Clowney “Struggling” In Opener

Aug 29, 2013; Columbia, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Bryn Renner (2) scrambles as he is pursued by South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Just ask Twitter.

This is what happens when the hype machine goes full-cycle on someone like South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney. The likely first-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has applied pressure on North Carolina QB Bryn Renner but hasn’t registered a sack.

The conversation around Clowney thus far has been his conditioning. North Carolina, which runs an up-tempo offense, has kept the Gamecocks off-balance with screens, draws and rollouts. That has kept Clowney from making the steady impact he can have when teams drop back and depend on a traditional passing game.

Instead of dominating, Clowney has spent time on the sideline and has taken some snaps off. He also committed an offsides penalty on a fourth-and-short, though the penalty was declined when Renner converted the pass.

Lost in all the Clowney critique is the fact that South Carolina is cruising, up 27-10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. If teams gameplan around Clowney, they can limit his impact. When defenses know where quarterbacks will roll and where tailbacks will run, though, it makes the job of the other 10 players on the field easier.

Tomorrow will feature a 24-hour cycle of how much Clowney disappointed (at least through the first three quarters) in the season opener. It should focus on a 1-0 South Carolina team and breakout star RB Mike Davis.

In today’s media coverage, that’s not the way it works when The New York Times and SportsCenter profile a defensive end.

Still, let’s not cancel all Heisman possibilities for Clowney.