Clemson Tigers suffer a devastating 45-46 home loss to Duke, exposing critical flaws on defense and special teams. Can this program recover from its worst season under Dabo Sweeney?

Morgan Thomas breaks down the offensive improvements that finally emerged—Braden Jacobs' impact on the offensive line and Gideon Davidson's breakout performance with 12 touches. But defensive coordinator Tom Allen's unit continues to struggle with zero pass rush, allowing quarterbacks endless time to exploit the secondary. The analysis reveals Wade Woodaz's blown coverage on the game-losing two-point conversion, a catastrophic 100-yard kickoff return immediately after Peter Woods' momentum-shifting touchdown, and Cade Klubnik's failure to recognize a free play in crunch time.

Thomas holds Dabo Sweeney ultimately accountable for building a roster and staff that has produced Clemson's most disappointing season in over a decade, while explaining why the $60 million buyout makes firing him impractical.

Discover the film breakdowns and coaching decisions that cost Clemson this heartbreaker at home.

 

0:00 Intro

4:40 Tom Allen's defense shows no improvement

6:42 Gideon Davidson's breakout performance and future role

9:49 Why Clemson's pass defense keeps breaking down

14:24 Defensive line fails to generate pressure consistently

17:27 Critical coverage mistakes from Wade Woodaz

21:35 Special teams disasters kill momentum shifts

26:46 Cade Klubnik fails in critical moments again

29:57 Dabo's responsibility for building this disaster

 

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