Clemson's free fall on defense

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Clemson defense got off to a bad start Saturday night when defensive coordinator Kevin Steele fractured two bones in his right hand during a fiery pre-game speech. It went downhill from there as there was no temporary cast or Advil in the sideline medical kit strong enough to help the Tigers' broken defense.

Clemson's most recent collapse, previewed early in the Virginia victory and showcased in the South Carolina loss, was on full display in a 39-34 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game loss to Georgia Tech at Raymond James Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets had no need for a punter, not while their triple- option offense produced 333 rushing yards. Georgia Tech owned the ball for 37 minutes-plus.

It was too much, even for the great C.J. Spiller and his career-high 233 yards rushing.

But not that surprising.

The Clemson defense, originally billed as the team strength capable of carrying the Tigers, has been inconsistent at best. Miami managed 433 total yards and Florida State 392 but those figures were glossed over by shootout victories.

Georgia Tech's excuse Saturday night was injuries that forced the Yellow Jackets to switch to a 3-4 defense between a loss to Georgia and the trip to Tampa.

Clemson?

How about a blend of strategy and execution?

Or a defense with a good pass rush and veteran defensive backs that is exposed as average when foes steer away from passing and run the ball against a unit lacking linebacker depth?

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Head coach Dabo Swinney talked about how the ACC Championship Game scheme featuring two down linemen allowed others to read and react quicker.

"Same thing we did first time we played them," Swinney said. "We just didn't do a great job (Saturday night)."

This time, Georgia Tech had two 100-yard rushers -- quarterback Josh Nesbitt and running back Jonathan Dwyer.

The plan didn't work very well in September, either.

Georgia Tech rushed for 301 yards in its 30-27 victory, a game in which the Tigers fell into a 24-0 hole.

That was a shock, as no ACC team has had more time to prepare for Johnson's throwback offense than Clemson, which opened against Middle Tennessee before facing Georgia Tech.

The ACC Championship Game loss is not entirely on the defense. Kyle Parker threw two interceptions and Georgia Tech converted the only two turnovers of the game for a pair of Scott Blair field goals. The Tigers did get a turnover on downs with a fourth-and-1 stop.

But forcing Georgia Tech to punt just once would have made a difference.

The winning difference, probably.

Learning curve

Georgia Tech learned from the past, its ugly 38-3 loss to LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last January.

"After getting embarrassed in the bowl game, everybody had the mentality that we were going to go for the next year and our No. 1 goal was to win the ACC and then our next goal was to win a bowl game," Dwyer said.

The Yellow Jackets also were motivated in the moment.

"I think we just went out there and just realized that we're not going to lose this game," Dwyer said. "There's no way that we're going to lay down and give up."

So maybe Clemson must go through the growing pains Georgia Tech experienced before climbing up another step.

But the Tigers will have to do it in 2010 without their best helper on defense, C.J. Spiller.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or (843) 937-5593.