Clemson Football: 5 reasons why the Tigers will struggle in 2017

How will Clemson football fare after possibly its best season in program history after finally defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide?

The defending National Champion Clemson Tigers come into 2017 with high expectations now that head coach Dabo Swinney finally got over the hump. To the delight of most college football fans in the country, Clemson knocked off the Alabama Crimson Tide just one year after Bama had defeated them in the second College Football Playoff Championship.

With Deshaun Watson gone, this could be considered a rebuilding year for Clemson. Watson was the heart and soul of this team each season he was the starting quarterback. He carried the Tigers to two straight 14-win seasons, and that will be hard to replicate. Watson also posted career highs in passing yards with over 4,500 yards and passing touchdowns with 41.

Now that Watson is gone, Clemson has to find the answer to their biggest question, who will take the reigns of the offense? However, it could take them a few games to figure that question out. Some of the teams they face at the beginning of the year might not give them the opportunity to win while having inconsistent play at quarterback.

In the first edition of the Amway Coaches Poll, Clemson was ranked No. 5, behind teams like the Florida State Seminoles, USC Trojans, and Ohio State Buckeyes (the team who Clemson dominated in their Semifinal game). Even though the Tigers probably won’t be as good as they were over the last two seasons, that ranking still seems a little bit low for a defending National Champion.

Now, let’s take a look at five reasons why the Clemson Tigers will stink in 2017.