Grading the defense at the bye week

When people think about Clemson, they think about the defensive line, which has not changed this season. As expected, this group is the best on the team and one of the best in the country. Clemson’s defensive line is dangerous, with a ton of talent scattered across the starters and the backups who regularly rotate into the game. The defensive line hasn’t been consistently dominant this season, but overall, they have still performed like one of the best in the country while dealing with injuries along the way. The defensive line’s effort this season has made nearly every team they’ve faced one dimensional, as the Tigers rank No.7 in the country in rushing defense, allowing just 87.9 yards per game. They also rank No.7 in tackles for loss, showing that the guys up front are stuffing plays in the backfield. The surprising struggle we’ve seen from this unit is actually in the pass rush. While they haven’t been bad, they’ve been inconsistent. Moments you’d expect the defensive line to dominate in situations such as the four-man rush; they’ve had their difficulties causing pressure which has led to offenses attacking the Tigers’ defense on quick, fast-paced throws. One of the main keys for this group will be health, as the team finally has their studs, Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis, K.J. Henry, Myles Murphy, and Xavier Thomas, all healthy and playing at a high level. While I expected more out of the defensive line up to this point, it is difficult to find many issues.

Grade: A-