For the second consecutive season, No. 4 Clemson opted not to release an official depth chart ahead of its highly-anticipated season-opener against a perennial SEC power. Last year it was against Georgia. This year it’s LSU. And don’t expect any sort of apology from Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney. He’s too focused on No. 9 […]
For the second consecutive season, No. 4 Clemson opted not to release an official depth chart ahead of its highly-anticipated season-opener against a perennial SEC power. Last year it was against Georgia. This year it’s LSU.
And don’t expect any sort of apology from Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney. He’s too focused on No. 9 LSU coming to town for Saturday night’s primetime showdown on ABC (7:30 pm ET).
Nevertheless, Swinney addressed the team’s thinking behind not releasing an official depth chart after a local beat reporter closed out Tuesday’s media availability by asking if it was an effort to “keep things mysterious.”
“Yeah. Mysterious. (laughs) We’re just trying to be mysterious, keep everybody guessing. … Mysterious — oooohhh, it’s Halloween in August.” Swinney joked Tuesday. “Yeah, I mean, we’ve got a few decisions we literally might not make until pregame. So, no real need in it. It just creates more conversation than what we need to deal with right now. We’ll talk about it next week. You all be like, ‘You ran this guy out first.’ So now we’ll have something to talk about next week.”
Jokes aside, Clemson is still working to finalize the team’s official depth chart with multiple starting positions still available for the taking. And rather than allow this week’s media narrative to be driven by who’s starting and who’s not, Swinney opted to keep the focus on Saturday’s Top 10 matchup.
Clemson enters the 2025 season with plenty of hype as a preseason Top 5 program that features a loaded roster led by senior starting quarterback Cade Klubnik, a talented receiver room, and a defensive front seven that includes a pair of expected future Top-10 picks in EDGE T.J. Parker and DT Peter Woods.
Paul Finebaum reveals deciding factor to LSU vs. Clemson in Week 1
Ahead of Saturday night’s game between Clemson and LSU, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum revealed the deciding factor is going to come down to the LSU offensive line. In particular, if that offensive line is going to be able to keep Tigers starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier clean.
“I think it’s whether or not LSU can protect Nussmeier, the quarterback,” Finebaum said earlier this week. “The reason I say that is because Clemson probably has the best defensive line in the country. Playing at home, if they wreak havoc with Nussmeier, they’re going to be in great shape.”
One of the exciting things about the game between LSU and Clemson is the quarterback matchup. Both Nussmeier and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik are going into the season considered contenders both for the Heisman Trophy and becoming high NFL Draft picks. They also want to find a way to lead their team to the College Football Playoff.
As Finebaum pointed out, the trenches are going to be vital to that matchup. In particular, Clemson’s veteran and talented defensive line, against a less experienced LSU offensive line. In the last NFL Draft, LSU lost four offensive linemen who were selected. That included both tackles, one of whom was Will Campbell, selected fourth overall by the New England Patriots.
“He is a superb quarterback. He and Klubnik from Clemson are probably the top two in the entire country,” Finebaum said. “But he gets a little wild under pressure. That cost LSU a couple of times last year. It very well could cost them this game if he doesn’t have protection.”
— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.
Category: General Sports
