Clemson 2021 Football Preview

2020 Recap

Once again, Clemson was a big favorite to win the ACC, but with Notre Dame in the conference for the year there would be a new challenger in the way. The Tigers started the season in dominant fashion blowing out opponents through the first six games of the season, including a 42 – 17 win over then unbeaten Miami. At 6 – 0, Clemson looked as good as ever but a new challenge emerged in 2020.

Covid testing protocols would force Trevor Lawrence and other stars to miss the next couple games and the team’s performance suffered as a result. Clemson was able to pull off a comeback win against Boston College, but lost 47 – 40, in overtime to Notre Dame the next week. The Tigers would get Lawrence back the next week and the team closed the regular season with big wins over Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech to setup a rematch with Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game.

With the team closer to full strength, Clemson dominated Notre Dame to win the ACC title game and qualify for the College Football Playoff again. The Tigers would face Ohio State in a rematch of the 2019 semi-final, but this time they could not beat Ohio State. Nonetheless, the 2020 season was a good one for Clemson with another ACC Championship and another trip to the College Football Playoff.

2020 Leaders

Projected Starters

Reasons For Optimism

A Championship Caliber Defensive Line

Clemson has had some of the best defensive lines in college football recently and the 2021 group has the potential to be another great one. Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee were instant impact freshmen in 2020 and were among the best in the country last season. With a full season under their belt and a traditional off-season to hone their craft, both players should be even better in 2021. Tyler Davis was incredible as a true freshman in 2019 and fought through injuries to have a productive season in 2020, he will be healthy again in 2021 and will dominate the interior. Xavier Thomas lost the entire 2020 season due to illness, but the former five star recruit is back in shape and could be a star at defensive end. In addition to the foursome listed, Clemson has talented depth like KJ Henry, Damonte Capehart and Ruke Orhorhoro to spell the starters. With elite talent and good depth the Tigers’ defensive line is talented enough to lead the way to another Championship season in 2021.

DJ Uiagalelei

The quarterback position is the most important one on the field and losing a player like Trevor Lawrence would normally be a cause for concern. Clemson is not in a normal situation, not only is DJ Uiagalelei a talented prospect is his own right but he had the opportunity to play in 2020 and performed very well. The true freshman started two games and appeared in eight others, completing over 66 percent of his passes at 7.8 yards per attempt with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. Of course there is room for growth, but his performance as a true freshman left little doubt that Uiagalelei was capable of winning big games at Clemson and would be a star for the Tigers. With a full off-season to get comfortable in the offense and prepare as the starter, this season is expected to be a big one for the Clemson QB.

Weapons in the Passing Game

The Tigers are losing their top three receivers from 2020 with Amari Rodgers, Cornell Powell and Travis Etienne off to the NFL, but they still have plenty of options in the passing game. First and foremost, Justyn Ross is expected to return from his injury this season. Ross is one of the the absolute best receivers in college football and would have been the teams top receiver in 2020 if he was healthy. EJ Williams showed promise as a true freshman and will likely see his role grow in 2021. Leading tight end Braden Galloway returns for another season and will provide a steady option over the middle in the passing game as well. Joe Ngata and Ajou Ajou are entering their third year with the team and both had impressive performances in this year’s spring game and will have their opportunities to make an impact. Despite the lost production from last season, Uiagalelei has plenty of talented options in the passing game this year.

Causes For Concern

The Offensive Line

Clemson’s offensive line was not great in 2020 and that unit lost starting left tackle Jackson Carman and starting center Cade Stewart. The Tigers will not only need to replace their best offensive lineman in Carman and their starting center, but they also need the returning starters to play better or for new starters to emerge. Clemson struggled against good defensive lines last year and it caused Trevor Lawrence to take too many hits and Travis Etienne had limited room to run. Clemson has a championship caliber roster in 2021, if the offensive line can hold up better than they did in 2020.

Replacing Big Stars

This preview has focused on how well situated Clemson is to replace a lot of their big stars that have left. Nonetheless, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Amari Rodgers and Jackson Carman were big stars for a reason. These players were leaders for the offense and had the ability to make plays that few players in college could. In addition to their on field contributions, there is a level of confidence teammates feel knowing that a player like Trevor Lawrence is taking the field with them. Until their replacements have had success in big games, there will be some concern about the big shoes being left by these four players. Of course, there is a big game against Georgia early in the season where new stars could make their own legacy.

2021 Schedule

Top 25 Players

2021 Projection

Clemson’s biggest game of the regular season will be the season opener against Georgia. Clemson is every bit as talented as Georgia and the game will likely be a close one. After that there are few teams on the schedule that can challenge the Tigers. North Carolina State is coming off a good season and returns a lot of their key players, but even on the road the Tigers will be a solid favorite in that game. In state rival South Carolina awaits to close the regular season, but the Gamecocks are rebuilding with a new coaching staff and shouldn’t be too much trouble for Clemson. The Tigers should be able to get to 11 wins and an undefeated regular season is very possible. Clemson will go to the ACC Championship game looking to punch their ticket for the College Football Playoff again in 2021.