CLEMSON, S.C. — For the margin of defeat in Clemson’s 27-17 loss Saturday at Pittsburgh, here are 10 final thoughts:
1. Clemson, however it wants to couch it, is opening up the quarterback competition between DJ Uiagalelei and Taisun Phommachanh.
“Every day will be an evaluation, and we’ll run somebody out there first on Saturday (against Florida State),” coach Dabo Swinney said Sunday. “We’ll all wait and find out how the week goes, because everything’s going to count.”
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Swinney benched Uiagalelei and inserted Phommachanh for two series in the second half at Pitt. Phommachanh had not attempted a pass since Sept. 11 against South Carolina State, when he threw the first touchdown pass of his three-year Clemson career. Phommachanh threw for 56 yards in three games in 2019 and 17 yards in four games in 2020. He tore his Achilles tendon during the Tigers’ spring game, which initially led Clemson to believe walk-on Hunter Helms would be Uiagalelei’s backup. But Phommachanh healed faster than expected and was available for Week 1 against Georgia.
2. Uiagalelei took his brief demotion well. How he handles the challenge this week could be what determines if he keeps his job.
The sophom*ore led Clemson on a touchdown drive upon returning to the game in the fourth quarter. He finished 12-of-25 passing for 128 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns and rushed for a score. Phommachanh was 3-of-7 for 23 yards, no interceptions and no touchdowns.
Uiagalelei is 109-of-199 on the year, with a 54.8 percent completion rate that ranks ninth out of 11 quarterbacks in the ACC who have played in 75 percent of their team’s games and attempted at least 15 passes per game. His 157.4 yards per game rank 10th in the ACC among 21 qualifying quarterbacks and his 102.89 rating is last in the conference. He and Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel are the only two quarterbacks in the league with more interceptions than touchdowns. Uiagalelei has four touchdowns to five picks.
Phommachanh is a former four-star recruit from Bridgeport, Conn., but it’s not clear if he’s ready to challenge Uiagalelei, who has the bigger arm and more experience despite his issues.
Uiagalelei said he was happy for Phommachanh on Saturday and that he’d fully support Phommachanh if coaches decide to play him. But does Uiagalelei, so even-keeled, need to get a little fired up to bring out his best?
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3. Clemson has already been crushed by injuries this season, but it got only worse as the weekend ensued.
Wide receiver Frank Ladson Jr. had season-ending groin surgery Thursday, then Clemson lost offensive lineman Matt Bockhorst (ACL) and tight end Braden Galloway (shoulder) Saturday to what are expected to be season-ending injuries.
Defensive end Justin Foster, who missed last season with COVID-19 complications, needs season-ending surgery on his lower back, Swinney announced Sunday.
Swinney said the Tigers had 18 scholarship players unavailable Saturday, including three other players with torn ACLs in defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, offensive lineman Dietrick Pennington and punt returner Will Taylor.
Defensive tackle Tyler Davis (biceps) returned to play Saturday about a month earlier than expected, and running back Will Shipley is back from a shin injury.
But the Tigers were without wide receiver E.J. Williams, who had his knee scoped earlier this month, and leading receiver Joseph Ngata, in COVID-19 protocol. Offensive lineman Hunter Rayburn missed his second consecutive game after being in COVID-19 protocol, and linebacker Jake Venables has battled a hamstring injury since Week 2.
This is on top of Clemson losing running backs Lyn-J Dixon and Michel Dukes and safety Joseph Charleston to the transfer portal.
Williams, Ngata, Rayburn and Venables could return for Saturday’s game against Florida State.
“I can’t really do anything about injuries. It’s some of the craziest stuff that I’ve ever been a part of,” Swinney said. “But I still think we have enough to win. And we’re just young and immature and not very confident and not playing with any type of precision, and that’s my responsibility — to take what we have and go win. … I’ve done a poor job of that.”
4. The rash of injuries doesn’t change that Pittsburgh was the better team Saturday, in large part because of star quarterback Kenny Pickett.
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Pickett, whose Heisman Trophy odds jumped from eighth-best to fourth-best after Saturday’s game, per BetMGM, deserves to be in the conversation. Clemson knew that Pickett would be the best quarterback the Tigers had seen this season, and defensive coordinator Brent Venables brought pressure early and often. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said he didn’t think Clemson used the same blitz twice. But Pickett managed the pressure well, threw on the move and embraced contact. He finished the night 25-of-39 passing for 302 yards and two touchdowns, topping 300 yards for the fourth time this season.
5. While Pitt has one of the best quarterback situations in the ACC, Clemson’s offense has no natural leader, and it’s costing the Tigers. Uiagalelei is quieter by nature, as are Ngata and receiver Justyn Ross. Bockhorst was the most vocal player on Clemson’s offense, but he’s now out for the season. Swinney said the Tigers have a couple of young players who can mature into that role.
It’s difficult to argue that the lack of vocal leadership hasn’t trickled onto the field, where Clemson’s offense still hasn’t scored more than 21 points against an FBS team. At some point, someone needs to lead, even if it’s uncomfortable.
“We are what we are right now,” Swinney said Saturday. “We’re very immature, we’re very young and we’re a very unconfident offense. That’s for sure.”
6. Clemson’s defense couldn’t get off the field when Pittsburgh went 10-of-18 on third down. Clemson’s offense couldn’t stay on it, going 4-of-11. Swinney said Sunday that one of the staff’s regrets came toward the end of the first half, when Clemson had three consecutive pass calls and went three-and-out on a drive that lasted 26 seconds. Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said he needed to look at the tape, but he believes the second-down call was a run-pass option. Swinney said the third-down call itself was a good one, made bad by the staff guessing wrong on Pittsburgh’s defensive structure. Pitt scored on its next drive to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
“We wished we would have run the ball on third down there,” Swinney said. “In a game like that, it’s like every play is life or death it seems like.
“We always have a call here or there that you second-guess, that’s for sure, but we felt good with the first couple calls.”
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7. When Clemson did run the ball, it had success against Pittsburgh. The Tigers averaged 5.5 yards per carry to Pitt’s 3.8. Saturday marked the second time in three games that Clemson averaged more than 5 yards per carry, after the Tigers opened the season averaging 0.09 yards per carry against Georgia. Shipley had 10 carries for 52 yards, while Uiagalelei had eight for 50.
“That’s been a real improvement from where we were, especially at the start of the season,” Swinney said. “Hopefully that’ll continue to be a plus for us.”
8. Saturday marked the second consecutive game in which sophom*ore wide receiver Ajou Ajou missed an early block that could have helped deliver a chunk play for the Tigers. Swinney said Ajou’s perimeter blocking has been “really poor” in games, but that he’s “done fine” in practice — a theme of the offense. If Williams and Ngata return this week, Williams can slide into a starting role alongside Ross and Ngata. But with Ladson out, Clemson needs more from Ajou. The Tigers knew Ajou would be more of a project when they signed him. Saturday, he missed a block for freshman receiver Beaux Collins. The play went for a loss of 2 yards. The previous week, his missed block came on a run-pass option to tight end Davis Allen, which also went for a loss of 2 yards.
“He’s still got to learn to play at game speed,” Swinney said, adding that Ajou needs to improve his defensive recognition. “He’s just a very raw player who’s got a ways to go from a detail standpoint. Not just blocking, but route running and all that comes with it.”
9. The Tigers’ seventh consecutive conference title looks unlikely as Clemson (4-3, 3-2) already has two conference losses.
In the Atlantic division, Wake Forest (7-0, 4-0 ACC), which visits Clemson on Nov. 20, remains undefeated. NC State (5-2, 2-1) has one league loss and holds a head-to-head victory over Clemson.
“I don’t think people realize how hard it is to win. And a season like this will hopefully give that a little more perspective,” Swinney said. “Sometimes you win so much you don’t appreciate it.”
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10. Swinney continues to rely on perspective. He said 13 years at Clemson, full of different scenarios, allow him to see the bigger picture. But he also seems to understand that looking for positives isn’t necessarily the response the frustrated fan base, one that has come to expect national championships, is looking for.
“Nobody really wants to hear that right now, and I don’t either,” Swinney said. “But my job is to lead.”
(Photo of Pitt QB Kenny Pickett and the Clemson defense: Charles LeClaire / USA Today)
Grace Raynor is a staff writer for The Athletic covering recruiting and southeastern college football. A native of western North Carolina, she graduated from the University of North Carolina. Follow Grace on Twitter @gmraynor
