Clemson Football: 5 bold predictions for October
By Dana Becker
4. Clemson settles on a lead back
At the moment, Kelly Bryant leads all Tigers with 362 yards rushing, and he is far and away the leader in carries with 85. For a Power 5 school, that might not be the best bet for surviving a season at quarterback.
Bryant is an exceptional runner, showcased by his runs vs. Virginia Tech this past weekend. But for Clemson to truly be a multi-dimensional offense, Travis Etienne, Tavien Feaster or one of the several other capable running backs needs to grab hold of the position.
Etienne has looked exceptional in short bursts, as the true freshman is averaging 10 yards per carry. While no Bryce Love of Stanford, Etienne can be a perfect second-fiddle to Feaster should the sophomore step forward.
Feaster was granted permission to wear the No. 28 of former Clemson great C.J. Spiller and he has shown promise in small pockets. On the year, Feaster has 278 yards and two scores, along with a big 60-yard receiving touchdown in the win over the Hokies.
While the Tiger coaches might keep the media at bay by saying both Etienne and Feaster can carry the workload, one of them stepping forward and becoming “the man” would take pressure off Bryant.
Expect Clemson to try and use October’s three games to get Feaster settled in much like Wayne Gallman from two years ago.