Wake Forest Football: Clemson Team Overview
Wake Forest survived a shootout with the Liberty Flames this past weekend, winning only 37-36. In a performance that Sam Hartman will look to build on, the Wake offense faltered during the third quarter, going scoreless to Liberty’s 15. Off to a 3-0 start, Wake enters their most anticipated game of the season against Clemson. In Wake’s first ACC test, the team must limit their mistakes to stand a chance against the Tigers.
Let’s take a look at the Clemson Tigers.
Wake Forest and Clemson have faced off 87 times — this matchup dates back to 1933. As members of the ACC Atlantic division, Clemson and Wake Forest face off on a yearly basis, but that will come to an end with the new pod system beginning next season. Clemson holds a 13-game win streak (2009-2021) over Wake Forest.
Wake Forest has not fared very well against Clemson in recent history, losing the last four matchups by at least three touchdowns. However, as Wake has garnered greater national relevance, a more balanced battle is expected this year. With an improved defense under defensive coordinator Brad Lambert and a proven offense, Wake has a chance to make history on Saturday.
READ: Dave Clawson Recaps Liberty, Looks Ahead To Clemson
Clemson in 2022:
Off to an undefeated start through three games, Clemson begins a five-game stretch of conference play this weekend at Wake. Having beat Georgia Tech, Furman and Louisiana Tech all by 23 or more points, the Tigers have not had much competition yet.
Offense:
The Clemson Tigers were inept on offense for the majority of last season, lacking the talent of Trevor Lawrence under center. Unable to get the offense rolling, DJ Uiagalelei finished the season with more interceptions than passing touchdowns. Uiagalelei has done his job so far in 2022, though, throwing for 662 yards and five touchdowns on a 64.8% completion rate, a significant improvement from last season. If his play falters, though, look for the highly-touted freshman Cade Klubnik to be given an opportunity.
Will Shipley headlines the backfield for the Tigers. Having rushed for 739 yards and 11 touchdowns in his freshman campaign, Shipley is proving to be one of the elite backs in the ACC. Averaging 7.8 yards per carry this season with a total of 249 yards, expect Shipley to cause some issues for the Wake Forest defense.
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The receiving room remains mostly intact from 2021. Justyn Ross signed as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs. This season, they are led by the trio of 6’3” sophomore Beaux Collins, 6’3” senior Joseph Ngata, and 5’11” freshman Antonio Williams. Collins currently leads the room with 158 yards and three touchdowns through the first three games.
The fate of the offense lies with Uiagalelei. If he continues to play with a chip on his shoulder, Clemson could make noise this year. However, if he reverts back to his 2021 form, Clemson may be in trouble.
Defense:
With first-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin running the show, the Tigers have only allowed 14 points per game through three contests. Despite a dominant 2021 season, the Clemson defense was not given much credit due to the lackluster offense. Ranking as the second-best scoring defense in the nation and eighth overall, replicating last season’s performance will give the Tigers a shot at a championship bid.
Owning one of the top defensive lines in the country, defensive tackle Bryan Bresee was the No. 1 recruit in the 2020 class, and it showed last season. Bresee was named a third-team All-ACC selection, despite playing in four games. Pair Bresee with defensive end Myles Murphy and the Clemson defensive line is nearly unstoppable. Murphy is at the top of many NFL draft boards and had great success in his 2021 campaign, netting 43 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks — he’s a monster on the edge. Wake Forest’s offensive line will be put to the test come Saturday with those two players facing them on the opposite side.
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The Tigers lose their top two tacklers from 2021 — linebacker James Skalski graduated and Baylon Spector is now in the NFL. Filling the hole for Skalski and Spector is junior Trenton Simpson, who currently leads the Tigers in tackles with 19. Simpson finished last season with 65 tackles, six sacks, and two pass deflections.
The secondary has a lot of production to replace from 2021 with the losses of cornerbacks Andrew Booth Jr. and Mario Goodrich to the NFL. The son of former Clemson defensive coordinator Brett Venables, Tyler Venables has filled the position well, leading the group with 16 tackles.
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Sam is a contributing football writer for Deacons Daily