Playing time breakdown and PFF grades for Clemson-Georgia Tech

Clemson posted some of its best grades in the run game versus Georgia Tech.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Mon Nov 13 17:11:03 GMT-04:00 2023

Taking a look at the playing time and notable Pro Football Focus grades position by position from the 42-21 win over Georgia Tech.

Offense

(The number by a player's name initially is the game's snap count. The snaps are all offensive and defensive snaps and do not count special teams. Snap totals for scholarship players and depth chart members are listed in the feature. The entire participation report is attached below.)

(PFF grades tend to run lower than school grades, so high 80 grades are on the high end, and it's a harsher grade below 60 or so).

PFF unit performance grades: Offense - 71.9; Passing - 63.4; Pass blocking - 79.3; Receiving - 63.3; Running - 77.9; Run blocking - 64.6.

QB: Cade Klubnik 70, Hunter Helms 9, Christopher Vizzina 4, Paul Tyson NS. Notes: With the bulk of the big plays from the ground game, Klubnik only connected on five passes that went 15 yards or more and attempted zero passes of over 20 yards. In the red zone, Clemson had a 100% TD rate for the first time this season, with all four being passing touchdowns from Klubnik. He was 5-of-6 passing for 30 yards in the red zone. With a clean pocket, Klubnik tallied three of his touchdowns and his lone interception with a 6.4 yards per pass average (75.6 grade). He was under pressure for 28.2% of his dropbacks with a 45.1 grade and a 4.6 yards per pass average.

RB: Will Shipley 36, Phil Mafah 33, Domonique Thomas 9, Keith Adams Jr. 6, Jarvis Green NS, Jay Haynes NS. Notes: Armed with All-ACC running back Will Shipley back in the lineup, Clemson posted its top run grade versus a Power 5 opponent this season (77.9). Shipley had his top run grade versus a Power 5 foe this season as well (74.1) and also strong marks in the pass game (69.1) and pass blocking (70). Mafah’s best grade came in a few pass-blocking snaps (75.6; 3), and he added three missed tackles forced and 70 yards after contact in his 17 rushes.

WR: Beaux Collins 56, Tyler Brown 52, Troy Stellato 44, Adam Randall 35, Hamp Greene 15, Ronan Hanafin 12, Hampton Earle 5, Noble Johnson 3, Clay Swinney ST, Antonio Williams* NS. Notes: Brown posted his best performance (71.4 grade) since the Syracuse game with seven catches in seven targets and one spectacular one-handed TD. Collins led the receiver group PFF grades-wise (72.5), his second-best of the season (81.2 vs. Charleston Southern the leader).

TE: Jake Briningstool 56, Josh Sapp 18, Olsen Patt-Henry 10, Sage Ennis* 9, Markus Dixon NS. Notes: Sapp stepped in with Ennis going down to injury (torn ACL) and led the group in PFF grade (76.7), scoring one of those four red-zone TD catches.

OL: Blake Miller 70, Tristan Leigh 70, Will Putnam 64, Harris Sewell 44, Collin Sadler 43, Trent Howard 39, Mitchell Mayes 32, Ryan Linthicum 19, Zack Owens 10, Dietrick Pennington 6, Bryn Tucker 6, Ian Reed* NS. Notes: Clemson’s O-line shuffling continued with only Miller and Leigh hitting the 70-snap mark and a sizable snaps gap after Putnam at center with mixing and matching at guard among Sewell, Sadler, Howard, Mayes, Owens and Pennington. Sadler returned to the lineup from injury and paced the Clemson offense in PFF grade (85.1; 90 run blocking). Miller was the top starter (77.1), while Howard was on the low end in that group (51.7).

Defense

PFF unit performance grades: Defense - 73.8; Run defense - 63.7; Tackling - 60.5; Pass rush - 65.4; Coverage - 80.6.

ED: Xavier Thomas 28, AJ Hoffler 25, Justin Mascoll 23, Jahiem Lawson 23, TJ Parker 19, Cade Denhoff 14, Zaire Patterson NS, David Ojiegbe NS. Notes: Nothing remarkable grades-wise with this group. Mascoll returned after getting injured at Miami on Oct. 21, and he was able to log a sack.

DL: Ruke Orhorhoro 32, Tyler Davis 30, DeMonte Capehart 25, Payton Page 24, Peter Woods 22, Caden Story 13, Tré Williams NS, Stephiylan Green NS. Notes: Capehart’s strong effort in 10 snaps versus Notre Dame earned more playing time this week, and he didn’t disappoint, leading the Clemson D-line in PFF grade (73.1) and tying for the most pressures (3) with one sack. Woods (72.5) and Davis (71.9) paced the D-line in rush defense grade.

LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. 43, Wade Woodaz 34, Dee Crayton 23, Jamal Anderson 20, Kobe McCloud 18, Barrett Carter* NS. Notes: With Carter sidelined, Crayton performed the best of the reserve linebackers called on for more snaps (67.6 grade; 78.6 on tackling; 71.5 in coverage), while McCloud (50.8) and Anderson (50.2; missed tackle, 2/2 passing on him for 44 yards) were on the lower end.

DB: Avieon Terrell 50, Andrew Mukuba 49, Khalil Barnes 48, Kylon Griffin 40, Shelton Lewis 40, Nate Wiggins 33, RJ Mickens 23, Myles Oliver 9, Toriano Pride ST, Branden Strozier NS, Rob Billings NS, Kylen Webb NS, Jalyn Phillips* NS, Jeadyn Lukus* NS, Tyler Venables* NS. Notes: Lewis started initially ahead of Wiggins (accountability points), but he made a name for himself in his own right with a defense-leading 90.1 grade that included a lengthy pick-six, two QB hurries and also multiple pass breakups in eight targets his way – allowing 38 yards and a 13.5 QB rating. The next three in PFF grade were also in the secondary with Barnes (75.5), Mukuba (74.5) and Mickens (73.2) and two more made the Top 8 (Griffin - 71.2; Terrell - 67.9).

Players listed as out for the game (based on that week’s depth chart): CB Sheridan Jones, WR Brannon Spector.

Players listed as out for the season: TE Sage Ennis, S Sherrod Covil Jr., DL Vic Burley, WR Cole Turner, OG Walker Parks, WR Misun Kelley, OL John Williams.

ST - Special teams-only

NS - No snaps listed

* Been noted as injured by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.