams on the season which was the big reason Clemson lost.
Clemson also didn't have Mike Williams due to injury and Cain due to suspension, and some key injured players on defense as well.
I forgot about Cain being out.. Now, of course, this is discounting the 2018 team and the only reason I don't consider them in the discussion for the best is the fact that Bryant started the year and Lawrence wasn't GREAT until he became the starter (technically a week afterwards as he got hurt the first week)
Secondary in all 4 years was suspect.
No question that 2018 had the best rushing game. Say what you will, and yes, Gallman was a good RB.. Etienne, Feaster, Choice and Dixon.. Each of them could be starting elsewhere. The 2018 receiving corps is also better, though, again, like with Lawrence, it took a bit for Ross to find his footing.
But that '15 team lost 9 players to the NFL draft.
From week 6 on.. The '18 team was the best. But those first 5 weeks..
Overall best team for Clemson.. I'd actually say is the team that lost to Alabama in 2016.
What about the 1981 team?
I don't think the Tigers' defense in 2016 could have held this year's Alabama's offense to only 16 points. In the 3 previous meetings between these teams, Bama scored 45, 31, and 24 points on the Clemson defense without any real threat of a passing attack. If those previous Tigers' teams couldn't shut down a Jake Coker and Jalen Hurts-led offense, why do you think they'd do any better against Tua?
I don't think the Tigers' defense in 2016 could have held this year's Alabama's offense to only 16 points. In the 3 previous meetings between these teams, Bama scored 45, 31, and 24 points on the Clemson defense without any real threat of a passing attack. If those previous Tigers' teams couldn't shut down a Jake Coker and Jalen Hurts-led offense, why do you think they'd do any better against Tua?
That first game, they(Alabama) hung 355 passing yards on the defense. The other two games.. 155 and 120.. And I maintain that the Sugar Bowl in 2017 was far closer than the final score. Two pick-6's were the real difference in that game. Clemson had no downfield threat and could only muster 188 yards. Bama wasn't much better. They only had about 220.
How many rushing yards did Hurts have in those two games? In the second championship game, Bo was the leading rusher (And broke his leg in the 2nd quarter) .. But I seem to remember Hurts running all over the place in those two games.. Which was why I was concerned about him coming in at the half this past year.
Clemson's secondary still did nothing great this year. It was the defensive line that shut down Tua. And those other teams had pretty good D-Lines as well.
oh.. And as far as '81.. Different times. Different game. So hard to compare. You put any of the past 4 years up against that 81 team.. The 81 team would be destroyed. That's because the average lineman was probably 230-240 pounds then. So.. trying to break it out by skills.. My brain hurts just trying to think about it.
Last edited by Labonte18; 04-11-2019 at 01:58 PM..
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