Clemson Football Preview, Best Players, Top Transfers, Season Prediction, Win Total 2024

Clemson College Football Preview 2024

Does Clemson require a tweak, a right break, a hug, an intervention, or all of the above?

The program that was 1B next to Alabama - or switch that around at times - during the mid-section of the four-team College Football Playoff era has hardly crashed compared to what normal programs do, but it took a wee step back.

And why? The little things.

The coaching staff that was such a constant started breaking up a bit, but that’s normal. Dabo Swinney famously isn’t into the transfer portal, but at times the team looked like it was one extra corner or two dangerous receivers away from that one extra step.

Clemson doesn’t have the margin for error now that it used to.

Three turnovers against Duke and Miami in losses, and two against NC State in the 24-17 defeat. If the kicking situation was right, the Tigers beat Florida State.

There. There are your four losses in a 9-4 season, and there’s a specific reason for all of them.

It’s not that Clemson isn’t good anymore; it’s that it doesn’t have that one extra gear now without getting those few extra missing pieces needed …

Maybe.

There’s something to be said for steadfastly believing in continuity.

Dabo might be a tad corny - okay, a lot corny - but loyalty means something at Clemson. Maybe this refusal to go along with the trends could be the right way to do things over the long haul.

Clemson would’ve been in an expanded College Football Playoff in seven of the last nine seasons and nine of the last 12. But it wouldn’t have been in two of the last three.

This year’s team is very good, the schedule - after the opener - is very workable, and Clemson is still College Football Playoff worthy. This is the year, though, that has to prove that it’s ready to be back among the true contenders again, and that starts with …

Clemson Football Preview 2024: Offense

- The Clemson offense has been a bit, let’s just say, lacking. There wasn’t any consistency, the passing game wasn’t as dominant as it should’ve been, and overall the attack managed 20 points or fewer five times.

But as always there’s lots to talent, plenty of good young parts, and there should be times when it all comes together and works great. Any improvement, though, starts with the offensive front.

Bad in pass protection, lousy in tackles for loss allowed, and not good enough for a running game that stalled a bit too much, it wasn’t a great season, but there’s hope in experience.

The tackle combination of Tristan Leigh and Blake Miller is back - they’re good - but the interior needs to be stronger.

Ryan Linthicum and guard Harris Sewell will try to replace center Will Putnam, There’s decent depth at guard to find the right fit. This bunch should be better, and …

- The running game is more effective than the overall stats. Will Shipley is done, but Phil Mafah led the team with 965 yards and 13 scores, with steady production throughout the season. He’s a tough 230-pound banger, Jay Haynes is a quick back who can move - the production should be there as he gets more work.

- Is this when Cade Klubnik turns into the superstar everyone has been waiting for? He was good last season - hitting 64% of his passes for 2,844 yards and 19 scores with four rushing touchdowns - but the protection was just okay and he didn’t have the receivers past Tiger greatest enjoyed.

There’s talent in the corps, and there’s experience. Beaux Collins left for Notre Dame, but leading receiver Tyler Brown is back after catching 52 passes, and TE Jake Briningstool is one of the ACC’s best midrange targets.

Freshmen TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco should matter, but overall there have to be more big plays.

Clemson Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The offense might have struggled, but the defense was every bit as nasty as expected. The plays in the backfield were there, the run defense was strong, and overall it finished eighth in the nation and first in the ACC allowing 288 yards per game. But …

- The great players on the defensive front are gone. Xavier Thomas, Tyler Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro, and Justin Mascoll are all done. It’s Clemson, so there’s lots of bulk and more good options ready to go.

Peter Woods is a big 315-pound option working inside or out, 320-pound DeMonte Capehart should be a load on the nose, and 315-pound Payton Page is another tough guy at tackle.

They all have to hold up to let pass rushing terror TJ Parker do his thing on the end - he made 12.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks.

Overall, the linebacking corps is really, really young, but it’s being led by a killer of a veteran. Barrett Carter might be the nation’s best linebacker.

He can do anything on the weakside - he should be in an NFL camp right now - and Kobe McCloud is a great young option ready to step in for Trotter in the middle. Wade Woodaz is a stat-sheet filler on the other side of Carter.

- The secondary has the potential to be one of the team’s biggest strengths. It would’ve been nice to have safety Andrew Mukuba around - he’s off to Texas - and star CB Nate Wiggins is a Baltimore Raven, but it’s all fine.

Safety RJ Mickens will be one of the team’s leading tacklers again, and Khalil Barnes - who led the team with three picks - won’t be far behind. The corners need more time logged in, and the veteran depth is almost non-existent, but Jeadyn Lukus and Avieon Terrell will grow more into the gigs.

Key To The Clemson Football Season

Where are the deep shots?
Clemson was really dead last in the ACC in yards per completion?

The Tigers averaged 9.83 yards per catch - it’s hard to not be past ten. Dinking and dunking worked for the time of possession battle, but it wasn’t fun. It’s not like the passing game wasn’t good - throwing for close to 3,000 yards and hitting 64% is good - but rarely did the attack take the top off the defense. So …

Clemson Key Player

Adam Randall, WR Jr.
Or any of the other Clemson receiver options - someone has to become a big play performer.

Randall is one of the oldest main players in the mix, and now he’s a likely option to start on the outside X position. He caught 22 passes for 250 yards last season, but with his 6-2, 225-pound size and good speed he has the talent to do a lot more.

Clemson Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: TJ Moore, WR Fr.
Clemson very, very famously doesn’t partake in the transfer portal, so the top recruit in the 2024 class goes here.

The 6-3, 190-pound Moore grew into one of the top recruits in the class somewhat late in the process. Smooth, and with good size and burst, he should be an instant part of the receiving corps somewhere on the inside.

Top Transfer Out: Andrew Mukuba, S Sr.
The Tigers took a few big hits, but they didn’t lose too many killers. Mukuba, though, is a big one. The star safety was third on the team in tackles last season and will soon be in the NFL as a dangerous all-around option. First he’s making a pit stop in Texas.

Clemson Key Game

Georgia, Aug. 31
Going to Florida State on October 5th will probably mean everything in the ACC race, and beating South Carolina always matters, but beating Georgia in Atlanta to kickoff the season would be a very, very big deal.

Is Clemson still a superpower worthy of being considered in the national title chase? If so, it needs to send a message here.

10 Best Clemson Football Players

1. Barrett Carter, LB Sr.
2. Blake Miller, OT Jr.
3. TJ Parker, DE Soph.
4. Phil Mafah, RB Sr.
5. Cade Klubnik, QB Jr.
6. Jake Briningstool, TE Sr.
7. Antonio Williams, WR Soph.
8. Tyler Brown, WR Soph.
9. Tristan Leigh, OT Jr.
10. RJ Mickens, S Sr.

Clemson 2023 Fun Stats

- 2nd Quarter Scoring: Clemson 132, Opponents 36

- Time of Possession: Clemson 33:19, Opponents 26:41

- Fumbles: Clemson 22 (lost 13), Opponents 19 (lost 12)

Clemson Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

How sharp will Clemson be?

If the team is playing like it’s capable of, it should win ten games. The Georgia game to open the season is a likely loss, and going to Florida State is dangerous, but there’s nothing else on the schedule to get into a twist over.

But like last year when it lost to Duke and Miami because of turnovers, there might be a game or two here and there that come from out of the blue.

Even so, this is still a good enough team to take care of most - if not all - of the home games against NC State, and Louisville, and there aren’t too many problems with the ACC road games against Wake Forest, Pitt, and Virginia Tech.

There’s no Miami or North Carolina to play, and there’s no Notre Dame to deal with, either. But Clemson misses a whole slew of games against winnable ACC teams. That shouldn’t matter, though, if this is the team it’s supposed to be.

It’s Clemson. It should be in the ACC Championship.

Set The Clemson Win Total At … 9

Likely Wins: Citadel, Stanford, Virginia

50/50 Games: Appalachian State, at Florida State, Georgia (in Atlanta), Louisville, NC State, at Pitt, Stanford, Virginia, at Virginia Tech, at Wake Forest

Likely Losses: No apparent sure-thing losses (although Georgia is close)

2024 Clemson Football Schedule

Aug 31 vs Georgia (in Atlanta)
Sept 7 Appalachian State
Sept 14 OPEN DATE
Sept 21 NC State
Sept 28 Stanford
Oct 5 at Florida State
Oct 12 at Wake Forest
Oct 19 Virginia
Oct 26 OPEN DATE
Nov 2 Louisville
Nov 9 at Virginia Tech
Nov 16 at Pitt
Nov 23 Citadel
Nov 30 South Carolina

Missing: Boston College, Cal, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, SMU, Syracuse