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Clemson shouldn’t focus on ACC title, national title is within Tigers’ reach

By Christopher Logue

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During the last four seasons the Clemson Tigers have produced great individual talent but have fallen short of their ultimate team goal of a national championship, but is 2015 the year the breakthrough occurs in Death Valley?

It’s conceivable the 2015 season could be the best team Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney has had in his tenure. And that’s despite the loss of All-American defensive end Vic Beasley, Grady Jarrett and others who have joined the NFL.

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Swinney and Clemson continue to reload and provide stability to the program through excellent recruiting classes and the youth of this team could be enough to lead them to the ACC and national title.

First, let’s take a look at how Clemson has evolved and grown under Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Over the last four seasons of football, we have seem  some serious accomplishments at Clemson; here is a few of the most impressive, according to the 2015 Clemson Media Guide:

  • Clemson is the only school in the nation to beat a top 25 team in a bowl game each of the last three seasons
  • Clemson had a streak of 50 consecutive weeks ranked in both polls
  • Clemson has 42 victories, tied for seventh most in the nation during that time and the most in any four-year period in Clemson history
  • Clemson is one of four schools to finish in the top 25 in both polls each of the last four years; joined by Alabama, Florida State, and Oregon

Looking at 2015 and building on the success of the last four seasons in which this team was constructed, the Clemson roster is full of talent that is more than ready to overtake Florida State for the top spot in the ACC.

With a superstar in the making in Deshaun Watson at quarterback, Artavis Scott and Mike Williams at receiver and Wayne Gallman in the backfield, this offense is bound to be potent and more than make up for the lack of experience on defense.

Related: Clemson Tigers Season Preview and Prediction

Under Venables, revered as one of the best in that capacity, being disciplined should be far from the issue. Entering his fourth season at Clemson, Venables is continuing work with a defensive group he had a hand in recruiting but many will be playing their most extensive football do date.

He took part in shaping Beasley into an All-American and a first round draft pick and is doing the same with Shaq Lawson who could be the team’s breakout star on defense.

The secondary, however, is the main ingredient in a run to a national championship. With guys like hybrid linebacker Korrin Wiggins, Jayron Kearse, and Mackensie Alexander, opposing quarterbacks will have fits trying to fit the ball in those tight quarters.

Related: Heisman Watch 2015: Top 15 Candidates 

Clemson is trying to end the three-year run the Florida State Seminoles have had on the ACC, but that shouldn’t be the biggest goal for this team. If Watson stays healthy and the defense matures quickly, this team can earn one of four spots in the College Football Playoff.

I won’t go so far as to say this Tigers defense will be as stout as the 1981 team that won the national title and held opponents scoreless for 18 straight quarters, but it won’t have to be that dominant either to get through the ACC.

Clemson’s toughest opponents are Louisville, Georgia Tech, Miami, Notre Dame, NC State, Florida State and the rivalry game against South Carolina is never going to be easy, but all of those teams have flaws Clemson can expose, including Notre Dame and Florida State who are ranked higher than Clemson.

With a healthy Watson, there’s nothing this team can’t accomplish, and that means avoiding the eventual letdown that Swinney’s teams have experienced, and he could be the next coach to win his first national championship.

Next: Next Coach to Win First National Championship

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