Venables believes defense has improved

Venables’ expectations for his new-look defense is still sky-high even though the Tigers will have to replace seven starters
Venables believes defense has improved
Venables believes defense has improved /

CLEMSON—Clemson Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables joined the Tigers in 2012 following a 2011 season in which the Tigers ranked 71st and total defense and 81st in scoring defense. In his seven seasons with the Tigers, he’s turned the unit into a perennial Top 10 finisher.

The Tigers have ranked in the Top 10 in the country in total defense in all five seasons of the College Football Playoff era and has ranked among the Top 10 in scoring defense in four of those campaigns.

Yet, for all of the success Venables’ defenses had produced in his Clemson tenure, the 2018 unit accomplished a first in school history, leading the country in scoring defense for the first time in program annals by allowing only 13.1 points per game.

It is because of his pedigree that when Venables speaks people listen.

This spring, his voice was needed more than at any time in his time with the Tigers because the Tigers were forced to replace seven starters off their defense from last season. But even with the players they lost, Venables’ expectations for his new-look defense is still sky-high.

“I have been (counting the players lost), at least I was going into the spring,” Venables said. “But no man, they're a fun group. They like to practice. They really, they let me coach them hard. My expectation is never higher than theirs and so that makes it easy. It really does. The last group of guys and the guys before them, they've done a terrific job of nourishing the culture that you want at that position.

“And again, the responsibility that comes with it, it's very clear what that vision looks like and one that these guys are just taking and running with. So been super pleased with their commitment and their leadership that they've provided throughout the spring.”

If Venables has been “super pleased” with his new defense through the spring, one thing is certain—they still have a lot of work to do between now and Aug. 29, when the Tigers’ take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their opening game.

“Some days and some players and some positions it's been more than others, and you know a day or two there is some regression with an individual,” Venables said. “That’s part of, again, the growth. When you take a step back to take three or four steps forward. And again, by and large, I really believe that everybody got a little bit better in different areas.

“We're improved from where we were, whether it's knowledge or fundamentals or big picture understanding, little picture understanding, how to get in a stance. We've got some guys that haven't played football very long and so sometimes it showed.”

If there is one thing that he is looking for out of his group heading into the summer workouts—when the players will be on their own with only their teammates to hold them accountable—it is that they simply continue the progress that they need.

“I’m looking for guys really to run and play with passion, that tackle with passion, tackle with toughness. Know where to line up, put your eyes in the right place, do a great job communicating,” Venables said. “You're going into the summer, you're really feeling good about the progress that you've made. But those are some non-negotiables, getting lined up, communicating, playing physical.

‘I think it's a group that cares and knows how to work and have continued to bring a toughness that you got to have at that position and the accountability that goes with that position, to be the, again, the extension of me to the rest of the defense. And they are all a group of guys that value and respect that opportunity and that responsibility.”


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Zach Lentz
ZACH LENTZ

The home for Clemson Tiger sports is manned by Zach Lentz, the 2017 South Carolina Sports Writer of the Year and author of “The Journey to the Top”—which reached No.1 on Amazon.com’s best seller list for sports books. Zach has covered the Clemson program for 10 years and in that time has devoted his time to bringing Clemson fans the breaking stories, features, game previews, recaps and information that cannot be found anywhere else.