ESPN ranks Clemson's defense among the nation's best
A lot of attention has been paid to new Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley's arrival. The former TCU and SMU OC comes to town with big expectations, but it may be on the other side of the ball where the Tigers take the biggest leap.
While Riley will make his Clemson debut this fall, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin will be entering his second season in control of the Clemson defense. Following Brent Venables was going to be tough no matter what, but a rash of injuries to the line and a lot of miscommunication in the secondary led to a sub-par season in 2022 by Clemson's lofty standards.
Tyler Davis, a grad senior, will be a central piece of Clemson's defense. (Clemson Athletics)
2022 may have been disappointing, but according to ESPN, with Goodwin entering his second season at the controls and a lot of returning talent, the Tigers should once again have one of the best defenses in the country. The ESPN staff ranked Clemson at No. 5 in their "best college football defenses" rankings, behind just Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, and Penn State.
Clemson should be much better defensively in 2023. The Tigers finished 22nd in scoring defense, giving up 20.9 points per game last year. Entering this fall, they have a bevy of upperclassmen back that should help eliminate the mistakes that plagued them in 2022.
Most attention will be paid to ILB's Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and deservedly so. Both backers will likely be All-ACC selections and will push for All-America. On the defensive line, the Tigers got a huge win this offseason when Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro decided to return. Add to that a talented freshman class that includes Peter Woods, and a veteran secondary, and Clemson should have all the ingredients needed for an elite defense.
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