NC State
NC State went 7-6 (3-5) last year. Their wins included William & Mary, Old Dominion, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Syracuse, North Carolina, and won their bowl game against Vandy. Their losses came from Clemson, East Carolina, Louisville, BC, Florida State, and Miami.
Offense- 8 returning starters
Total O= 63rd @ 416 yds/game
Rushing= 86th @ 156 yds/game
Passing= 38th @ 260 yds/game
Scoring= 75th @ 27 points/game
They were sacked by opposing defenses 1.31 times/game making them the 19th ranked team in the nation.
NC State is losing their top running back (Dayes) who rushed for 1166 yards last season. That is 57% of their total team output but they have some highly rated RBs waiting for their turn, including 2 4 stars. Look for upcoming JR Gallaspy to get the majority of the workload this season. He averaged 4.8 yds a carry last season and was 2nd on the team. Jaylen Samuels and Nyheim Hines are being moved from receiver to running back this season.
With the move of 2 of their top 4 receivers moving to RB, they will not be as experienced at receiver as they would like. They have quality receivers that their experienced QB can throw too but will be young. Finley threw for over 3000 yds with 18 TDs and 8 ints. The 4 receivers they do lose (1 was starting rb, 2 move to RB) take 1791 yds and 10 TDs with them. Look for Hines to catch passes from the backfield.
NC State is only losing 1 starting o lineman. Center Joe Scelfo.
Defense- 8 returning starters
Total D= 24th @ 352 yds/game
Rushing D= 8th @ 108 yds/game
Passing D= 82th 244 yds/game
Scoring D= 27th @ 22.8 points/game
Int= 68th @ 10
Sacks= 22nd @ 2.86/game
TFL= 33rd @ 6.8/game
NC State returns a stout front seven including Bradley Chubb, who could of entered the draft but chose to stay. Some say it is because he is waiting for his cousin Nick. Their biggest hole to fill are the 3 starting DBs they lost, one who declared early for the draft.( Josh Jones) Jones was the teams leading tackler and also lead the team in interceptions. With 3 of the starting 4 DBs gone, this is the biggest question mark for a defense that was 82nd in the nation last season in passing defense.
Starters lost- 2016 stats
Matt Dayes RB 1166 rush yds 267 rec yds 10 TDs
Cherry Bra’Lon WR 434 yds 3 TDs
Joe Scelfo C- started all 13 games
Josh Jones Safety- 109 tackles, 1 sack, 5 TFL, 3 int,
Jack Tocho CB- 37 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 2 int
Dravious Wright CB- 64 tackles, 1 TFL
Missouri
Mizzou went 4-8 (2-6) last season with wins over Western Michigan, Delaware State, Arkansas, and Vandy. Their most notable loss was to Middle Tennessee St. and every other SEC team they played. Mizzou ended the season last in the SEC.
Offense- 10 returning starters
Total O= 13th @ 500.5 yds/game
Rushing= 38th @ 205.1 yds/game
Passing= 20th @ 295.4 yds/game
Scoring= 48th @ 31.4 points/game
Mizzou was sacked 1.17 /game and were 16th in the nation. The speed the ball leaves the quarterbacks hand and the ability to avoid pressure have a lot to do with this stat. It is a fast paced, quick release offense so the defense has little time to get to the QB.
Mizzou is only losing 1 starter from last years team, TE Sean Culkin. Culkin had 24 receptions for 282 yds which places him 5th most in yardage in the team’s rankings. Rising Sophomore Kendall Blanton will easily step into Culkin’s spot so the Mizzou offense should not miss a beat. Not only will they not miss a beat, but they should be more improved and faster this season after gaining much needed experience last season.
Defense- 5 returning starters
Total D= 118th @ 479 yds/game
Rushing D= 112th @ 232 yds/game
Passing D= 86th @ 246 yds/game
Scoring D= 90th @ 31.5 points/game
Int= 22nd @ 15 ints
Sacks= 51st @ 2.25/game
TFL= 55th @ 6 per game
Mizzou loses 2 D lineman, 2 LB, and 2 DBs from a defense that struggled to keep the opponent off the scoreboard last season. 5 lost due to graduation and 1 JR to the draft.
Mizzou’s D loses 2 of the top 3 sack artist on the team. Out of 27 sacks, the players leaving are responsible for 14.5 of them. They also lose 3 of the top 4 tacklers on the team. (187 tackles) and their best players to stop opponents behind the line of scrimmage. (50% tfl gone)
That is not good for an already bad defense but it gets worse. They also lose their 2 best DBs from last season. The team had 15 INTs and 69 Pass break ups for the season. 9 INTs and 28 PBUs are now gone.
Where will Mizzou go to fill all these major loses to an already meager defense. Of all the returning starters, only 1 started all 12 games last season. No other player has more than 7 due to injury or juggling of roster. Experience will be an issue and be even more highlighted due to the fact that they are on the field for so long due to Mizzou’s high paced offense. It is a lose lose situation for a struggling defense.
Starters lost- 2016 stats
TE Sean Culkin – 24 rec 282 yds
DL Charles Harris- 9 sacks, 61 tackles, 13 tfl
DL Rickey Hatley 1 sack, 28 tackles,
LB Donavin Newsome- 3 sacks, 73 tackles, 6 tfl
LB Michael Scherer- .5 sack, 53 tackles, 5 tfl, 1 int, 2 pbu
DB John Gibson – 28 tackles tfl, 3 int, 5 pbu
DB Aarion Penton- 43 tackles, 5 ints, 12 pbu
Kentucky
Kentucky went 7-6 (4-4) last season with losses to Southern Miss, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tenn., Georgia Tech in a bowl game. Kentucky won games against SC, Vandy, Miss St., Mizzou, Austin P, and New Mexico St. Kentucky started off slow but put together a strong finish to become bowl eligible. Their most impressive win was against their rival Louisville to end the regular season.
Offense- 9 returning starters
Total O= 61st @ 420 yds/game
Rushing= 20th @ 234 yds/game
Passing= 102nd @ 186 yds/game
Scoring= 58th @ 30 points/game
Kentucky QBs were sacked 2.15 times a game which ranks 68th.
Kentucky is only losing 2 starters on offense after the 2016 season. JR RB Boo Williams and SR OL Jon Toth. Boo Williams takes with him 1195 rushing yards and 7 TDs but they should not miss a beat because of rising Sophomore Benny Snell who rushed for 1113 yds and 13 TDs in 2016. Snell is a hard runner who is hard to get to the ground and with 4/5 of an impressive o line coming back, Kentucky’s running game should be full throttle in 2017. Add in QB Stephen Johnson who ran for 512 yards and someone defenses must respect, it should provide a nice 1 2 punch for their offense. Their 3 main targets in the passing game are returning and should have chances to get open after coordinators fill the box with extra bodies to try and stop Snell. Johnson wasn’t the most accurate of passers but that should improve after another year of training and practice.
Defense- 9 returning starters
Total D= 85th @ 434 yds/game
Rushing D= 110th @ 228 yds/game
Passing D= 35th @ 206 yds/game
Scoring D= 86th@ 31.3 points/game
Int= 44th @ 13 ints
Sacks= 97th @ 1.62/game
TFL= 93rd @ 5.3 per game
Kentucky’s defense loses 2 starters from last year. DL Courtney Miggins and DB Blake McClain. Miggins is not a huge loss but McClain had 3 INTs and 2 PBUs. On top of losing McClain, the secondary also lose 2 other senior DBs who had 3 INTs between them. Although the numbers suggest that Kentucky’s defense did well against the pass, it must be noted that teams did not have reason to throw against them because it was so easy to run the ball averaging 228 yds/game.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M went 8-5 (4-4) last season with losses to Alabama, Miss St, Ole Miss, LSU, and Kansas St in the bowl game.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 24th @ 467 yds/game
Rushing= 34th @ 211 yds/game
Passing= 46th @ 255 yds/game
Scoring= 34th @ 34.8 points/game
Texas A&M QBs were sacked 1.62 times/game. 36th in the nation.
Texas A&M is losing their starting QB, 4 of their top 5 WRs, starting TE, and 2 O linemen. With Knight leaving, they are short on experienced QBs. According to the OC, a redshirt 3 star freshman is leading the race to take over the team with a true freshman hot on his heels. It seems the loss of 5 star after 5 star is catching up to the Aggies but with the loss at WR, it may not matter that much anyways.
The Aggies had 3300 receiving yards last season. When Reynolds, Seals-Jones, Noil, and Tabuyo left the team, they took 2000 of those yards with them. Kirk remains on the team and by far will be the best remaining on the team. Kirk had 928 receiving yards on 83 receptions last season. On top of the yardage lost, the Aggies also lose 15 out of 25 TDs from last season. The next highest returning WR on the roster had 6 rec for 74 yards. The Aggies also plan on replacing 2 of the WRs lost with freshman at this time.
The only position on offense that should not change is the RB position. Their 1k freshman rusher returns for his Sophomore season and may be counted on a lot this season. Knight and his all star cast of receivers were very good at spreading the field out last season and freeing running space up for their RB. With all those weapons gone, will he be as effective?
To top it off, the Aggies will have to replace both tackle positions.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 90th @ 441 yds/game
Rushing D= 80th @ 191 yds/game
Passing D= 91st @ 250 yds/game
Scoring D= 40th @ 24.5 points/game
Int= 49th @ 12 ints
Sacks= 14th @ 3/game
TFL= 4th @ 8.5 per game
Determining returning starters for this defense is tricky since only 6 players started more than 9 games last season. Of that 6, 3 are gone. 3 players started 9 games, 1 is now gone. So to be generous, I quoted the team as having 7 returning starters although they do not have the same experience normal starters would have. Of the players leaving, 2 are the leading sack artist (including a 1st overall draft pick) 4 of their leading tacklers, and their best DB.
D lineman Hall and Garrett are the most notable losses as well as their best linebackers George and Washington. Their front 7 is taking a huge hit and will be hard to replace that type of production. The Aggies are losing over 400 tackles, 19 sacks, and 50 TFLs. Toss in their best DB with his 4 INTs and 8 PBUs and a lot of production is gone for 2017.
Starters/Notables lost-
QB Trevor Knight
WR Ricky Seals-Jones
WR Josh Reynolds
WR Speedy Noil
WR Jeremy Tabuyo
TE Tanner Schorp
OL Avery Gennesy
OL Jermaine Elumunor
DL Myles Garrett
DL Daeshon Hall
DL Hardreck Walker
LB Shaan Washington
LB Claude George
DB Justin Evans
Arkansas
Arkansas was 7-6 (3-5) last season with wins over Florida, TCU, La Tech, Texas St, Alcorn, Ole Miss, and Miss St. and losses to A&M, Bama, Auburn, LSU, Mizzou, and a bowl loss to Va Tech.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 54th @ 428 yds/game
Rushing= 78th @ 164 yds/game
Passing= 32nd @ 264 yds/game
Scoring= 57th @ 30.3 points/game
Arkansas QBs were sacked 2.69 times/game. 103rd in the nation.
If losing their top rusher (Williams-1403 yds) wasn’t bad enough, they will be without 4 of their top 5 receivers and 6 of their top 7. That is 2498 yds of their 3434 total receiving yards gained last season or 73%. Their top 2 remaining receivers are WR Cornelius(515 yds) and RB Devwah Whaley(139 yds). They return QB Allen who went 245/401 (61%) 3430 yds 25 TDs/15 INTs. The o line returns 4 starters.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 76th @ 426 yds/game
Rushing D= 94th @ 205 yds/game
Passing D= 58th @ 221 yds/game
Scoring D= 85th @ 31.1 points/game
Int= 68th @ 10 ints
Sacks= 75th @ 1.92/game
TFL= 118th @ 4.5 per game
Arkansas’ defense got to the QB 25 times in 2016. 14.5 of those have left the team including their top 2 sack artists. 5 senior D Linemen left the team after the 2016 season, leaving freshman and sophomores to take up the slack. Not only did they lose their top 2 sack artists, they also lose 3 of the top 4 tacklers on the team. (181 tackles, 34 TFLs) The secondary returns 3 of 4 starters.
Starters/Notables lost- 2016 stats
RB Rawleigh Williams- 1403 rushing yards, 220 yds receiving 13 TDs
WR Drew Morgan- 65 rec 739 yds 3 TDs
WR Keon Hatcher- 44 recs 743 yds 8 TDs
WR Cody Hollister- 10 red 140 yds
WR Dom Reed- 16 recs 255 yds 2 TDs
TE Jeremy Sprinkle- 33 recs 380 yds 4 TDs
OL Dan Skipper
DL Taiwan Johnson= 2 sacks, 29 tackles, 7 TFLs
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter- 5.5 sacks, 49 tackles, 11 TFLs,
DL Detrich Wise- 3.5 sacks, 49 tackles, 8 TFLs
DB Jared Collins- 41 tackles, I INT
LB Brooks Ellis- 1 sack, 83 tackles, 8 TFLs
Tennessee
Tennessee went 9-4 (4-4) last season with losses to Bama, A&M, Vandy, and SC. They had wins over Georgia, Florida, and Nebraska in a bowl game.
Offense- 6 returning starters
Total O= 40th @ 443 yds/game
Rushing= 37th @ 205 yds/game
Passing= 62nd @ 238 yds/game
Scoring= 24th @ 36.4 points/game
Tennessee QBs were sacked 1.92 times/game. 52nd in the nation.
Tennessee loses their starting QB Joshua Dobbs, starting RB Alvin Kamara, and starting WR Josh Malone. They lost another starting RB during the season when Jalen Hurd transferred from the team mid season. They also lose one of their top TEs Jason Croom who had 21 recs for 242 yds during the 2016 season. Throw in a starting O lineman and Tennessee lost a lot of production from last season.
Tennessee’s top rusher was QB Joshua Dobbs (1093 yds) and 3 of their top 4. 72% of their rushing production is now off the team but they do return John Kelly who played more of a main role late in the season. (644 yds) On top of losing their 4 year starter at QB, they also lose 3 of the top 4 receivers for the 2017 season. WR Jauan Jennings and TE Ethan Wolf return as experienced starters and should be nice targets for whoever the new QB will end up being. Jennings is an NFL talent and projected to leave after this year so look for him to be the main target this season.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 95th @ 449 yds/game
Rushing D= 104th @ 218 yds/game
Passing D= 72nd @ 230 yds/game
Scoring D= 68th @ 28.8 points/game
Int= 58th @ 11 ints
Sacks= 45th @ 2.31/game
TFL= 14th @ 7.7 per game
Tennessee loses their top 3 sack leaders in Barnett, Vereen, and Lewis with 22.5 sacks between them. One other player had 2.5 sacks so the question will be who can step up this season to fill the gap. The good news is that they return the top 5 tacklers on the team. The bad news is 4 of them are DBs which is a sure sign of a defense struggling to keep the ball near the line of scrimmage. They lose their top 2 players that can tackle for loss in Barnett and Vereen (33 TFLs). The secondary stays intact but needs improvement after being 72nd in the nation last season. Expect an already meager defense to take a step back this season.
Starters/Notables lost- 2016 stats
Joshua Dobbs- 225-357 2946 yds 27 TDs 12 INT, 1093 rushing yds 12 rush TDs
Alvin Kamara- 616 yds 9 TDs, 392 rec yds 4 rec TDs
Jalen Hurd- 451 yds 3 TDs, 81 rec yds 2 TDs
Josh Malone- 972 rec yds 11 TDs
Jason Croom- 242 rec yds
Derek Barnett- 13 sacks, 56 tackles, 20 TFLs
Corey Vereen- 7 sacks, 36 tackles, 13 TFLs
Latroy Lewis- 2.5 sacks, 36 tackles, 5 TFLs
Cameron Sutton- 23 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 INT
Malik Foreman- 26 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 INT
Vanderbilt
Vandy went 6-7 (3-5) with a bowl loss to NC State last season. They had key a win over Georgia, and finished the season with wins over Ole Miss and Tenn to become bowl eligible. They had a bad loss to Mizzou and took a beating from NC State in the bowl despite having positive momentum at the end of the season.
Offense- 9 returning starters
Total O= 110th @ 355 yds/game
Rushing= 77th @ 164 yds/game
Passing= 100th @ 191 yds/game
Scoring= 113th @ 23 points/game
Vanderbilt QBs were sacked 2.46 times/game. 93rd in the nation.
Vandy returns starting QB Kyle Shurmur and RB Ralph Webb for the 2017 season. Shurmur had a slow start but his numbers picked up late in the season and should continue to grow this season. Webb is one of the best in the conference and should continue to give defenses fits. Vandy loses 2 starters from the 2016 team. They are down 2 offensive linemen so they will need to replace them with quality guys to ensure Webb has holes and Shurmur is protected.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 64th @ 408 yds/game
Rushing D= 57th @ 163 yds/game
Passing D= 83rd @ 244yds/game
Scoring D= 35th @ 24 points/game
Int= 117th @ 5 ints
Sacks= 122@ 1.15/game
TFL= 97th @ 5.2 per game
The overall numbers are not over whelming but Vandy’s scoring defense was the life blood of the team. Most games their offense could not put points on the board, their defense kept the game close. Vandy’s defense loses a d lineman, 1 DB, and 2 LBs including superstar Zach Cunningham. Cunningham is by far the biggest loss for the 2017 season and will be very difficult to replace. With 125 tackles(21 TFLs), Cunningham was all over the field make life difficult for opposing offenses.
Vandy’s rushing D should take a hit with leading sack artist Butler and 2 other LBs leaving. Their secondary was not great last season but are returning 3 Seniors and hopefully will improve. Overall, it should be a typical Vandy defense as recent years but you can not ignore the loss of Cunningham.
Georgia
Georgia went 8-5 (3-5) last season with losses to a down Ole Miss team, Tenn, Vandy, Florida, and Georgia Tech. They barely got past Nichols St, a shootout with NC, last minute drive to beat Kentucky and Mizzou. They also beat Auburn 13-7, UL Lafayette, and won a bowl game vs TCU.
Offense- 7 returning starters
Total O=87th @ 384 yds/game
Rushing= 50th @ 191 yds/game
Passing= 97th @ 193 yds/game
Scoring=102nd @ 24.5 points/game
Georgia QBs were sacked 1.85 times/game. 47th in the nation.
Georgia heard good news when Chubb and Michel decided to come back for their senior seasons. They combine for one of the best running duos in the country and combined for over 2000 yards last season. The biggest loss on offense was McKenzie who was their do all WR and will leave a hole in an offense that was not so great last season. McKenzie racked up only 633 receiving yards, (3 receptions a game) but had 7 receiving TDs.
Even though McKenzie leaving will hurt, they have a young bunch of receivers who are ready to step up this season and make a difference. With starting QB Eason, RBs Chubb and Michel, and the young receivers gaining much needed experience, the offensive numbers should improve…..if……
Georgia’s O line was the major problem last season. They could not control the line and could not give the RBs running room as they did in the past and Eason had no time to throw. Georgia loses 3 starting senior o linemen from last year’s team so who will step up to not only replace but improve the line. They recruited nicely last season but will the freshmen be able to step in and make a difference.
Defense- 10 returning starters
Total D= 16th @ 327 yds/game
Rushing D= 36th @ 143 yds/game
Passing D= 16th @ 183 yds/game
Scoring D= 35th @ 24 points/game
Int= 22nd @ 15 ints
Sacks= 53rd @ 2.23/game
TFL= 109th @ 4.8 per game
Georgia’s defense only loses 2 major contributors from last season, DB Maurice Smith and Trenton Thompson. Smith started 11 games in which he racked up 50 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 INTs. Thompson left due to medical issues but may come back to the team. He led the team in TFL(11), sacks (5), and was 3rd in tackles (56). It is a blow to the line but they added some studs on defense in this year’s recruiting class that should contribute to an already solid squad. It is by far the strength of this team and will continue to get better with a defensive minded coach.
Florida
Florida went 9-4 (6-2) last season and won the east for the second straight year. Florida lost to Tenn, Arkansas, Florida St, and Alabama. The most notable win came against LSU.
Offense- 8 returning starters
Total O= 116th @ 344 yds/game
Rushing= 113th @ 128.2 yds/game
Passing= 79th @ 215.8 yds/game
Scoring=107th @ 23.9 points/game
Florida QBs were sacked 2.15 times/game. 68th in the nation.
Florida’s offense was near the bottom in every category last season. With issues at the QB position, they just could not maintain any real offense. With starting QB Appleby graduating, the QB position is still a major concern for the 2017 season. Florida returns all starters from all other skill positions but lose 2 starting offense linemen.
Starting RB Jordan Scarlett rushed for 907 yards last season. Look for Florida to rely on him even more this season while they try and figure out the QB position. With 2 starters on the line gone and no passing game, this may be an issue though. Florida had 3 games over 200 yds rushing last season.(Kentucky, Mizzou, North Texas) 2 games over 120 (SC, LSU) and 8 games less than 110. Alabama held them to 0 net yds rushing and Arkansas held them to 12 yds net rushing. They faired a little better against Florida St when they achieved 58 yds rushing.
Right now, it appears that Felipe Franks leads the QB race but there is a rumor that Notre Dame QB Zaire may transfer to Florida for his final season. Whoever takes the snaps for the Gators, they will have some nice targets in Callaway and Powell. Callaway averaged 13 yds/rec and is explosive with the ball in his hand. Florida had almost as many interceptions as passing touchdowns last season (18/15) so that is a major concern for whoever calls the plays this season. Overall this offense has issues moving the ball the last few seasons and it is yet to be seen if they can fix the issue this year.
Defense- 3 returning starters
Total D= 5th @ 293 yds/game
Rushing D= 38th @ 144 yds/game
Passing D= 2nd @ 148 yds/game
Scoring D= 6th @ 16.8 points/game
Int= 14th @ 16 ints
Sacks= 40th @ 2.38/game
TFL= 48th @ 6.2 per game
Florida’s defense was one of the best in the country but that may be coming to an end with all of the 2016 starters leaving the program. Florida is losing 3 starting linemen, 2 starting linebackers, and 3 starting defensive backs. Florida is losing 44% of their sack production, 4 of their top 5 tacklers, and 56% of their interceptions. Florida has some good returning players but to lose 8 starters and play makers in one season is a blow to say the least. A team that depends so much on their defense, they will have to fill some big shoes this season.
Starters/Notable lost 2016 stats
Austin Appleby 127/209 1447 yds 10 TDs 7 INT
Alex Anzalone 3 sacks, 53 tackles, 6 TFL
Caleb Brantley 2.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 12 TFL
Joey Ivie 2.5 sacks, 26 tackles, 5 TFL
Jarrad Davis 2 sacks, 60 tackles, 8 TFL
Brian Cox Jr .5 sacks, 19 tackles, 3 TFL
Daniel McMillian 29 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT
Jalen Tabor 1 sack, 33 tackles, TFL, 4 INT, 1 TD
Quincy Wilson 1 sack, 33 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INT, 1 TD
Marcus Maye 1 sack, 50 tackles, 2 TFL, INT
Clemson
Clemson went 14-1 (7-1) and won the National Championship.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 12th @ 503 yds/game
Rushing= 71st @ 169 yds/game
Passing= 7th @ 333 yds/game
Scoring=14th @ 39.2 points/game
Clemson QBs were sacked 1.33 times/game. 22nd in the nation.
Clemson’s offense was one of the best in the nation last season. They had 3 receivers who will be drafted, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, a running back who will be drafted, and an offensive line who rarely gave up sacks or TFLs. That being said, they lose a lot of that production. They lose one of the best QBs in the nation who passed for over 5 thousand yards and ran for another 746. They lose their best running back who rushed for 1171 yds. That is 70% percent of their production on the ground. They lose 3 of the top 4 receivers on the team including Mike Williams who gained 1361 yds and 11 TDs. He is a talent not easily replaced. TE Jordan Leggett is gone taking his 736 yds and 7 TDs with him, and Artavis Scott is also taking his 76 receptions for 614 yds as well. That is 58% of their receiving yards gone.
Clemson is losing 62% of their total offensive production from last season. Would be very bad for most teams but Clemson has returning players that should be able to take up the slack. WRs Deon Cain, Hunter Renfrow, and Ray Ray McCloud are a very explosive WR tandem that could start for any team in the nation. They also have FR receivers coming in that could make an impact like Tee Higgins. Clemson is also returning RB Tavien Feaster, who was Gallman’s back up last season. He is quite capable of carrying a team and scoring at any point in the game. Add Fuller to the mix and you have a nice RB duo.
The main question mark on the Clemson offense is who will be the new QB and will he be able to come anywhere close to the production of Watson. Watson had the ability to take over a game himself and make things happen when the team needed him. Will the new QB have the same magic? Probably not but whoever takes over the job will have plenty of talented targets to throw to so that will help.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 8th @ 311 yds/game
Rushing D= 24th @ 129 yds/game
Passing D= 14th @ 181 yds/game
Scoring D= 10th @ 18 points/game
Int= 6th @ 20 ints
Sacks= 10th @ 3.27/game
TFL= 3rd @ 8.7 per game
Clemson’s defense was in the top 10 last season. They were solid across the board and took advantage of an offense that could score at will. In most cases, the defense could pin their ears back and get after the opposing team knowing the offense could make up for any mistakes made. Their D line was dominant due to talented players and schemes that were design to confuse and disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Clemson loses 2 of their top 4 sack artist. They lose their on the field general in Boulware and they lose their top 2 defensive backs (9 ints, 18 PBus)
They bring back explosive players such as Dexter Lawrence and Clelin Ferrell on the D line and LB Kendall Joseph was the 2nd leading tackler (108) on the team last season behind Boulware. The defense may take a step back next season but it wont be a giant leap. They will still be a very solid unit and be trouble for opposing offenses. They will need to replace the 2 DBs but they have talent waiting in the wings to step up. The only question is will they.
Starters/Notable lost 2016 stats
Deshaun Watson 746 rushing yds, 9 rush TDs
Wayne Gallman- 1171 rushing yds, 17 rush TDs, 20 recs-152 yds
Mike Williams- 98 receptions, 1361 yds 11 TDs
Jordan Leggett- 46 receptions, 736 yds, 7 TDs
Artavis Scott- 76 receptions, 614 yds, 5 TDs
Carlos Watkins- 10.5 sacks, 50 tackles, 15 TFL
Ben Boulware- 4 sacks, 116 tackles, 13 TFL, 1 INT
Scott Pagano- 2 sacks, 20 tackles, 5 TFL
Jadar Johnson- 60 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 INT
Cordrea Tankersley- 52 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 INT
NC State went 7-6 (3-5) last year. Their wins included William & Mary, Old Dominion, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Syracuse, North Carolina, and won their bowl game against Vandy. Their losses came from Clemson, East Carolina, Louisville, BC, Florida State, and Miami.
Offense- 8 returning starters
Total O= 63rd @ 416 yds/game
Rushing= 86th @ 156 yds/game
Passing= 38th @ 260 yds/game
Scoring= 75th @ 27 points/game
They were sacked by opposing defenses 1.31 times/game making them the 19th ranked team in the nation.
NC State is losing their top running back (Dayes) who rushed for 1166 yards last season. That is 57% of their total team output but they have some highly rated RBs waiting for their turn, including 2 4 stars. Look for upcoming JR Gallaspy to get the majority of the workload this season. He averaged 4.8 yds a carry last season and was 2nd on the team. Jaylen Samuels and Nyheim Hines are being moved from receiver to running back this season.
With the move of 2 of their top 4 receivers moving to RB, they will not be as experienced at receiver as they would like. They have quality receivers that their experienced QB can throw too but will be young. Finley threw for over 3000 yds with 18 TDs and 8 ints. The 4 receivers they do lose (1 was starting rb, 2 move to RB) take 1791 yds and 10 TDs with them. Look for Hines to catch passes from the backfield.
NC State is only losing 1 starting o lineman. Center Joe Scelfo.
Defense- 8 returning starters
Total D= 24th @ 352 yds/game
Rushing D= 8th @ 108 yds/game
Passing D= 82th 244 yds/game
Scoring D= 27th @ 22.8 points/game
Int= 68th @ 10
Sacks= 22nd @ 2.86/game
TFL= 33rd @ 6.8/game
NC State returns a stout front seven including Bradley Chubb, who could of entered the draft but chose to stay. Some say it is because he is waiting for his cousin Nick. Their biggest hole to fill are the 3 starting DBs they lost, one who declared early for the draft.( Josh Jones) Jones was the teams leading tackler and also lead the team in interceptions. With 3 of the starting 4 DBs gone, this is the biggest question mark for a defense that was 82nd in the nation last season in passing defense.
Starters lost- 2016 stats
Matt Dayes RB 1166 rush yds 267 rec yds 10 TDs
Cherry Bra’Lon WR 434 yds 3 TDs
Joe Scelfo C- started all 13 games
Josh Jones Safety- 109 tackles, 1 sack, 5 TFL, 3 int,
Jack Tocho CB- 37 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 2 int
Dravious Wright CB- 64 tackles, 1 TFL
Missouri
Mizzou went 4-8 (2-6) last season with wins over Western Michigan, Delaware State, Arkansas, and Vandy. Their most notable loss was to Middle Tennessee St. and every other SEC team they played. Mizzou ended the season last in the SEC.
Offense- 10 returning starters
Total O= 13th @ 500.5 yds/game
Rushing= 38th @ 205.1 yds/game
Passing= 20th @ 295.4 yds/game
Scoring= 48th @ 31.4 points/game
Mizzou was sacked 1.17 /game and were 16th in the nation. The speed the ball leaves the quarterbacks hand and the ability to avoid pressure have a lot to do with this stat. It is a fast paced, quick release offense so the defense has little time to get to the QB.
Mizzou is only losing 1 starter from last years team, TE Sean Culkin. Culkin had 24 receptions for 282 yds which places him 5th most in yardage in the team’s rankings. Rising Sophomore Kendall Blanton will easily step into Culkin’s spot so the Mizzou offense should not miss a beat. Not only will they not miss a beat, but they should be more improved and faster this season after gaining much needed experience last season.
Defense- 5 returning starters
Total D= 118th @ 479 yds/game
Rushing D= 112th @ 232 yds/game
Passing D= 86th @ 246 yds/game
Scoring D= 90th @ 31.5 points/game
Int= 22nd @ 15 ints
Sacks= 51st @ 2.25/game
TFL= 55th @ 6 per game
Mizzou loses 2 D lineman, 2 LB, and 2 DBs from a defense that struggled to keep the opponent off the scoreboard last season. 5 lost due to graduation and 1 JR to the draft.
Mizzou’s D loses 2 of the top 3 sack artist on the team. Out of 27 sacks, the players leaving are responsible for 14.5 of them. They also lose 3 of the top 4 tacklers on the team. (187 tackles) and their best players to stop opponents behind the line of scrimmage. (50% tfl gone)
That is not good for an already bad defense but it gets worse. They also lose their 2 best DBs from last season. The team had 15 INTs and 69 Pass break ups for the season. 9 INTs and 28 PBUs are now gone.
Where will Mizzou go to fill all these major loses to an already meager defense. Of all the returning starters, only 1 started all 12 games last season. No other player has more than 7 due to injury or juggling of roster. Experience will be an issue and be even more highlighted due to the fact that they are on the field for so long due to Mizzou’s high paced offense. It is a lose lose situation for a struggling defense.
Starters lost- 2016 stats
TE Sean Culkin – 24 rec 282 yds
DL Charles Harris- 9 sacks, 61 tackles, 13 tfl
DL Rickey Hatley 1 sack, 28 tackles,
LB Donavin Newsome- 3 sacks, 73 tackles, 6 tfl
LB Michael Scherer- .5 sack, 53 tackles, 5 tfl, 1 int, 2 pbu
DB John Gibson – 28 tackles tfl, 3 int, 5 pbu
DB Aarion Penton- 43 tackles, 5 ints, 12 pbu
Kentucky
Kentucky went 7-6 (4-4) last season with losses to Southern Miss, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tenn., Georgia Tech in a bowl game. Kentucky won games against SC, Vandy, Miss St., Mizzou, Austin P, and New Mexico St. Kentucky started off slow but put together a strong finish to become bowl eligible. Their most impressive win was against their rival Louisville to end the regular season.
Offense- 9 returning starters
Total O= 61st @ 420 yds/game
Rushing= 20th @ 234 yds/game
Passing= 102nd @ 186 yds/game
Scoring= 58th @ 30 points/game
Kentucky QBs were sacked 2.15 times a game which ranks 68th.
Kentucky is only losing 2 starters on offense after the 2016 season. JR RB Boo Williams and SR OL Jon Toth. Boo Williams takes with him 1195 rushing yards and 7 TDs but they should not miss a beat because of rising Sophomore Benny Snell who rushed for 1113 yds and 13 TDs in 2016. Snell is a hard runner who is hard to get to the ground and with 4/5 of an impressive o line coming back, Kentucky’s running game should be full throttle in 2017. Add in QB Stephen Johnson who ran for 512 yards and someone defenses must respect, it should provide a nice 1 2 punch for their offense. Their 3 main targets in the passing game are returning and should have chances to get open after coordinators fill the box with extra bodies to try and stop Snell. Johnson wasn’t the most accurate of passers but that should improve after another year of training and practice.
Defense- 9 returning starters
Total D= 85th @ 434 yds/game
Rushing D= 110th @ 228 yds/game
Passing D= 35th @ 206 yds/game
Scoring D= 86th@ 31.3 points/game
Int= 44th @ 13 ints
Sacks= 97th @ 1.62/game
TFL= 93rd @ 5.3 per game
Kentucky’s defense loses 2 starters from last year. DL Courtney Miggins and DB Blake McClain. Miggins is not a huge loss but McClain had 3 INTs and 2 PBUs. On top of losing McClain, the secondary also lose 2 other senior DBs who had 3 INTs between them. Although the numbers suggest that Kentucky’s defense did well against the pass, it must be noted that teams did not have reason to throw against them because it was so easy to run the ball averaging 228 yds/game.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M went 8-5 (4-4) last season with losses to Alabama, Miss St, Ole Miss, LSU, and Kansas St in the bowl game.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 24th @ 467 yds/game
Rushing= 34th @ 211 yds/game
Passing= 46th @ 255 yds/game
Scoring= 34th @ 34.8 points/game
Texas A&M QBs were sacked 1.62 times/game. 36th in the nation.
Texas A&M is losing their starting QB, 4 of their top 5 WRs, starting TE, and 2 O linemen. With Knight leaving, they are short on experienced QBs. According to the OC, a redshirt 3 star freshman is leading the race to take over the team with a true freshman hot on his heels. It seems the loss of 5 star after 5 star is catching up to the Aggies but with the loss at WR, it may not matter that much anyways.
The Aggies had 3300 receiving yards last season. When Reynolds, Seals-Jones, Noil, and Tabuyo left the team, they took 2000 of those yards with them. Kirk remains on the team and by far will be the best remaining on the team. Kirk had 928 receiving yards on 83 receptions last season. On top of the yardage lost, the Aggies also lose 15 out of 25 TDs from last season. The next highest returning WR on the roster had 6 rec for 74 yards. The Aggies also plan on replacing 2 of the WRs lost with freshman at this time.
The only position on offense that should not change is the RB position. Their 1k freshman rusher returns for his Sophomore season and may be counted on a lot this season. Knight and his all star cast of receivers were very good at spreading the field out last season and freeing running space up for their RB. With all those weapons gone, will he be as effective?
To top it off, the Aggies will have to replace both tackle positions.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 90th @ 441 yds/game
Rushing D= 80th @ 191 yds/game
Passing D= 91st @ 250 yds/game
Scoring D= 40th @ 24.5 points/game
Int= 49th @ 12 ints
Sacks= 14th @ 3/game
TFL= 4th @ 8.5 per game
Determining returning starters for this defense is tricky since only 6 players started more than 9 games last season. Of that 6, 3 are gone. 3 players started 9 games, 1 is now gone. So to be generous, I quoted the team as having 7 returning starters although they do not have the same experience normal starters would have. Of the players leaving, 2 are the leading sack artist (including a 1st overall draft pick) 4 of their leading tacklers, and their best DB.
D lineman Hall and Garrett are the most notable losses as well as their best linebackers George and Washington. Their front 7 is taking a huge hit and will be hard to replace that type of production. The Aggies are losing over 400 tackles, 19 sacks, and 50 TFLs. Toss in their best DB with his 4 INTs and 8 PBUs and a lot of production is gone for 2017.
Starters/Notables lost-
QB Trevor Knight
WR Ricky Seals-Jones
WR Josh Reynolds
WR Speedy Noil
WR Jeremy Tabuyo
TE Tanner Schorp
OL Avery Gennesy
OL Jermaine Elumunor
DL Myles Garrett
DL Daeshon Hall
DL Hardreck Walker
LB Shaan Washington
LB Claude George
DB Justin Evans
Arkansas
Arkansas was 7-6 (3-5) last season with wins over Florida, TCU, La Tech, Texas St, Alcorn, Ole Miss, and Miss St. and losses to A&M, Bama, Auburn, LSU, Mizzou, and a bowl loss to Va Tech.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 54th @ 428 yds/game
Rushing= 78th @ 164 yds/game
Passing= 32nd @ 264 yds/game
Scoring= 57th @ 30.3 points/game
Arkansas QBs were sacked 2.69 times/game. 103rd in the nation.
If losing their top rusher (Williams-1403 yds) wasn’t bad enough, they will be without 4 of their top 5 receivers and 6 of their top 7. That is 2498 yds of their 3434 total receiving yards gained last season or 73%. Their top 2 remaining receivers are WR Cornelius(515 yds) and RB Devwah Whaley(139 yds). They return QB Allen who went 245/401 (61%) 3430 yds 25 TDs/15 INTs. The o line returns 4 starters.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 76th @ 426 yds/game
Rushing D= 94th @ 205 yds/game
Passing D= 58th @ 221 yds/game
Scoring D= 85th @ 31.1 points/game
Int= 68th @ 10 ints
Sacks= 75th @ 1.92/game
TFL= 118th @ 4.5 per game
Arkansas’ defense got to the QB 25 times in 2016. 14.5 of those have left the team including their top 2 sack artists. 5 senior D Linemen left the team after the 2016 season, leaving freshman and sophomores to take up the slack. Not only did they lose their top 2 sack artists, they also lose 3 of the top 4 tacklers on the team. (181 tackles, 34 TFLs) The secondary returns 3 of 4 starters.
Starters/Notables lost- 2016 stats
RB Rawleigh Williams- 1403 rushing yards, 220 yds receiving 13 TDs
WR Drew Morgan- 65 rec 739 yds 3 TDs
WR Keon Hatcher- 44 recs 743 yds 8 TDs
WR Cody Hollister- 10 red 140 yds
WR Dom Reed- 16 recs 255 yds 2 TDs
TE Jeremy Sprinkle- 33 recs 380 yds 4 TDs
OL Dan Skipper
DL Taiwan Johnson= 2 sacks, 29 tackles, 7 TFLs
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter- 5.5 sacks, 49 tackles, 11 TFLs,
DL Detrich Wise- 3.5 sacks, 49 tackles, 8 TFLs
DB Jared Collins- 41 tackles, I INT
LB Brooks Ellis- 1 sack, 83 tackles, 8 TFLs
Tennessee
Tennessee went 9-4 (4-4) last season with losses to Bama, A&M, Vandy, and SC. They had wins over Georgia, Florida, and Nebraska in a bowl game.
Offense- 6 returning starters
Total O= 40th @ 443 yds/game
Rushing= 37th @ 205 yds/game
Passing= 62nd @ 238 yds/game
Scoring= 24th @ 36.4 points/game
Tennessee QBs were sacked 1.92 times/game. 52nd in the nation.
Tennessee loses their starting QB Joshua Dobbs, starting RB Alvin Kamara, and starting WR Josh Malone. They lost another starting RB during the season when Jalen Hurd transferred from the team mid season. They also lose one of their top TEs Jason Croom who had 21 recs for 242 yds during the 2016 season. Throw in a starting O lineman and Tennessee lost a lot of production from last season.
Tennessee’s top rusher was QB Joshua Dobbs (1093 yds) and 3 of their top 4. 72% of their rushing production is now off the team but they do return John Kelly who played more of a main role late in the season. (644 yds) On top of losing their 4 year starter at QB, they also lose 3 of the top 4 receivers for the 2017 season. WR Jauan Jennings and TE Ethan Wolf return as experienced starters and should be nice targets for whoever the new QB will end up being. Jennings is an NFL talent and projected to leave after this year so look for him to be the main target this season.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 95th @ 449 yds/game
Rushing D= 104th @ 218 yds/game
Passing D= 72nd @ 230 yds/game
Scoring D= 68th @ 28.8 points/game
Int= 58th @ 11 ints
Sacks= 45th @ 2.31/game
TFL= 14th @ 7.7 per game
Tennessee loses their top 3 sack leaders in Barnett, Vereen, and Lewis with 22.5 sacks between them. One other player had 2.5 sacks so the question will be who can step up this season to fill the gap. The good news is that they return the top 5 tacklers on the team. The bad news is 4 of them are DBs which is a sure sign of a defense struggling to keep the ball near the line of scrimmage. They lose their top 2 players that can tackle for loss in Barnett and Vereen (33 TFLs). The secondary stays intact but needs improvement after being 72nd in the nation last season. Expect an already meager defense to take a step back this season.
Starters/Notables lost- 2016 stats
Joshua Dobbs- 225-357 2946 yds 27 TDs 12 INT, 1093 rushing yds 12 rush TDs
Alvin Kamara- 616 yds 9 TDs, 392 rec yds 4 rec TDs
Jalen Hurd- 451 yds 3 TDs, 81 rec yds 2 TDs
Josh Malone- 972 rec yds 11 TDs
Jason Croom- 242 rec yds
Derek Barnett- 13 sacks, 56 tackles, 20 TFLs
Corey Vereen- 7 sacks, 36 tackles, 13 TFLs
Latroy Lewis- 2.5 sacks, 36 tackles, 5 TFLs
Cameron Sutton- 23 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 INT
Malik Foreman- 26 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 INT
Vanderbilt
Vandy went 6-7 (3-5) with a bowl loss to NC State last season. They had key a win over Georgia, and finished the season with wins over Ole Miss and Tenn to become bowl eligible. They had a bad loss to Mizzou and took a beating from NC State in the bowl despite having positive momentum at the end of the season.
Offense- 9 returning starters
Total O= 110th @ 355 yds/game
Rushing= 77th @ 164 yds/game
Passing= 100th @ 191 yds/game
Scoring= 113th @ 23 points/game
Vanderbilt QBs were sacked 2.46 times/game. 93rd in the nation.
Vandy returns starting QB Kyle Shurmur and RB Ralph Webb for the 2017 season. Shurmur had a slow start but his numbers picked up late in the season and should continue to grow this season. Webb is one of the best in the conference and should continue to give defenses fits. Vandy loses 2 starters from the 2016 team. They are down 2 offensive linemen so they will need to replace them with quality guys to ensure Webb has holes and Shurmur is protected.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 64th @ 408 yds/game
Rushing D= 57th @ 163 yds/game
Passing D= 83rd @ 244yds/game
Scoring D= 35th @ 24 points/game
Int= 117th @ 5 ints
Sacks= 122@ 1.15/game
TFL= 97th @ 5.2 per game
The overall numbers are not over whelming but Vandy’s scoring defense was the life blood of the team. Most games their offense could not put points on the board, their defense kept the game close. Vandy’s defense loses a d lineman, 1 DB, and 2 LBs including superstar Zach Cunningham. Cunningham is by far the biggest loss for the 2017 season and will be very difficult to replace. With 125 tackles(21 TFLs), Cunningham was all over the field make life difficult for opposing offenses.
Vandy’s rushing D should take a hit with leading sack artist Butler and 2 other LBs leaving. Their secondary was not great last season but are returning 3 Seniors and hopefully will improve. Overall, it should be a typical Vandy defense as recent years but you can not ignore the loss of Cunningham.
Georgia
Georgia went 8-5 (3-5) last season with losses to a down Ole Miss team, Tenn, Vandy, Florida, and Georgia Tech. They barely got past Nichols St, a shootout with NC, last minute drive to beat Kentucky and Mizzou. They also beat Auburn 13-7, UL Lafayette, and won a bowl game vs TCU.
Offense- 7 returning starters
Total O=87th @ 384 yds/game
Rushing= 50th @ 191 yds/game
Passing= 97th @ 193 yds/game
Scoring=102nd @ 24.5 points/game
Georgia QBs were sacked 1.85 times/game. 47th in the nation.
Georgia heard good news when Chubb and Michel decided to come back for their senior seasons. They combine for one of the best running duos in the country and combined for over 2000 yards last season. The biggest loss on offense was McKenzie who was their do all WR and will leave a hole in an offense that was not so great last season. McKenzie racked up only 633 receiving yards, (3 receptions a game) but had 7 receiving TDs.
Even though McKenzie leaving will hurt, they have a young bunch of receivers who are ready to step up this season and make a difference. With starting QB Eason, RBs Chubb and Michel, and the young receivers gaining much needed experience, the offensive numbers should improve…..if……
Georgia’s O line was the major problem last season. They could not control the line and could not give the RBs running room as they did in the past and Eason had no time to throw. Georgia loses 3 starting senior o linemen from last year’s team so who will step up to not only replace but improve the line. They recruited nicely last season but will the freshmen be able to step in and make a difference.
Defense- 10 returning starters
Total D= 16th @ 327 yds/game
Rushing D= 36th @ 143 yds/game
Passing D= 16th @ 183 yds/game
Scoring D= 35th @ 24 points/game
Int= 22nd @ 15 ints
Sacks= 53rd @ 2.23/game
TFL= 109th @ 4.8 per game
Georgia’s defense only loses 2 major contributors from last season, DB Maurice Smith and Trenton Thompson. Smith started 11 games in which he racked up 50 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 INTs. Thompson left due to medical issues but may come back to the team. He led the team in TFL(11), sacks (5), and was 3rd in tackles (56). It is a blow to the line but they added some studs on defense in this year’s recruiting class that should contribute to an already solid squad. It is by far the strength of this team and will continue to get better with a defensive minded coach.
Florida
Florida went 9-4 (6-2) last season and won the east for the second straight year. Florida lost to Tenn, Arkansas, Florida St, and Alabama. The most notable win came against LSU.
Offense- 8 returning starters
Total O= 116th @ 344 yds/game
Rushing= 113th @ 128.2 yds/game
Passing= 79th @ 215.8 yds/game
Scoring=107th @ 23.9 points/game
Florida QBs were sacked 2.15 times/game. 68th in the nation.
Florida’s offense was near the bottom in every category last season. With issues at the QB position, they just could not maintain any real offense. With starting QB Appleby graduating, the QB position is still a major concern for the 2017 season. Florida returns all starters from all other skill positions but lose 2 starting offense linemen.
Starting RB Jordan Scarlett rushed for 907 yards last season. Look for Florida to rely on him even more this season while they try and figure out the QB position. With 2 starters on the line gone and no passing game, this may be an issue though. Florida had 3 games over 200 yds rushing last season.(Kentucky, Mizzou, North Texas) 2 games over 120 (SC, LSU) and 8 games less than 110. Alabama held them to 0 net yds rushing and Arkansas held them to 12 yds net rushing. They faired a little better against Florida St when they achieved 58 yds rushing.
Right now, it appears that Felipe Franks leads the QB race but there is a rumor that Notre Dame QB Zaire may transfer to Florida for his final season. Whoever takes the snaps for the Gators, they will have some nice targets in Callaway and Powell. Callaway averaged 13 yds/rec and is explosive with the ball in his hand. Florida had almost as many interceptions as passing touchdowns last season (18/15) so that is a major concern for whoever calls the plays this season. Overall this offense has issues moving the ball the last few seasons and it is yet to be seen if they can fix the issue this year.
Defense- 3 returning starters
Total D= 5th @ 293 yds/game
Rushing D= 38th @ 144 yds/game
Passing D= 2nd @ 148 yds/game
Scoring D= 6th @ 16.8 points/game
Int= 14th @ 16 ints
Sacks= 40th @ 2.38/game
TFL= 48th @ 6.2 per game
Florida’s defense was one of the best in the country but that may be coming to an end with all of the 2016 starters leaving the program. Florida is losing 3 starting linemen, 2 starting linebackers, and 3 starting defensive backs. Florida is losing 44% of their sack production, 4 of their top 5 tacklers, and 56% of their interceptions. Florida has some good returning players but to lose 8 starters and play makers in one season is a blow to say the least. A team that depends so much on their defense, they will have to fill some big shoes this season.
Starters/Notable lost 2016 stats
Austin Appleby 127/209 1447 yds 10 TDs 7 INT
Alex Anzalone 3 sacks, 53 tackles, 6 TFL
Caleb Brantley 2.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 12 TFL
Joey Ivie 2.5 sacks, 26 tackles, 5 TFL
Jarrad Davis 2 sacks, 60 tackles, 8 TFL
Brian Cox Jr .5 sacks, 19 tackles, 3 TFL
Daniel McMillian 29 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT
Jalen Tabor 1 sack, 33 tackles, TFL, 4 INT, 1 TD
Quincy Wilson 1 sack, 33 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INT, 1 TD
Marcus Maye 1 sack, 50 tackles, 2 TFL, INT
Clemson
Clemson went 14-1 (7-1) and won the National Championship.
Offense- 5 returning starters
Total O= 12th @ 503 yds/game
Rushing= 71st @ 169 yds/game
Passing= 7th @ 333 yds/game
Scoring=14th @ 39.2 points/game
Clemson QBs were sacked 1.33 times/game. 22nd in the nation.
Clemson’s offense was one of the best in the nation last season. They had 3 receivers who will be drafted, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, a running back who will be drafted, and an offensive line who rarely gave up sacks or TFLs. That being said, they lose a lot of that production. They lose one of the best QBs in the nation who passed for over 5 thousand yards and ran for another 746. They lose their best running back who rushed for 1171 yds. That is 70% percent of their production on the ground. They lose 3 of the top 4 receivers on the team including Mike Williams who gained 1361 yds and 11 TDs. He is a talent not easily replaced. TE Jordan Leggett is gone taking his 736 yds and 7 TDs with him, and Artavis Scott is also taking his 76 receptions for 614 yds as well. That is 58% of their receiving yards gone.
Clemson is losing 62% of their total offensive production from last season. Would be very bad for most teams but Clemson has returning players that should be able to take up the slack. WRs Deon Cain, Hunter Renfrow, and Ray Ray McCloud are a very explosive WR tandem that could start for any team in the nation. They also have FR receivers coming in that could make an impact like Tee Higgins. Clemson is also returning RB Tavien Feaster, who was Gallman’s back up last season. He is quite capable of carrying a team and scoring at any point in the game. Add Fuller to the mix and you have a nice RB duo.
The main question mark on the Clemson offense is who will be the new QB and will he be able to come anywhere close to the production of Watson. Watson had the ability to take over a game himself and make things happen when the team needed him. Will the new QB have the same magic? Probably not but whoever takes over the job will have plenty of talented targets to throw to so that will help.
Defense- 7 returning starters
Total D= 8th @ 311 yds/game
Rushing D= 24th @ 129 yds/game
Passing D= 14th @ 181 yds/game
Scoring D= 10th @ 18 points/game
Int= 6th @ 20 ints
Sacks= 10th @ 3.27/game
TFL= 3rd @ 8.7 per game
Clemson’s defense was in the top 10 last season. They were solid across the board and took advantage of an offense that could score at will. In most cases, the defense could pin their ears back and get after the opposing team knowing the offense could make up for any mistakes made. Their D line was dominant due to talented players and schemes that were design to confuse and disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Clemson loses 2 of their top 4 sack artist. They lose their on the field general in Boulware and they lose their top 2 defensive backs (9 ints, 18 PBus)
They bring back explosive players such as Dexter Lawrence and Clelin Ferrell on the D line and LB Kendall Joseph was the 2nd leading tackler (108) on the team last season behind Boulware. The defense may take a step back next season but it wont be a giant leap. They will still be a very solid unit and be trouble for opposing offenses. They will need to replace the 2 DBs but they have talent waiting in the wings to step up. The only question is will they.
Starters/Notable lost 2016 stats
Deshaun Watson 746 rushing yds, 9 rush TDs
Wayne Gallman- 1171 rushing yds, 17 rush TDs, 20 recs-152 yds
Mike Williams- 98 receptions, 1361 yds 11 TDs
Jordan Leggett- 46 receptions, 736 yds, 7 TDs
Artavis Scott- 76 receptions, 614 yds, 5 TDs
Carlos Watkins- 10.5 sacks, 50 tackles, 15 TFL
Ben Boulware- 4 sacks, 116 tackles, 13 TFL, 1 INT
Scott Pagano- 2 sacks, 20 tackles, 5 TFL
Jadar Johnson- 60 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 INT
Cordrea Tankersley- 52 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 INT
