July 7, 2025

LSU's Offense vs. Clemson's Defense: Part 2 of 2

I asked Gemini’s Deep Dive two questions: “How does Tom Allen’s Defensive philosophy mesh with projected defensive starters for Clemson this year?” and “How can LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and LSU’s Offense succeed against a Tom Allen coached Clemson this year?”

Question 2: “How can LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and LSU’s Offense succeed against a Tom Allen coached Clemson this year?”

Gemini’s Response:

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and the offense face a significant challenge against Tom Allen's Clemson defense in the upcoming season opener.

Garrett Nussmeier's Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strengths:

Arm Talent: Possesses excellent arm strength and can make NFL-level throws with a quick release.
Pocket Presence: Shows remarkable poise in the pocket, working to create space and climb/slide to find throwing lanes.
Quick Processor: Regularly reads through progressions and finds options downfield.
Deep Ball Touch: Excels at throwing deep balls with good touch and accuracy, according to NFL.com.

Weaknesses:

Turnover Prone: Can be prone to turnovers, especially when forcing passes into tight windows.
Durability Concerns: Has a slender frame and has struggled with durability in the past, taking big hits and laboring through games.
Decision-Making: Needs to improve ball security and decision-making, as he sometimes forces passes into coverage.
Limited Mobility: While he can evade defenders in the pocket, he is not a great athlete and lacks significant mobility.

Clemson's Defense under Tom Allen:

Scheme: Allen employs a 4-2-5 nickel defense that focuses on simplicity in the front seven and more complex looks in the secondary to confuse offenses.

Strengths:

Top Talent: Clemson boasts a dominant defensive line, ranked No. 1 in college football by Clemson Sports News with potential top-10 NFL Draft picks like T.J. Parker and Peter Woods.
Run Defense Improvement: Allen's presence is expected to significantly improve Clemson's run defense, which struggled in 2024.
Aggressive Style: Allen's defense is aggressive, with a focus on takeaways, tackling, and generating pressure.

Weaknesses (Potential):

Run Defense (2024): While Allen aims to fix it, the run defense was a major weakness in 2024.
Secondary Depth: The depth of the secondary remains a potential question mark, according to some analysts.

How LSU Can Succeed:

Protect Nussmeier: LSU's offensive line must provide adequate protection for Nussmeier, especially given his past durability concerns. The loss of four starters, including Will Campbell, will make this a challenge.
Limit Turnovers: Nussmeier must prioritize ball security and make smart decisions to avoid costly turnovers against an aggressive Clemson defense.
Exploit Potential Secondary Weaknesses: If Clemson's secondary struggles with depth or adjustments, LSU's talented receivers must take advantage.
Utilize the Run Game: A strong rushing attack can take pressure off Nussmeier and help control the tempo of the game.
Capitalize on Red Zone Opportunities: LSU needs to execute effectively in the red zone to convert scoring chances against a defense that ranked highly in this area under Allen at Penn State.

My Thoughts: One of the Hallmarks of Joe Sloan coached QBs and since starting of this decade LSU QBs is that they are prepared to succeed in the NFL (ala Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels). There is also the poise that Nussmeier has likely gained from a year of starting in the SEC. I do not expect any of the weaknesses listed for Nussmeier by Gemini to be a factor. I might be a little optimistic on the mobility weakness but I seem to recall that Joe Burrow became a better escape artist his second year at LSU. So, who knows? The question is not whether Nuss is a potential Heisman winner/#1 NFL draft pick. The question is has the LSU coaching staff done a solid job of coaching talented offensive linemen?

I think LSU has the option of short passes to running backs and tight ends or opening the game by seeing if one of the two fastest wide receivers in the NCAA can sprint to the end zone for a first play touchdown. Not a lot of teams should be able to prepare for a 6’7” basketball player-like tight end (Trey’Dez Green) and 6’5” tight end Bauer Sharp who had a team leading 42 receptions at Oklahoma in 2024. I have not seen much on LSU’s tight ends or Aaron Anderson, who was not far from a 1,000 yard season last year. He had 884 receiving yards last year. Plus LSU has two other QBs with dual threat capabilities. My last thought is that LSU has a great idea of what Clemson is likely to do, considering the return of so many starters and a well known new DC. On the other hand LSU targeted and obtained a number of new very talented players for specific needs and there is no film that can tell any of us how these parts will work together. Geaux Tigahs!!!

Notice/disclaimer: Google’s Gemini can only sort through and pick out highlights from what others (very biased humans) have written. In short, Gemini’s conclusions are based mostly on who has offered a written opinion and the trend of opinions on the questions that I asked. My opinion: there is a defiant magic to LSU football. For the record: I attended LSU (bachelors), Texas A&M (masters), and Mizzou(2nd masters). My parents met at LSU and are both graduates. My younger brother is an LSU grad and I live in Louisiana. So, my gut tells me that LSU is going to beat Clemson. Don’t let me down, Tigahs!

The articles that Gemini cited for both questions includes: Althon Sports “Tom Allen’s Defensive Revival”, Clemson Sports News “Clemson’s 2025 Defensive Line”, 247Sports “Update 2025 depth chart projection for Clemson football”, 247Sports “VIP Notebook: A ‘way-too-early’ prediction of Clemson’s . . .”, 247Sports “LSU, Clemson taking opposite approaches in preparation for. . .”, NFL Draft Buzz “Garrett Nussmeier Quarterback LSU”, Daft on Draft “Just how high is Garrett Nussmeier’s ceiling?”, Last Word on Sports “Garrett Nussmeier 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report”, Clemson Sports News “Clemson’s 2025 Defensive Line: Poised to Dominate”, 247Sports “Five biggest questions for Clemson’s defense entering. . .”, Greenville Online “What to know about Tom Allen, new defensive coordinator”, Althon Sports “Column: How Tom Allen is Fixing Last Year’s Problems”, and SportsGrid “Ranking the Top 40 Offenses for the 2025 College Football Season”.

LSU's Offense vs. Clemson's Defense: Part 1 of 2

Question 1: “How does Tom Allen’s Defensive philosophy mesh with projected defensive starters for Clemson this year?”

Gemini’s Response:

Tom Allen's defensive philosophy, characterized by simplicity, aggression, and emphasis on fundamentals like takeaways, tackling, and effort, seems to be a strong fit for the projected defensive starters at Clemson in 2025.

Here's how Allen's philosophy aligns with the strengths of Clemson's likely starters:

Defensive Line Powerhouse: Clemson's defensive line, projected as the nation's best in 2025, fits perfectly with Allen's focus on a dominant four-man front. Players like T.J. Parker and Peter Woods are described as "NFL talents" who excel at disrupting the run and generating pressure, aligning with Allen's aggressive approach. Allen's scheme, including a standing edge rusher, can be used to maximize the talent of these players, potentially elevating Parker to a top 5 draft prospect.
Emphasis on Tackling: Allen's prioritization of tackling addresses a key area of concern for Clemson's defense from the previous season. He emphasized this fundamental aspect from day one, aiming to improve finishing plays correctly, which is crucial for a successful defense.
Secondary Play: The projected Clemson secondary, featuring players like Avieon Terrell and Ashton Hampton, aligns with Allen's scheme designed to be versatile against modern spread offenses and prevent deep passes. Terrell is expected to be a leader in this area, while Hampton's frame and range make him a good fit for Allen's defensive backfield. The flexibility of the scheme also allows for the utilization of hybrid players like Khalil Barnes in the nickel role.
Linebacker Potential: Linebackers like Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown are expected to flourish under Allen's passionate and fiery coaching style. Their ability to "clean up the mess on the second level" behind the powerful defensive line is essential for Allen's scheme. The addition of transfer Jeremiah Alexander further strengthens this unit and offers versatility for Allen to deploy as a SAM linebacker in his 4-2-5 scheme.
Simple and Adaptable Scheme: Allen's preference for simplicity and adaptability allows the players to focus on fundamentals and play fast, while the coaching staff handles the strategic adjustments. This approach should foster player confidence and enable the team to quickly adapt to opponent game plans.

In summary, Tom Allen's defensive philosophy, centered on toughness, accountability, and execution of simple, aggressive concepts, appears to mesh well with the projected strengths and personnel of Clemson's defense in 2025. The Tigers' talented defensive line, promising secondary, and developing linebacker corps are well-suited to thrive under Allen's leadership, potentially returning Clemson to defensive dominance.

My thoughts: TJ Parker and Peter Woods are all stars that Clemson will rely on making the rest of the Clemson defense look good. I am thinking that if these two guys can be blocked, Trey’Dez Green and Bauer Sharp might be able to surprise Clemson early and often. I pray that Nuss has and currently is gathering all of the many talented pass catchers that LSU now has and practicing throwing to them morning, noon, and night as his predecessor Joe Burrow did with his group. Need I remind LSU faithful and a few NFL teams that what Joe did back then has worked out really really well for all involved.

Another thing that articles do not seem to be accounting for is the quality of LSU linemen. Brian Kelly has been attracting really good offensive linemen since his arrival. The questions that remain are: “Can LSU’s offensive line work well as a unit?”, “Can LSU get everyone manning the offensive trenches on the same page?” “Can LSU’s O-line make in-play adjustments as a single cohesive unit?”

Clemson has always (in this century) had a fundamentally sound team both on offense and defense. I think Dabo Swinney’s picture is on the front cover of the made up book “Historically Fundamental Football Coaches”. My point is I do not believe that Tom Allen coaching fundamentals like “tackling” and “effort” are going to be something new that he has introduced to Clemson’s defensive players. If I’m wrong, good!, they are not likely to have fixed those problems in his first year as DC. On the other hand, LSU DC Blake Baker is in his second year and he most definitely had a hand in bringing in the multiple LSU defensive transfers. It is possible that Baker may have seen players that work well with his philosophy.

NotebookLM LSU Vs Clemson 6 Sources Briefing

LSU vs. Clemson 2025: Detailed Briefing

This briefing document summarizes key themes, ideas, and facts surrounding the highly anticipated 2025 season opener between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers, drawing directly from the provided sources. (Note: I loaded 3 YouTube Videos and 3 articles and prompted Google's NotebookLM to provide this briefing.) Opinions in this briefing are strictly AI and not necessarily the opinions of Bob Wynn/Bob's Sports Blog.

Game Details & Significance

Date and Time: Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina.
Broadcast: ABC (Primetime matchup, part of ESPN's early-season showcases).
Significance: This game is a "likely top-10 matchup" and is considered "one of the top nonconference matchups in college football this season." For LSU, it marks their season opener, and they have "lost five straight season openers," making this game particularly crucial. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has not won an opener yet as a starter.

LSU Tigers Outlook

High Expectations and Playoff Mandate

Coaching Pressure: Head Coach Brian Kelly is entering his fourth year with LSU, and the expectations for LSU football are sky high. Brian Kelly and LSU players haven't minced words: it's playoff time for them at minimum this and they are aiming for a National Championship this year. Historical context adds to the pressure: "the previous three head coaches at LSU have won a natty within their first four seasons as the head coach of the Tigers." There's "tremendous amount of pressure" on Kelly to make the playoff, especially after Notre Dame (his former team) was in the national title game last year while LSU was not.
Roster Talent: LSU is described as having "the best roster well-rounded roster that Brian Kelly has had at LSU without a doubt," with "a lot more talent and a lot more depth at key positions."

Defensive Focus and Transfers

Addressing Past Weaknesses: The primary area of concern for LSU has been its defense, particularly in stopping the run and giving up explosive plays. Last year, they "came in last in the SEC in explosive play rate allowed on defense." The team acknowledges they "have got to be better" defensively.
Impact of Transfers: LSU has been aggressive in the transfer portal, adding "nine defensive transfers, many of whom are expected to have key roles. These include players with "powerful experience from the SEC, the Big 10 and the ACC. Specific names mentioned are former NC State safety Tamarcus Cooley, former Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton, former Virginia Tech cornerback Mansoor Delane, and former Texas interior linemen, Sadier Mitchell and former Florida defensive edge Jack Pyburn. They have "really attacked the edge rushers" and "gone into the secondary and gotten some impact cornerbacks and safeties."
Defensive Coordinator: Blake Baker is in his second year as defensive coordinator. While many new players are on the field, Cade Klubnik notes, "At the end of the day, they’ve got the same coach, so they’re going to be getting coached the same way. They should have the same rules and the same schemes." There's optimism for the defense to be a "top 30 unit defensively," which would be a "massive leap from two years ago when they were 108."
Run Defense: A critical area for improvement is stopping the run. "In every SEC loss at LSU under Brian Kelly they’ve given up 250 rushing yards on the ground defensively."

Offensive Line & Weapons

Offensive Line Rebuild: A major question mark for LSU is its offensive line, which is "having to replace four starters from last year that were drafted by NFL teams." While they brought in two interior linemen from the portal (Josh Thompson out of Northwestern and Braelin Moore out of Virginia Tech), "the majority of this thing is going to have to be done in-house in terms of their internal development." This unit needs to gel over the next couple of months and will face an immediate test against Clemson's strong front seven.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier: Nussmeier is expected to be a "projected first-round pick" and is praised by Cade Klubnik for his "ability for timing routes" as "one of the best in the country." The offense needs to "manage the game and take advantage of every drive." However, concerns exist about his turnover rate, with a need for him to "cut those turnovers in half and makes better decisions."
Running Game: There's a strong emphasis on LSU needing to "run the ball better" and for offensive coordinator Joe Sloan to "actually commit to running the football," as they have "abandoned the run way too quickly" in the past.
Breakout Wide Receivers: LSU targeted the wide receiver position in the transfer portal. Chris Hilton Jr. is a strong candidate for a breakout season due to his "natural rapport" with Nussmeier on "vertical passes" and his potential to be a "deep threat catcher." Other dynamic pass-catchers like Barion Brown and Aaron Anderson are expected to work the "quick game" to protect the offensive line. Nick Anderson, a unique skill set, is also expected to contribute vertically.

Clemson Tigers Outlook

Quarterback Cade Klubnik

Experienced Leader: Cade Klubnik, a former five-star recruit and the No. 1 quarterback in the 2022 class, is now entering his senior year. He is a "projected first-round pick and potential Heisman Trophy contender."
Strong 2024 Season: In his second year as a starter, Klubnik completed 63.4% of his throws for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, and rushed for 463 yards and seven scores, leading Clemson to an ACC championship and a College Football Playoff spot.
Scouting LSU Defense: Klubnik plans to study LSU's defensive coordinator Blake Baker's system rather than individual players, as LSU added many defensive transfers. He will examine the aggression and technique of LSU defensive backs.
Mobility: Klubnik has been "very successful using his legs not only in the run game but getting himself out of trouble and getting himself out of the pocket." His improved "feel for when to take off and run when to break outside the pocket" made him dangerous last year.

Continuity and Returning Production

Experience: Clemson boasts significant "continuity and experience," having played "the most freshmen in the country the past two years."
Returning Production: Clemson ranks "first in the country in returning production at 81%, according to ESPN," bringing back "eight starters on offense and nine starters on defense."
Defensive Line Strength: The defensive line features "projected first-round picks TJ Parker and Peter Woods," described as "really consistent in their pace of play and their effort," and "aggressive" and "confident guys."

Defensive Coordinator Change

Tom Allen's Impact: Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen is now Clemson's defensive coordinator. The expectation is that Clemson's defense, particularly the front seven, will improve significantly under Allen, especially in run defense and tackling. His secondaries are known to be "really really good" and "aggressive units."

Offensive Line & Run Game Concerns

Development Needed: While the offensive line improved from 2023 to 2024, sources suggest that when playing "really high caliber defensive fronts," Clemson's run game has "struggled to run the football." The ability of the offensive line to "take a step again" through "pure development" is a key question.
Running Back Room: There are "question marks about the running back room heading into this matchup."
Engine of the Offense: Despite concerns about the run game, Klubnik and a talented wide receiver room are considered the "engine of this offense," described as the "most talented I believe that we’ve seen from [Clemson]."

Key Matchups and Strategic Considerations

LSU Offense vs. Clemson Defense: LSU's Offensive Line vs. Clemson's Front Seven: This is a critical matchup. Clemson's defensive line, with Parker and Woods, and Tom Allen's aggressive scheme, will test LSU's reconfigured offensive line. LSU's ability to "run the football extremely effectively" against Clemson is doubted, leading to a potential reliance on the "quick pass game" to protect the offensive line and get the ball out of Nussmeier's hands quickly.
LSU's Vertical Threats vs. Clemson's Secondary: If LSU can develop wide receivers who can "win vertically down the field and go make plays," it will open up the quick game against an aggressive Clemson secondary. Nick Anderson and Chris Hilton Jr. are highlighted as potential deep threats.
LSU Avoiding Third and Long: Staying out of "second and third and long situations" is crucial for LSU to prevent Clemson's pass rushers from dictating play.
Clemson Offense vs. LSU Defense: Clemson's Run Game vs. LSU's Run Defense: Can Clemson establish its run game against LSU's revamped interior defensive line, which has historically struggled against the run? The performance of LSU's interior linemen (Ahmad Breaux, Jacobian Guillory (*added by Bob to this article), Dominic McKinley, Sadier Mitchell) will be key.
Clemson's Receivers vs. LSU's Secondary: Blake Baker "wants to play a lot of man coverage," and with new personnel, LSU is believed to have the "personnel to do so" this year. The ability of Clemson's receivers (Brian Wesco, TJ Moore, Tristan Smith, Antonio Williams) to "win their one-on-one matchups" will be vital.
Cade Klubnik's Mobility vs. LSU's Linebackers/Edge Rushers: LSU's Harold Perkins, known for chasing down quarterbacks, and an "elite" edge rush unit (Jack Pyburn, Patrick Payton, Gabe Reliford, Jamari Butler) will challenge Klubnik's ability to extend plays with his legs. Patrick Payton is highlighted as a "catalyst for your biggest defensive success" if he can consistently deliver 10+ sacks.

Predictions and Stakes

Early Betting Line: LSU opens as a 2.5-point underdog against Clemson.
Importance for LSU: This game is "a crucial step for LSU in their potential playoff run." A win "will not only announce themselves to the college football world as a playoff contender this year but also as a championship contender."
Season Trajectory: The Week 1 game "is going to tell us a lot about what this team looks like for the rest of the season."

Differing Predictions: Some analysts are "very high on heading into 2025" for both teams, suggesting a potential College Football Playoff rematch.
Others are leaning towards Clemson winning due to their "continuity" and feeling "better about Clemson playing their best football week one than I do LSU."
One analyst predicts LSU to go "nine and three," missing the playoff, citing concerns about the defense and the difficulty of road games against Clemson, Ole Miss, and Alabama.
Conversely, some believe LSU could be a "9 and 3, 10-2 level team" and that "getting to the playoff should be the expectation" given their talent and "easier SEC schedules" (not playing Georgia or Texas).

Final Takeaways

Both teams enter this matchup with high expectations and specific strengths and weaknesses. Clemson boasts continuity and a proven quarterback, with a defensive coordinator change expected to bolster their already talented defense. LSU is undergoing a significant defensive overhaul via the transfer portal and is looking for its new offensive line to gel quickly. The outcome of this game will be an early indicator of each team's potential for the 2025 season, with significant playoff implications, especially for LSU.

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