CLEMSON — Due to the nature of college football recruiting in the early 2020s, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik had a lot of “FaceTimes” with then-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott.

However, due to restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, there isn’t much actual “Face Time,” lowercase “f.”

“A lot of FaceTimes and a lot of text messages,” Klubnik said. “He was probably one of the main reasons I wanted to come here because of the man, the resume and the coach he was – and the person he was and is.”

Clemson’s noon opener against Virginia on Oct. 19 will provide Klubnik’s first opportunity to shake the hand of one of his top Tiger recruiters, in the flesh, but from the opposing sideline. Because Elliott moved to the Cavaliers in December 2021 before Klubnik signed the following January.

Will their first meeting be a little awkward for Elliott because the junior quarterback has become exactly what the coach expected him to be? Or will the coordinator who formulated the game plans for Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence somehow gain the upper hand in his return to Death Valley?

Here are four things to keep in mind when dueling with (somewhat) familiar opponents.

Agent of Chaos

When Dabo Swinney was asked about Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea this week, the questioner used the term “agent of chaos.”

For Clemson’s coach, that was true.

“He creates a lot of chaos for sure,” Swinney said of the second-year gunslinger.

Colandrea is quite willing to keep the ball and fight for extremely long periods of time. Like many mobile quarterbacks the Tigers have seen, be it Stanford’s Ashton Daniels last month or Florida State’s Jordan Travis in previous seasons, it can be an extreme headache.

Will Clemson’s defense have the discipline needed to keep Virginia’s “agents of chaos” at bay? Will the Tigers’ secondary cover as long as necessary and not allow separation during a scramble drill?

“When he comes out of the pocket,” Swinney said, “you’re four Mississippi, five Mississippi, six Mississippi, seven.”

If Colandrea fails to reach seven Mississippi, that will be best for the Tigers.

Cover up fields

Not only does Colandrea have license to roam, but he also has a 6-foot, 220-pound target to throw it at in Malachi Fields.

Fields has been one of the ACC’s most productive receivers this season, recording 37 catches for 541 yards.

“Probably one of the biggest kids we’ll see all year,” Swinney said. “Tall, confident player.”

Luckily, the No. 10 Tigers have a couple of bigger corners in Jeadyn Lukus and Ashton Hampton; both are 6-2. Clemson also has one of the heartiest cornerbacks in college football, 5-11 sophomore Avieon Terrell.

“I’ve seen a lot of big guys who don’t attack anyone, and I’ve seen a few little guys who light you up,” Swinney said. “We’re lucky we got AV. He has the attitude to do whatever needs to be done at the position.”

It will be interesting to see which corner Fields faces. If it’s Terrell, will he rise to the occasion like he always does?

Between the goal lines

Virginia and Clemson aren’t afraid to play big, whether it’s the Cavaliers executing a “tush push” like the Philadelphia Eagles to gain fourth downs or the Tigers’ newly unveiled “jumbo” packages on the Goal line.

It’s less about whether either team will abandon these formations and more about whether each defense will deny their rival the chance.

Virginia’s offense is increasing its percentage of yards, averaging 435 per game. But the Cavaliers, similar to the Tigers a year ago, are only scoring 27.3 points per game. Elliott’s squad is still struggling in third place with a rate of 35.5 percent.

The Cavaliers have made the most field goals in the ACC with 12, just one ahead of the Tigers, who made seven in a game at Florida State.

Will Clemson’s defense do enough on first and second downs to ensure Virginia doesn’t have a chance for a Brotherly Shove on fourth down? Will the Tigers’ offense put their red zone woes at FSU to the back of their minds and complete more drives in the end zone like they did at Wake Forest?

The better rush defense

One of these defenses allows 4.5 yards per carry.

The other, 3.7 per rush.

Few would likely guess that the lower number belongs to Virginia, although Clemson’s stats are skewed by a few poor second halves from sophomore and junior players in blowouts over App State and NC State.

Nonetheless, each defense’s success in limiting the other side’s ground game will likely determine the outcome here. Virginia allows 260 yards per effort through the air as the Cavaliers’ secondary keeps everything in front of them and forces opponents to string drives together.

Clemson rusher Phil Mafah has surpassed 100 yards rushing in four of his last five-yard games, but he has been slow at times early in games. Can he bite off some big chunks and force Virginia’s defense to use more resources than the run?

And another familiar face, former Clemson rusher Kobe Pace, is returning to Death Valley with the Cavaliers. Can the Tigers stuff 5-10, 215-pound senior Pace (331 yards) and running mate Xavier Brown (334)?

“I’m looking forward to seeing him, but hopefully he doesn’t have too good a game against the Tigers,” Swinney said of Pace. “Then kill everyone else. Run over everyone else.”

forecast

Clemson 38, Virginia 17