Fansided

2 reasons why Clemson will win the national championship this season

By Shayne Nissen

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks with a group of receivers during Dabo Swinney Football Camp 2021 in Clemson, S.C. Thursday, June 10, 2021.Dabo Swinney Football Camp 2021
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks with a group of receivers during Dabo Swinney Football Camp 2021 in Clemson, S.C. Thursday, June 10, 2021.Dabo Swinney Football Camp 2021 /
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Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee(11) smiles after wide receiver Frank Ladson Jr.(2) scored his second touchdown of the game against The Citadel, during the second quarter of the game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.Clemson The Citadel Ncaa Football
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee(11) smiles after wide receiver Frank Ladson Jr.(2) scored his second touchdown of the game against The Citadel, during the second quarter of the game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.Clemson The Citadel Ncaa Football /

1. Clemson’s defense is loaded with experienced talent

This comes with the territory of a team that brings in top-tier recruiting classes year after year. But it isn’t always the case that a Clemson defense is this experienced.

With a program like this, they are often forced to reload quickly after their best players leave after their junior season. That is not the case for the Tigers this year.

They bring back nine of their 12 top tacklers from last season and nine of their top 10 tackles for loss recipients. All of whom were underclassmen last year.

Baylon Spector is the No. 1 returner for the Tigers in part because he led the team in tackles with  65 and tackles for loss with 10.5. They’ll also return Bryan Breese, a defensive tackle who had a fantastic freshman season last year racking up 25 tackles and four sacks, the latter of which tied with four others for the team lead.

In the secondary, the loss of first-team All-ACC corner Derion Kendrick will certainly hurt but the Tigers are still loaded with talent on the back end. Nolan Turner and Lannden Zanders will do just fine as a really solid safety tandem for Clemson in 2021.

If the Tigers can avoid injuries, which proved difficult last season though they still ended as the ACC’s top scoring defense, they should once again find themselves right in the thick of the national championship conversation.

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