:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61559739/1038061300.jpg.0.jpg)
Oh, you’re here? You want to read this article? Really? You must be a better fan than I. I didn’t even want to write this. If you’re looking for silver linings I’m afraid I can’t help you. The previous two losses each had something. A strong overall offensive performance against USF and a strong performance by the B-backs against Pitt. This game had none of that. Let’s get this over with.
Data By Play
| Play | Count | YPC | Success Rate | Stuff Rate | Opportunity Rate | Highlight Yards Per Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play | Count | YPC | Success Rate | Stuff Rate | Opportunity Rate | Highlight Yards Per Opp |
| Triple | 15 | 3.7 | 40.0% | 13.3% | 40.0% | 3.3 |
| Zone Dive | 1 | 3.0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Midline | 2 | 4.5 | 50.0% | 0.0% | 50.0% | 1.5 |
| Counter Opt | 10 | 3.9 | 20.0% | 50.0% | 30.0% | 11.5 |
| Ctr Spd | 1 | 3.0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Trap | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Belly | 3 | 3.0 | 33.3% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 1.5 |
| Rocket Toss | 2 | 0.5 | 50.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| QB Follow | 2 | 3.0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Speed | 13 | 3.8 | 15.4% | 23.1% | 23.1% | 7.2 |
| BB Toss | 1 | -5.0 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
I haven’t seen success rates this low since I was on Tinder. No play called more than twice had a success rate over 50%, and highlight yards were tough to come by. There was one good Speed Option, one good Triple, and one good Counter Option, but there were ultimately more fumbles than runs of 10 or more yards. FUMBLES. The Triple was the only play that had a semi-respectable success rate, and it wasn’t even really the triple. In order to facilitate a double-team against Clemson’s fearsome DL, there was no dive read, just a fake.
Tech fared much worse on its other high-volume plays. Tech ran the Triple, Speed Option, and Counter Option 10 times or more. Only the Triple had a Success Rate higher than it’s Stuff Rate. Yes, you read that correctly.
Opportunity rates were equally dismal, highlighting a plethora of blocking failures throughout the afternoon. Some can be credited to the prowess of the Clemson Defensive Line, but many others were the caused of missed assignments or poor execution in general. The blocking was simply awful, in both the run game and the pass game. With 4 Sacks, Clemson moved into a tie with the Georgia Tech Ethics Department for the Sacks lead on the Flats this season. The Georgia Tech Football team is still trying to catch up.
Data By Player
| Play | Count | YPC | Success Rate | Stuff Rate | Opportunity Rate | Highlight Yards Per Opp | Highlight yards | FBS Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play | Count | YPC | Success Rate | Stuff Rate | Opportunity Rate | Highlight Yards Per Opp | Highlight yards | FBS Season Total |
| Searcy | 3 | 2.3 | 33.3% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 13 | 13 | 59.5 |
| Oliver | 8 | 4.5 | 12.5% | 50.0% | 25.0% | 16.3 | 32.5 | 56 |
| Howard | 11 | 1.6 | 10.0% | 36.4% | 18.0% | 1.3 | 2.5 | 49.0 |
| Marshall | 22 | 2.9 | 36.4% | 22.7% | 31.8% | 1.8 | 12.5 | 132.5 |
| Lynch | 2 | 5 | 50.0% | 0.0% | 50.0% | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Mason | 5 | 6 | 40.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 17 | 17 | 115 |
| Cottrell | 2 | 0.5 | 50.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 3.5 |
Jerry Howard had a rough game, and very little of it was his fault. Given an opportunity rate of 18% on 11 carries, he was continually thrown into bad situations and predictably did nothing with them. Jordan Mason fared better, if only due to a single well-blocked Speed Option. Tobias Oliver actually led the team in highlight yards thanks to a long garbage time run. TaQuon Marshall still has the season lead for highlight yards, with Jordan Mason not far behind. Yet again, the A-backs are lagging, not being given the opportunities or volume of carries to amass meaningful yardage. Only one A-back, Qua Searcy, even has double-digit highlight yards. Ultimately, the issues of 2017 have resurfaced, and have somehow gotten worse.
At least next week will probably have better numbers. Bowling Green isn’t Clemson, and is also not in Kentucky, so put down the Bourbon. Side Note: What drink does a barrel of rum and sugar 3000 pounds make? I’m no cocktail expert, but the closest thing I could find was a simple Daiquiri if lime is added. If someone more.....ahem....experienced has the answer, I’d love to know.