Tigers' depth is more than perception

CLEMSON -- Throughout a showery Saturday on a wet Death Valley field, the Boston College offense only occasionally gained a yard or more.

One if by land.

Two if by splashy slide.

The imperfect storm couldn't have played well in Lexington or Concord.

Proper Bostonians regularly see Dustin Pedroia score more often during games.

The Boston Bruins are more productive, and they wear ice skates.

But Clemson's relentless defense had lots to do with all that, imposing its will throughout a 25-7 Atlantic Coast Conference victory. Secondly, the Tigers' second-team defense brightened a messy day with the kind of energy and results Clemson must have to claw its way to the top of the ACC.

Boston College managed only 54 yards of "offense." Its touchdown came on a 13-yard drive.

"Those guys, they've bought into the system," said Kevin Steele, in his first season as Clemson's defensive coordinator. "Trust me now, make no mistake about it: Xs and Os don't work; players win games. And that was a great example of players playing the way they're supposed to play with the focus they're supposed to play with."

If you're scoring at home, that's one touchdown and two field goals allowed since head coach Dabo Swinney said "You gotta believe" and read the team a few Bible verses down 24-7 at halftime of the Georgia Tech loss.

No second-fiddle

"It was a team effort," sophomore middle linebacker Brandon Maye said. "Coach Steele did a great job with play-calling and we just lined up and played hard. We won it up front. Our D-line dominated and made a statement."

Clemson had four sacks Saturday.

The Tigers had 14 sacks all of last season.

Hard to block star defensive ends Ricky Sapp and Da'Quan Bowers when they are sometimes lining up as linebackers.

Steele's white visor wasn't enough for the rain. His self-described "not complicated but complex" defense was way too much for Boston College.

"The way Coach Steele plays defense, there are not 11 starters," outside linebacker Kavell Conner said. "We have 18 to 22 guys we consider starters. That's why we can do so well with our rotations."

Quality depth along the defensive line and elsewhere has been part of Clemson's ACC title runs. It's just that there hasn't been an ACC title run around here since, gulp, 1991.

There were positive two-deep signs Saturday.

Exhibit A: Up 7-0 and with Boston College at its own 20 to start the second quarter, Clemson rested its first-team defense and the second-string guys came through.

A loss of three, a scramble out-of-bounds, two Boston College penalties and a pass batted down by sophomore defensive end Andre Branch and it was third and 25 from the 5.

Oh, the offense

The backups gave way to the first-teamers and enjoyed high-fives coming off the field.

"That's fun to see those guys do that," Steele said.

Young guys, too. There were six sophomores or freshmen in that group of backup stingers, including Branch, true freshman defensive end Malliciah Goodman, sophomore defensive tackle Rennie Moore, sophomore safety Cory Sensabaugh, redshirt freshman cornerback Xavier Brewer and redshirt freshman safety Rashard Hall.

With a pair of long lightning delays in the second half, the well-rested Tigers did not have to rotate as much as usual.

But second-team true freshman safety Jonathan Meeks intercepted a fourth-quarter pass to set up Richard Jackson's sixth field goal.

By the way … Clemson's offense didn't exactly roar like a garage-kept Chevelle SS.

Or maybe you don't really want to show too much with the Texas Christian Horned Frogs coming to town next week.

But with your own offense struggling, it's always good to have a few dozen guys getting after it on defense.