Healthy Jackson, scheming make a difference for Clemson's defense

CLEMSON — But what if Clemson defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson had been healthy all season?

"It's a big difference," senior safety Michael Hamlin said. "Rashaad brings a lot of emotion and passion to the game. With an extra guy in the rotation up front, it means a whole lot to the other guys to have more rest."

Jackson, in quick bursts off the ball and side-to-side in the backfield, performed Saturday in a 31-7 victory over Duke the way former head coach Tommy Bowden, interim head coach Dabo Swinney and other staffers hoped he would play before suffering a torn quad tendon prior to the season-opening loss to Alabama.

The 6-2, 290-pound redshirt senior from Union had only one tackle but the Clemson defense was at its best during his 11 snaps on the field. When not tormenting Duke, Jackson took pressure off defensive ends Da'Quan Bowers and Ricky Sapp.

Jackson was not as effective in his first game back, at Boston College on Nov. 1, or at Florida State. But there is little doubt the defense Clemson takes to Virginia this week is different from the unit minus one of its most important obstructionists.

"We kind of had him back for a couple of weeks but he wasn't being productive. He wasn't doing things right," Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said. "Last week he went in the correct direction and he's got the quickness and athleticism that not many of our inside guys have."

Clemson has four of its seven ACC sacks in the last two games. Sad sack stats, for sure, but with an upside behind enemy lines.

"We've had more plays than you can count where we've had somebody there and not been able to make the play," Koenning said. "Hopefully (Jackson) takes another step this week, because we're going to need that against their line."

The Clemson defense over the last three games has sandwiched its two best Atlantic Coast Conference yards allowed performances of the year (236 at Boston College, 168 against Duke) around its worst (419 at Florida State).

Altered schemes are part of the plan.

"We've mixed it up a lot more," Swinney said.

More pressure and less coverage defense against Duke, for instance.

Swinney, 38, has spent his coaching career on offense but has not been shy about making suggestions or letting the coaches on defense know they can feel free to take chances.

He also was more publicly critical of the defense after the 41-27 loss at Florida State than Bowden probably would have been, for better or worse.

"Coach Swinney, to his credit, says it like it is sometimes," Koenning said.

Sometimes, a little kick and a big guy up front make a difference.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com.