Playing Clemson Requires Respect But Not Fear

Fear and respect are often mistaken for one another in sports because they utilize the same words. It's possible to respect an opponent without fear, but the words can be used in the same situation. Talking up an opponent's success is a sign of respect, but it can easily be understood to imply doubt, even if that's not the case.

Every team should always respect Clemson. When Boston College takes the field at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, it will do so against a team that hasn't lost a regular season game in over two years. The Tigers are undefeated and carry a perfect 5-0 record in conference games, one year after completing an unblemished 15-0 record to a national championship.

Clemson hasn't lost since Alabama won, 24-6, in the Sugar Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff on New Year's Day, 2018. It last lost a regular season game on October 13, 2017 against Syracuse. The last home loss came even further back, in 2016, against Pittsburgh, and the team still won the College Football Playoff National Championship that year.

All of this earns respect, but it doesn't mean Boston College is entering Saturday's game expecting to lose. It's simply looking at the opponent ahead and acknowledging the difficulty level that exists this week.

"There's no doubt in my mind that (Clemson) is the No. 1 team in the country," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "(They are) skilled, talented everywhere and proved it on the field. When I watch their tape, I see no weaknesses. I see great athletes and a great coaching staff. Their coordinators are elite guys, and you can tell, when you watch the tape, how well-coached each side of the ball is."

Clemson is littered with elite athletes at every position. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for over 3,000 yards last season with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he didn't even start the season as the team's top quarterback. He's returned this year to throw for over 1,500 yards through the team's first eight games, with another 14 scores, and he remains on pace to likely become a No. 1 overall draft pick in the NFL.

He throws his passes to three receivers, all of whom have breakaway speed. Justyn Ross leads the pack with 28 catches for 334 yards, but Tee Higgins is a downfield threat with a receiving average of 22 yards per catch. Amari Rodgers, meanwhile, holds the deepest reception of the season with an 87-yard rainbow against Syracuse.

They are complemented by Travis Etienne, a cresting running back with breakaway speed and incredible strength and agility. He destroyed Georgia Tech in the season opener, then went relatively quiet before breaking out in the last two weeks. Last week against Louisville, he ripped off another long touchdown run as part of a 14-carry, 192-yard day. He can spot out for snaps with Lyn-J Dixon, or the Tigers can just let Lawrence take off for a scramble of his own.

Clemson is arguably the most talented football team in the nation, but it's playmaking ability is almost a fault because it created almost unrealistic expectations. It's led to a situation where the unit is pressing a little bit too hard to make perfect plays on every snap, and it's led to occasional, individual mistakes.

Lawrence threw for three touchdowns last week, but he threw two early interceptions against Louisville in a game that was relatively low scoring in the first half. It marked the third time this year he threw two picks, and it came a week after he threw another interception against Florida State. It's created an up-and-down season of headlines for a player that is still the best pure passer in the conference.

Etienne, meanwhile, went four straight games with 100 yards after gashing Georgia Tech. Texas A&M held him to a long rush of 10 yards, and Syracuse kept him out of the end zone. He managed to catch a number of balls in both of those games, as well as the Louisville game, but some of his numbers - namely his touchdowns - are down compared to last year.

"They've been there before," Addazio said. "They've won championships, National Championships, conference championships. This program knows how to ride through the emotional ups and downs of everything."

Clemson slid down the Associated Press national poll to No. 4 following its win over Louisville, but it's not being interpreted as a sign of disrespect. It's the signature of every week's level of difficulty, and it's more an indication of how every team is giving Clemson everything it can handle. The defending national champion draws a significant spotlight, and this week, it will be no different when BC travels to Death Valley.

"It's really hard (every week)," Addazio said. "Everybody has bad days now. You're everybody's big game. You're taking everybody's best shot. That speaks volumes to what Dabo Swinney and his staff have done down there. That's very, very difficult to do. They are in the expert category of handling noise.

Respecting Clemson pays homage to the team's history and sets the tone for preparation. It's a difference from fear, which dictates the result before the game is ever played. Fear stems from the belief that defeat is a foregone inevitability, and BC would rather embrace the arduous road than run from it.

"The challenges will be high, but we're looking forward to it," Addazio said. "We had a great meeting with our team. The team had a lot of energy, a lot of juice. We've been down there a few times and had some wars. Our guys are well aware (of the challenge). They know this is an outstanding football team. I expect that we'll have a great week of preparation and go down there and play with great effort and finish."

Boston College and Clemson kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday from Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. The game can be seen on the ACC Network or can be streamed via WatchESPN.com, though only ACC Network subscribers will be eligible to watch. For an updated list of providers, visit www.getaccn.com.

Playing Clemson Requires Respect But Not Fear

Related News

Related Videos