Stand up and fight or tap out? Clemson defense chose to fight

Bryan Bresee (11) celebrates the safety that sealed the victory. (Photo courtesy ACC)

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Sun Nov 01 12:01:02 GMT-04:00 2020

CLEMSON – Facing an 18-point deficit and on the verge of being beaten in the regular season for the first time since 2017, the Clemson Tigers – and especially the defense – had a decision to make: stand up and fight or tap out.

Clemson’s defense gave up 209 total yards, including 161 yards through the air, and had a host of errors as the Tigers trailed Boston College 28-13 after the first half Saturday at Death Valley.

Clemson’s defense emerged from the locker room to play on a mission in the second half and held Boston College scoreless and to just 66 yards on 30 plays. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said there wasn’t a magic formula, however.

“Just on the right side of it. In the first half, we couldn't get out of our own way at times, that was obvious,” Venables said during his postgame interview. “They executed with precision. We had some opportunities to make some plays on those first couple of drives and we didn't get our head around, lost leverage and let the guy run away from us. We're hitting him as he threw and he drops a dime.

“The ball fumbles up in the air, we tip it and they catch it. We jump offsides - we had three first-half offsides. Not very disciplined there. We got a chance on a 16-play drive that they converted a number of critical situations. We get a pick and then we get a roughing (the passer). It was just a calamity of errors - not really mental errors, just some fundamental things that we've got to do better and we did better in the second half.

“Just a little bit more precise. We talked about finishing plays and really take it one play, one drive at a time. We just played a little bit cleaner. We've still got a million things to be better at. Really it's some coverage, technique, positioning. They had a couple of new wrinkles. We came in and made a couple of adjustments that were pretty simple. We played a little better.”

Venables said the coaches challenged their players’ will.

“We challenged them at halftime. It was real, live fork in the road. It was just a bite-down mentality. Our guys came out ready to play,” Venables said. “I do think that Boston College and their precision, I don't know what it was. They did some good things. They did a good job attacking leverage and we didn't do a good job of playing with leverage. That was fun to watch. We really grew up. It's a young group of guys that really grew up today.

“That strain is going to be very beneficial for us. We're down a few guys. I thought the guys who were able to step in for them really grew up and we're going to be a better defense because of that. Any time your back is against the wall like that and you find a way. It wasn't like we had all of these magical calls in the second half, I think our guys decided, 'You know what? We're going to have a will to win, a will to fight, a will to compete.’”

That will was never more evident than when freshman defensive tackle Bryan Bresee fought through the Eagles’ offensive line to force a safety late in the game.

“Boy, how about (Bryan) Bresee? He had the two-point takedown there in endzone - sheer will,” Venable said. “I think he whooped two or three guys to get himself in that position. We just played a little cleaner. We did a better job creating some disruption up front and willing to give up some of the run game at times to have a little more flexibility with what we were doing in the backend.”