The journey from the promised land of Athens, Georgia to Clemson, South Carolina is a short 73-miles. Let this serve as a reminder that paradise and misery are often proximately located. Back in August of 2013, an inspired group of young whippersnappers consisting of yours truly and our good friends Kritesh, AO, and Kyle had the courage to make the journey behind enemy lines to Clemson for the top 10 showdown between our Dawgs (#5 in the preseason AP poll) and the Tigers (#8 in the AP Poll).
This was the first game for the Dawgs following a heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship game, the first of several such losses to come over the following decade (it's too early in the season to revisit past traumas, but we will get there). I had grandiose plans to watch the game in Memorial Stadium, but the financial reality of being a broke, recent college grad quickly set in, and I settled for watching the game at the Mellow Mushroom on Tiger Boulevard. Because, apparently, BARS ARE NOT A THING in Clemson, South Carolina. In hindsight, that was probably the first bad omen for the night. Further confirmation came swiftly, as Malcolm Mitchell tore his ACL in the first quarter while celebrating Todd Gurley's opening rushing touchdown. The night ended with a painful 38-35 loss, despite a heroic effort from Gurley who finished the night with 154 yards (over 12 yards per carry).
Of course we did not know it at the time, but Clemson was about to launch into the most successful run in program history, while the Mark Richt era was nearing the beginning of the end. After the game, the fellas had our own set of challenges following a day of imbibing in the August heat. AO was separated from the group, later found asleep on the back patio of Mellow Mushroom by their staff. Kritesh and I reportedly took naps in a parking lot, using concrete wheel stops as pillows. This remains an allegation, due to lack of photo evidence. Suffice to say, it was a night to forget, and I took an oath that I would never return to Clemson. But, the trip left us with a lasting memory, one that makes the older millennials feel a hint of nostalgia as we flashback to the days when Facebook memes were just taking off.
Fast forward to the present day. The 2023 season was the first time since 2010 that Clemson did not win 10 games. Although Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has been written off by some college football pundits and likened to an old man yelling at clouds due to his limited use of the transfer portal, I'm not ready to write the obituary for the program. Clemson has the 5th most talented roster in college football according to the 2024 College Football Team Talent Composite created by our friends at 247 Sports. Your Georgia Bulldogs have the 2nd most talented roster by this ranking, and while there is a gap, I don't buy in to the narrative that Clemson is finished. The Dawgs are heavy favorites on Saturday; the 13.5 point spread is a tad disrespectful, in my opinion, and will certainly be a motivating factor for the Tigers on Saturday.
Dtru's nickels
In my typical weekly stream of consciousness, here are a few key position groups and players that I will be paying attention to on Saturday.
The Clemson defense returns a ton of production. Barrett Carter, T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, and DeMonte Capehart are part of the loaded Clemson front 7, and all four players landed on preseason All-ACC award teams. Carter and Woods are also part of several preseason All-American teams. How the Dawgs OL holds up in pass protection on Saturday is going to be critical, especially with a talented, but inexperienced, set of running backs serving as the last line of defense in passing situations.
Clemson OL- In Monday's presser, Coach Kirby Smart (long may he reign!) discussed that the Clemson OL has over 100 combined starts. In football, as in life, having experience does not always correlate directly to having success. And this group certainly struggled at times last season. But, I expect the unit to be improved in 2024 and it will benefit from better coaching, as former UGA OL coach Matt Luke is now in charge of the Tigers OL. A few names to watch include 2023 All-ACC Right Tackle Blake Miller, who is on the Outland Trophy Watchlist (given to the nation's top interior linemen). Walker Parks is on the Second Team All-ACC preseason list at Guard. And, despite not landing on any preseason lists, former 5-star recruit Tristan Leigh is the projected starter at left tackle. They will pave the way for Grayson High School alum and preseason Second-Team All-ACC running back Phil Mafah.
Cade Klubnik is back for his second full season as Clemson's starting QB. His first full season as Clemson's starter was inconsistent, and he finished the season ranked 80th nationally in QBR. Although much maligned in the CFB media, I can't rule out the possibility that Klubnik gets better in year 2 of the Garret Riley offense. The Clemson WR corps is deep, talented, and, most importantly for the Tigers, appears to be healthy. This group is led by returning starters Antonio Williams, Tyler Brown, and Adam Randall. In addition, the Cover 3 podcast (THE preferred college football podcast of Dtru's Dimes) discussed another pair of Clemson WRs, Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, several times this offseason as potential high impact freshmen. Clemson's success hinges on Klubnik's performance, and he has more weapons than ever before.
How do you go about replacing Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, et al? One catch at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and no single player has to shoulder the load alone for the Dawgs. There is PLENTY of returning talent with Dillon Bell, Dominic Lovett, Oscar Delp, Anthony Evans, plus newcomers Colbie Young (Miami transfer), London Humpreys (Vanderbilt transfer) and Ben Yurosek (Stanford transfer). There is no shortage of riches at the skill positions, and I am confident the Dawgs are going to be just fine here.
Last I checked, quarterback remains the most important position in the game. The Dawgs have the clear edge here with Carson Beck, until proven otherwise. If the Georgia OL consistently holds up the Clemson pass rush for a few seconds, Beck has the shown the ability to make quick decisions and avoid turnovers. Beck finished the 2023 season ranked 5th nationally in QBR, and gives the Dawgs a big advantage heading into the matchup.
Freak of the Week
Here at Dtru's Dimes, we are always evaluating new segments for the people. The Freak of the Week award will be arbitrarily to assigned to a player from the opposing team based on my biases. The obvious nominee for this week is Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter (another tragic example of the Gwinnett County to Clemson pipeline, which continues to remain a thorn in the side of the UGA staff). Carter is a former 5-star recruit and was voted to virtually every pre-season All American list, so there is no doubt he is a worthy recipient. However, I am going in a slightly different direction because I like to make things difficult for myself.
Peter Woods was very productive as a true freshman for Clemson in 2023. He was a bit undersized coming out of high school, but that no longer seems to be the case, as he is listed at 315 pounds. As you may know, my other nickname is Big Munch, partially due to gaining the freshman 15 every year of college, rather than abiding by traditional norms and only doing this the first year. Let the Big Dawg Eat! I have no choice but to respect this body transformation, but I digress. I don't love to throw out player comps, but I'm going to do it anyways. Woods might have the same upside and potential as former Dawg Jalen Carter, and he flashed the wrecking ball ability at times last year. Paired next to T.J. Parker coming off the edge, Woods is the critical piece of Clemson's formidable pass rush. It's going to be a battle in trenches on Saturday, but I am a big believer in the Dawgs OL and think we will have the upper hand in this matchup. Just don't be surprised if you see Woods get his a few times on Saturday.
It's almost Saturday in Atlanta. Dawgs by 9. See you there, Go Dawgs!
Dawgs on top!!! Clempsun gonna feel the bulldawg BITE