5 things we learned from Clemson’s win against Kent State

There is No Quarterback Competition

Clemson made it apparent that Kelly Bryant is the guy at quarterback. The coaching staff allowed Bryant to play the entire first half to avoid questions going into this week’s game against Auburn. Bryant showed some of the swagger Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said he saw throughout preseason practices as he hurt Kent State with his arm and legs. Bryant looked like one of the fastest guys on the field, easily running by members of the Kent State secondary. He also showed nice touch on short passes and deep passes. With that said, Auburn’s defense will provide a much tougher challenge.

Etienne Can Be Special

It’s easy to see why Clemson’s coaching staff is excited about true freshman running back Travis Etienne. The Louisiana native darted through the line of scrimmage on several occasions and also did a nice job of keeping his balance after initial contact. Etienne still has work to do learning the playbook and pass protection, but with the ball in his hands, he is already dynamic.

Offensive Line has Room for Improvement

Clemson put up more than 600 yards of offense and moved the ball at will against Kent State, but there is room for the offensive line to improve. Kent State was able to penetrate into the backfield, and on a few occasions the Tigers struggled to get a push on running plays. Clemson played several offensive linemen and the rotation will shrink moving forward, but the Tigers will need to play better against a talented Auburn front.

Receivers are Scary

Swinney believes Clemson has nine receivers capable of playing professional football, and it’s possible he is right. The Tigers do not have a senior receiver on the roster and were able to rotate guys throughout the camp without much of a drop off. Deon Cain appears poised for a big year, while freshman Tee Higgins looks on his way to being the next great receiver at Clemson. Higgins is 6-foot-4, has great athleticism and is able to catch any ball thrown near him.

Depth at DE Still Being Developed

Clemson had five tackles for loss with only half of one coming from a defensive end. Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant each finished with five tackles and have proven what they can do in big games. But after that, there is not much at defensive end. Logan Rudolph finished with two tackles, while fellow freshman Justin Foster had one.

This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 5:16 PM with the headline "5 things we learned from Clemson’s win against Kent State."