Why Duke is a perfect, but dangerous, opening-game opponent for Clemson football's secondary
CLEMSON – Clemson’s last lines of defense need a do-over.
The Tigers’ defensive secondary wasn’t exactly the worst in college football last season, but it was considerably closer to being the worst than it was to being the best, and that’s not a good thing.
In fact, breakdowns in the secondary were largely responsible for season-ending losses against South Carolina and Tennessee.
“We’ve got to be better with our pass defense,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has repeated on multiple occasions this spring, summer and fall.
No question there.
Clemson’s secondary ranked 76th nationally in passing yards allowed per game, 87th in pass completion percentage allowed and 70th in passing touchdowns allowed. The secondary also surrendered 48 pass plays covering 20 yards or more, which ranked 106th out of 126 FBS teams.
It represented quite a turnabout for the Tigers, who in recent years had made a habit of victimizing their opponents with a steady diet of big plays in the passing game.
Clemson’s defenders won’t have to wait long to find out if they have sufficiently shined up on the back end.
Monday night’s season opener at Duke will provide an early test and barometer for a secondary that to a person contends they’re intent on making amends for last year’s subpar performance.
“We’re all on the same page and that’s definitely important because when we think alike that’s gonna eliminate the big plays and the busted coverages,” junior nickel back Andrew Mukuba said.
Duke, coming off a nine-win season, has ample offensive weapons to throw at the Tigers and Swinney has embraced that prospect.
“We need to see where we are,” Swinney said.
Facing off against a Blue Devils offense engineered by dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard, who’s the most underrated and overlooked quarterback in the ACC, will help reveal where “we are.”
WHATABURGER MAN: Clemson football's Andrew Mukuba may be from Texas but he picks Whataburger over brisket
Where Clemson’s secondary was last season was largely out of position and looking at the backsides of opposing receivers en route to the end zone, or at least making large gains.
The Tigers’ secondary was particularly porous in an Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee as quarterback Joe Milton III, making just his second start for the Vols, torched the Tigers for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
Earlier in the season the Tigers surrendered six touchdown passes to Sam Hartman, whom come November the Tigers will face for a fifth time in six years after his transfer to Notre Dame.
But Hartman is far from the lone opposing quarterback capable of giving Clemson’s secondary fits. The Tigers also face ACC Preseason Player of the Year Drake Maye of North Carolina, Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, NC State’s Brennan Armstrong, and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler over the course of the regular season.
Some of Clemson’s coverage shortcomings last season were attributable to injuries, but whatever the culprit, it’s imperative that Clemson’s secondary show dramatic improvement.
Beginning Monday night.
Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football secondary will get early test in opener at Duke
