Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from dominant win over Georgia Tech

1. Clemson shows plenty of rust

For Tigers fans hoping to see the sharp, crisp Clemson that crushed Alabama in the national championship game, the win over Georgia Tech might have been a disappointment.

A win’s a win, but Clemson made plenty of mistakes that need to be cleaned up before they welcome Texas A&M to Death Valley in week two.

Turnovers are the most important issue that needs addressing. The Clemson starting unit turned the ball over three times in the first half – two interceptions and one fumble. Though Georgia Tech couldn’t capitalize on those mistakes, better opponents certainly can.

Penalties were also an issue on offense. As with the turnovers, the struggle reared its head in the first half when the Tigers committed five first down penalties.

Turnovers and penalties could contribute to similar slow starts that plagued the offense in 2018.

These offensive issues – and the defensive issues like poor tackling – can and will be cleaned up in the coming practice weeks. With the meat of the schedule frontloaded, the success of this year’s Clemson team will depend on how quickly these problem are address.

Ultimately, this game was a tune-up. With a game under their belt and the jitters out of their system, execution in upcoming games is bound to be much cleaner.