South Florida vs. Clemson
Clemson has dealt with bit of controversy since losing to South Carolina in the last game of the regular season. Regular starting quarterback Kyle Parker was benched following a pick-six in the third-quarter of that game. He and Clemson Head Coach Dabo Sweeney had a heated exchange on the sidelines following that decision and Parker is not expected to return next season, choosing instead to focus on his baseball career. That is going to make this a much harder game for Clemson to dominate if they end up switching their quarterbacks half way through the game. Due to this, they need to lean on their running game, which has been led by Jaime Harper since Andre Ellington went down with a foot injury. In recent weeks Clemson has starting using more of a zone-blocking scheme in the running game, which Harper is not very experienced with and it shows. The extra practice should help him in some of the fundamentals. Harper has also been surprisingly unwilling to engage in contact for a back his size. That could be an issue against South Florida’s increasingly stingy run defense. Defensive Tackle Terrell McClain and defensive end Craig Marshall are physical up front, though Marshall can be overwhelmed on short yardage situations. On the other hand, he is a good pass rusher and will be in face of whoever is playing quarterback in this game. The Clemson quarterback(s) will need to take advantage of receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Jaron Brown, and tight end Dwayne Allen. Brown is a big-play threat an Allen challenges the middle every time he runs a route. If South Florida can get some pressure and cause confusion, they can make the Clemson offense one dimensional.
On the other side, South Florida’s offense has a great challenge laid before them. They are facing a strong defense. The Clemson defensive line, featuring Jarvis Jenkins, Andre Branch and Da’Quan Bowers, is extremely talented and disruptive. If South Florida’s offense line can’t control these players, neither the running nor the passing game will be able to get into rhythm. South Florida has tried to focus part of the offense on running the ball, but has had limited success when quarterback B.J. Daniels isn’t contributing. It’s not that runningbacks Moise Plancher and Demetris Murray are particularly bad; they just don’t fit in the scheme Skip Holtz favors. It’s part of the process when a team changes coaches. South Florida also has problems in the passing game, because they don’t have a game-breaking wide receiver or tight end. Instead, South Florida needs to spread the ball around to various receivers, preferably on quick passes, to loosen up deep coverage and give Daniels a little more space to work. As the coverage is tightening on the outside, there will be more opportunities for Daniels to run to the middle of the field. This is assuming that South Florida offensive line can handle the talented defensive line of Clemson. Clemson’s secondary is also talented, but more inconsistent. They’ll be helped by Daniels who is a less than stellar decision-maker, and if he’s pressured he is more likely to turn the ball over.
Prospects to Watch
South Florida
Craig Marshall – Defensive End/Outside Linebacker: Marshall brings good size and effort, but is somewhat limited as a player. He has a variety of moves he uses to get to the quarterback, but isn’t the fastest player off the ball. He also has a tendency to get overwhelmed by bigger offensive tackles in the run game, though he can set the edge when he uses good technique. He fits better as a pass rush specialist in a 3-4 than as a regular defensive end. His motor will attract some interest, but not before the 4th round.
Clemson
DeAndre McDaniel – Safety: McDaniel is a player that brings a lot of athleticism to the safety position. He has shown through his career at Clemson that he has great ball hawking skills and good, though not great, range. His has a big tall frame, which is going to make him harder to throw over when quarterbacks try to drop the ball in over his head. However, he might not have the speed to consistently match-up man-to-man and he has a tendency to peek in the backfield, leading to him getting caught on play-action passes. When you add that play-making potential to his solid ability in run defense, you have a complete safety that is going to get a shot in the second or third round.
Final Pick
Clemson – While I would normally never pick a team that has a question at their quarterback spot, this one is hard to pick against. Clemson’s defense is capable of dominating anyone they play. I’m just not of the opinion that South Florida will be to get enough offense going to win this game.
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