Clemson Tigers vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers Defensive Players to Watch

Here are three defensive players to watch for the Clemson Tigers and the Appalachian State Mountaineers before Saturday’s game.

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Wade Woodaz (17) tackles Georgia Bulldogs running back Branson Robinson (22) during the second quarter of the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Ken Ruinard - Imagn Images

The defenses for both No. 25 Clemson and Appalachian State will be well-tested when they face each other at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers (0-1) allowed 447 yards in total offense to No. 1 Georgia last week, with the Bulldogs gaining 169 on the ground and 278 through the air. The reality is that Clemson played a good first half defensively against the Bulldogs, giving up just six points, but were overwhelmed in the second half when ultimately allowed 34 points.

That puts Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin under a bit of a spotlight this week, though it isn’t nearly as glaring as it is for offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.

The Mountaineers (1-0) held East Tennessee to 10 points and 305 yards of total offense. If there’s an area of concern for Appalachian State defensive coordinator Scot Sloan it’s the 209 rushing yards his defense allowed. That may be an invitation for Clemson to try and establish their running back, Phil Mafah, early in this contest.

Here are three offensive players to watch for each team going into Saturday’s contest.

Clemson

LB Wade Woodaz

The Tampa, Fla., junior had a busy game to start the season as he finished with nine tackles on 60 snaps, including one for a loss and a special teams tackle. He can be used at both linebacker and safety.

This could be the year his game hits a new level. In two seasons he has 51 tackles (11.5 for loss), with 5.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.

CB Jeadyn Lukus

Lukus played more snaps than anyone against Georgia (62) and came away with seven tackles and a half-tackle for loss. The Mauldin, S.C., junior hasn’t put up the numbers other corners have in this defense, but that could change this season.

Why? Well, for one thing he set a career high in tackles on Saturday, so the Tigers are giving him some real usage.

Last year he played just 189 snaps in seven games and finished with 10 tackles and three pass breakups. He’s not a depth player anymore. He’s going to be a relied-upon part of this defense.

DL Peter Woods

No one got more face time in the Georgia backfield on Saturday than Woods, who had six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Not that it’s a surprise.

The Alabaster, Ala. sophomore was a Freshman All-American last year after he finished with 27 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a forced fumble in 12 games. He only started a pair of contests last year. The former five-star recruit looks like he’s ready for his close-up, so to speak.

Appalachian State

LB Kyle Arnholt

The redshirt junior from Roanoke, Va., led the Mountaineers with 10 tackles in their victory over ETSU. This could be the year his play really takes off.

Last season he played in all 14 games for Appalachian State and started half of them. But he only finished with 20 tackles and a sack. So Arnholt racked up 50% of his production from a year ago in one game. Granted, it was against an FCS team, but if the Mountaineers are going to use him that much, he’s going to have a good year.

OLB Thomas Davis

Clemson will need to have an eye on Davis, especially in pass protection. He only had four tackles against ETSU, but he had 1.5 sacks. He was the only Mountaineer to have more than one sack in the contest.

The redshirt junior was at Miami for two seasons, but he rarely got on the field. Last year with Appalachian State, the Valdosta, Ga., product had 29 tackle, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. With another year in the system, he should be ready to take his play to another level.

DE Kevin Verwayne-Abrams

He’s another pass rusher to watch. While Davis play an outside position that is strictly dedicated to rushing the passer, Verwayne-Abrams is a 260-pound redshirt senior with plenty of experience with the Mountaineers.

Last week he had five tackles, a quarterback hurry, a tackle for loss and a half-sack. He came on strong last year, as he started the final five games and finished the season with 17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Per Pro Football Focus, he tied for fourth on the team with 16 quarterback pressures.