Passing game must power Clemson through Week 1

CLEMSON — In the regular-season game against Notre Dame last fall, D.J. Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards and two touchdowns, posting a QBR of 89.2 and averaging 9.98 yards per throw. Meanwhile, the Tigers rushed for just 34 yards in the 47-40 overtime loss. The passing game led the way.

Using spread formations and attacking defenses vertically and horizontally with the passing game has been the way to go recently in college football. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney believes that evolution started at the high school level.

“High school football changed everything,” Swinney told reporters during training camp. “Everybody wants to put the ball in the air. You’ve got 7-on-7s all over the country, and I think that’s what’s changed it. It became a little bit more of a space game, and you’ve seen that because that’s your recruiting base. You’ve seen the colleges change and then the NFL’s recruiting base is the colleges, so you see the same thing at the next level.”

Looking ahead to the contest with Georgia on Labor Day weekend, playing in space appears to be Clemson’s best method of operation going against a Kirby Smart defense. The Bulldogs are fresh off consecutive top-two finishes nationally in yards per rush allowed. The Bulldogs are elite at stopping the run. However, UGA likes to play a good amount of man coverage on the outside and is not afraid to send pressure with a variety of blitz designs. That could give Clemson a numbers advantage on the perimeter.

With a re-tooling offensive line and questions about how the running back situation will shake out, Clemson could go very pass-heavy to begin the year. Georgia is dealing with some injuries in the secondary and must replace both starting cornerbacks from last season who are now in the NFL.

Add that in with some of the strengths of Clemson’s offense, and the blueprint should be clear. The Tigers need to spread the ball out, create matchups with Justyn Ross, and lean on Uiagalelei’s powerful and accurate right arm.

“You’re going to play to the strengths that you have,” said Swinney. “With all the year-round 7-on-7 and so forth, the development of quarterbacks and the skill (talent) that’s just what changed everything.”

That evolution should be on full display next weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tigers have talented wide receivers to utilize, teaming with flex tight end Braden Galloway, they could provide many problems for Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning.

Expect the Tigers to air it out with the passing game in the top-five matchup.