Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1316443
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com DEC. 19, 2020 37 team twice in a row and two times in one season? In his 13th year at Clemson, head coach Dabo Swinney has cemented his place among the college coaching elite. Swinney's Tigers have won at least 12 games in each of the last five seasons, the longest streak of the modern era and only two shy of the seven straight that Penn enjoyed from 1892-98. Swinney holds the postseason hardware that Kelly still seeks. Advantage: Even INTANGIBLES With two national championships in the last four seasons, the Tigers know winning. In any previous year, Clemson would be a prohibitive favorite, but the vibe is different this time around. Based on the eye test and its production profile, this Notre Dame team can play with anyone. Even with a loss to Clemson, it stands a great chance to still be invited into the College Football Playoff. Essential keys for Notre Dame to beat Clemson in the first matchup were to start fast, control the line of scrimmage on both sides and win the turn- over battle. It accomplished all three. That trifecta checklist remains the same for this game. Notre Dame ranks second in the country in third- down conversions defense and 10th in third-down conversion offense. In the first meeting, the Irish held Clemson to just 4 of 15 on third down. Clemson has the revenge motive — but Notre Dame is hungry to prove Nov. 7 wasn't a fluke. Advantage: Even GAME PREVIEW: ACC CHAMPIONSHIP Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LT 79 Jackson Carman 6-5 335 Jr. 64 Walker Parks 6-5 295 Fr. LG 65 Matt Bockhorst 6-4 315 R-Jr. 57 Paul Tchio 6-5 300 Fr. C 62 Cade Stewart 6-3 305 Gr. 54 Mason Trotter 6-2 280 R-Fr. RG 56 Will Putnam 6-4 300 So. 52 Tayquon Johnson 6-2 340 R-Fr. RT 71 Jordan McFadden 6-2 300 R-So. 77 Mitchell Mayes 6-3 300 Fr. TE 88 Braden Galloway 6-4 240 Jr. 84 Davis Allen 6-6 250 So. WR 17 Cornell Powell 6-0 210 5th-Sr. 11 Ajou Ajou 6-3 215 Fr. QB 16 Trevor Lawrence 6-6 220 Jr. 5 D.J. Uiagalelei 6-4 250 Fr. RB 9 Travis Etienne 5-10 205 Sr. 23 Lyn-J Dixon 5-10 195 Jr. WR 3 Amari Rodgers 5-10 210 Sr. 22 Will Swinney 5-9 185 Sr. WR 6 E.J. Williams 6-3 190 Fr. or 13 Brandon Spector 6-1 195 R-Fr. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. DE 5 K.J. Henry 6-4 255 R-So. or 7 Justin Mascoll 6-3 255 R-So. DT 13 Tyler Davis 6-2 300 So. 33 Ruke Orhororo 6-4 295 So. DT 11 Bryan Bresee 6-5 300 Fr. or 59 Jordan Williams 6-4 310 R-Jr. or 44 Nyles Pinckney 6-1 300 Gr. DE 98 Myles Murphy 6-5 275 Fr. 3 Xavier Thomas 6-2 270 Jr. SLB/NB 6 Mike Jones Jr. 6-0 220 R-So. 22 Trenton Simpson 6-3 225 Fr. or 12 Tyler Venables 5-10 200 Fr. MLB 47 James Skalski 6-0 240 Gr. 15 Jake Venables 6-2 235 R-So. WLB 10 Baylon Spector 6-2 230 Gr. 30 Keith Maguire 6-2 230 R-Fr. or 42 LaVonta Bentley 6-0 235 R-Fr. CB 1 Derion Kendrick 6-0 190 Jr. or 31 Mario Goodrich 6-0 190 Jr. SS 36 Lannden Zanders 6-1 200 So. 16 Ray Thornton III 6-1 205 R-Fr. FS 24 Nolan Turner 6-1 205 5th-Sr. 18 Joseph Charleston 6-0 190 So. CB 26 Sheridan Jones 6-0 185 So. or 23 Andrew Booth Jr. 6-0 195 So. CLEMSON DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PK 29 B.T. Potter 5-10 180 Jr. 41 Jonathan Weitz 5-11 190 R-Fr. P 48 Will Spiers 6-5 225 5th-Sr. 39 Aidan Swanson 6-3 180 R-Fr. KO 29 B.T. Potter 5-10 180 Jr. 39 Aidan Swanson 6-3 180 R-Fr. LS 46 Jack Maddox 6-3 235 R-Jr. 52 Tyler Brown 6-0 220 Gr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. H 22 Will Swinney 5-9 185 Sr. 48 Will Spiers 6-5 225 5th-Sr. PR 3 Amari Rodgers 5-10 210 Sr. 1 Derion Kendrick 6-0 190 Jr. KR 19 Michel Dukes 5-10 205 So. or 9 Travis Etienne 5-10 205 Sr. Special Teams Fifth-year senior linebacker Baylon Spector paced the Tigers in total tackles (62) and sacks (3.5) during the regular season. PHOTO BY BART BOATWRIGHT, THE CLEMSON INSIDER/COURTESY ACC