Closer Look: Grading Clemson's performance against Tennessee in Orange Bowl

Joseph Ngata was the top graded offensive player for the Tigers in Miami Gardens.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Mon Jan 02 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson’s 2022 campaign ended on a sour note in the Orange Bowl with a second double-digit point loss as a favorite this season.

Taking a closer look at the performance with the aid of Pro Football Focus:

Offense

Grade notes: Freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik was greeted in his first career start with Clemson’s worst grade this season for pass blocking (46.5). It was the worst for the program since the opener against Georgia in 2021 (37.6). PFF graded center Will Putnam (39.9), guard Walker Parks (42.9) and right tackle Blake Miller (46.2) sub-50 in pass blocking against the Vols.

Despite topping 100 plays, the overall offensive mark (64.4) ranked in the bottom-4 grades of the year, along with the other two losses (54.7 at Notre Dame; 64.2 versus South Carolina) and the NC State game (63.3).

The passing game grade (62) was also the fourth-lowest, while the run game was graded among the four best performances of the year (78).

Klubnik - He logged his only double-digit dropback games back-to-back to close the season and over 60% of this season's dropbacks came in this game (64-of-99). In those tries, Klubnik was graded pretty low (63.3) with a career-high, two big-time throws by PFF's eye but also a career-high, three turnover-worthy plays. When kept clean, he connected on 62.9% of those throws for 217 yards, but while under pressure, the former 5-star prospect was graded at 43.7 with a 36.8 completion rate for 88 yards and both interceptions. Klubnik was sacked three of the four times without the Volunteers even blitzing.

WR Joseph Ngata - He led Clemson grades-wise (70) with eight catches in 10 targets for 84 yards.

Miller - The freshman started game 14-of-14 this season and posted a 85.6 run blocking grade to help offset some pass-blocking issues.

RB Phil Mafah - Mafah led Clemson efficiency-wise rushing (5.6 YPC) and also paced the offense in pass blocking grade (80).

Defense

Grade notes: The Tigers took on a depleted-but-dangerous Tennessee attack and graded the third-worst overall this season (71.1) with no exceptional efforts as a unit, ranking in the bottom-4 of the season against the run (68.1) and in coverage (68.6).

Defensive MVP: LB Barrett Carter

Carter did post a phenomenal grade (88.3) with a sack, QB hurry, batted pass, seven solo tackles and a lone catch in three targets his way allowed for four yards.

DL Ruke Orhorhoro - Orhorhoro suffered a season-low grade (47.4) over 34 snaps.

DL Payton Page - Page made the most of more playing time (24 snaps) for a career-best tally (79.2).

DL Bryan Bresee - Bresee grabbed his third sack of the season and tallied two hurries as well for his fourth-best graded effort of the year (72.6). He lined up for all but three of his snaps as a defensive end.

LB Jeremiah Trotter - PFF dinged Trotter on run defense (43.3) but he led the team in stops (6).

DBs Toriano Pride and Andrew Mukuba - With Sheridan Jones out, these two were targeted eight times each, with every pass completed on Mukuba for 107 yards and a score and Pride giving up six catches for 93 yards and a score – also tallying a pass breakup.