Clemson Finally Stopped Wake After Allowing Deacons to Run

With Hartman killing the Tigers in the RPO game, Goodwin was forced to switch things up.

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY Sports

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It was not pretty. It was not ugly. It was just awful.

That’s the best way to describe No. 5 Clemson’s defensive effort in Saturday’s 51-45 double-overtime victory over No. 21 Wake Forest at Truist Field.

The Demon Deacons racked 447 yards of offense, 337 of it from quarterback Sam Hartman, who threw six touchdown passes and completed 20 of 29 passes. Clemson’s defensive backs were also called for four pass interference penalties and one personal foul.

“We found a way to get the win, right,” said a happy Wes Goodwin, Clemson’s defensive coordinator. “Congrats, obviously, to our guys. The true character of this football team was displayed out here today. Just the grit, the relentless effort, just playing physical and laying it all on the line.”

The Tigers (4-0, 2-0 ACC) finally got the win when cornerback Nate Wiggins batted down Hartman’s final pass of the afternoon in the Clemson end zone on fourth-and-six from the Clemson 21-yard line.

“Obviously, it was really ugly from a defensive standpoint, but we found a way to get one more play and win the game,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin was right. When it mattered the most, Clemson’s defense did stand up and make the plays they needed to.

On Wake Forest’s last possession of regulation, it moved the football to its own 47 and appeared to be driving towards a game-winning field goal. But on the next play, defensive tackle Tyler Davis broke through and hit running back Justice Ellison for a three-yard loss.

On the next play, Davis teamed up with defensive end Myles Murphy to sack Hartman for a four-yard loss. Hartman’s third-down pass to tight end Blake Whiteheart covered just 12 yards and the Deacons were forced to punt, ultimately sending the game into overtime.

After both teams scored to force a second overtime period, Clemson took its 51-45 lead on a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei to tight end Davis Allen.

Now it was the defense’s time to win the game, and they did.

After Davis stopped Ellison for no gain on first down, Hartman’s second-down pass was knocked down by Bryan Bresee, before scrambling for four yards on third. Facing fourth-and-six from the Clemson 21, Wake’s veteran quarterback threw a ball to his top target, wide receiver A.T. Perry, in the Clemson end zone. But Wiggins was there to bat the ball down and seal Clemson’s 10th straight victory.

“We just went four-man rush and played Cover 2 on both of those snaps,” Goodwin said. “Just gave us an opportunity with those guys up front to go win and create some rush and stuff. I was just trying to put us in the best position pass coverage wise, as well.

“Our guys responded and played it out.”

Though Clemson gave up some rushing yards in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Tigers took their linebackers off the line and played zone. It was one of those “pick your poison” moments for the Clemson defense.

It was either let Hartman and his receivers continue to burn Clemson’s secondary. Or drop two of his linebackers into coverage and hope his defensive line can hold up against the run.

“We went to playing the run with a gap short, just trying to hold off the RPO windows and stuff,” Goodwin said. “Whenever that quarterback puts it in (the mesh), he is watching that free safety. If he triggers, they are throwing in behind him. If he stays high, they are handing it off.

“So, that was kind of the adjustment. ‘Hey, we are going to make them hand it off and just be really patient.’ There were some runs that (got) through there, but sometimes you have to give up one to be able to scratch where the head itches.”