Clemson Football: 3 biggest concerns heading into 2022 season

Clemson football had a forgettable 2021 season and the Tigers suffered a lot of attrition this offseason. Here’s why Tigers fans should be concerned.

Dabo Swinney has his work cut out for him if he wants to get Clemson football back to the playoff.

The Tigers will open the season as the favorites to win the ACC, but after losing so many key pieces — such as both coordinators — there’s plenty of reason for pessimism, especially after a 10-3 season which began with a 4-3 record through seven games.

Why should the Tigers be concerned heading into the 2022 season?

3. Secondary

Clemson had one of the best defenses in college football last season, ranking second nationally in scoring and No. 8 in total yards allowed per game.

But there was one area where the defense wasn’t quite as dominant: the pass defense.

The secondary had its struggles, ranking 40th nationally against the pass which isn’t bad, by any means, but it’s something that needs to be monitored, especially with three new projected starters. It’s one thing to have a decent secondary and return more than half of the starters from that unit, but to start three new guys after ranking No. 40 in the country is concerning.

We’ll see if Sheridan Jones, Nate Wiggins, Andrew Mukuba, Jalyn Phillips, and Lannden Zanders can get the job done and improve from last year’s 214 yards per game through the air numbers.