All-ACC Clemson safety will miss first half vs. Ohio State. Here’s who must step up
Clemson safety Nolan Turner came off the bench to make the game-ending interception in last year’s Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State, picking off Justin Fields in the final seconds to secure a 29-23 win.
Turner is now in a starting role for Clemson and has been one of the most consistent players on the Tigers’ defense all season. He’ll have to come off the bench again in this year’s Sugar Bowl.
The All-ACC performer was ejected for targeting in the second half of the ACC title game against Notre Dame and will miss the first half of Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Buckeyes.
Turner has started all 11 games this season and has played more snaps than anyone on Clemson’s defense. He is the team’s second-leading tackler with 61, and he leads the Tigers in interceptions with three. Turner was also named a second-team All-American by USA Today.
“Nolan Turner’s playing as good of football as any safety we’ve had since I’ve been at Clemson,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said. “It’s incredible how well he’s playing and how smart he is. He’s a quarterback back there. … Fortunately, through this crazy year of 2020, we’ve had to play a lot of guys and have had to develop a lot of depth.”
That depth will need to come through for Clemson in the first half against Ohio State.
Joseph Charleston and Lannden Zanders are the most likely candidates to start at the two safety spots with Turner out. Zanders started at strong safety — with Turner playing free safety — the first eight games of the season before going down with an injury. Charleston started each of the three most recent games at strong safety, including the ACC title game, despite Zanders being healthy.
In addition to those two sophomores, reserve safeties Ray Thornton, Jalyn Phillips and Tyler Venables could also be called upon to step up.
Turner said Clemson has been dividing practice reps differently this week due to his first-half suspension.
“Obviously we’ve gotta get the guys ready that are going to start the game,” he said. “I’m also getting my reps because I’m going to get to come in in the second half and play. ... I think we’ve done a great job splitting up reps and getting everybody ready.”
Charleston, Zanders and the rest of Clemson’s secondary will need to play well to slow down a dangerous Ohio State passing attack. The Buckeyes are led by a projected top 10 draft pick in Fields. He has two top-flight receivers to throw to in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Both wideouts are averaging over 100 receiving yards per game in 2020.
Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables could get creative to try to slow down the Buckeyes without Turner. Venables is known for his exotic blitzes and coverages, and freshmen Malcolm Greene and Trenton Simpson could be on the field more this week as well.
Simpson is listed on the depth chart as the backup to Mike Jones Jr. at the Sam/Nickel spot, while Greene is a backup cornerback. However, both defenders are versatile and have seen an uptick in playing time the second half of the year.
“Brent does as good a job as anybody out there in utilizing our guys. It’s been good,” Swinney said. “We’ve developed some good depth. We’ve started more (different) guys on defense than any year ever, since Brent’s been here.”
Clemson vs Ohio State, Sugar Bowl info
Who: No. 2 Clemson (10-1) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (6-0)
Where: Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
When: 8 p.m. Friday
TV: ESPN
——OTHER CFP GAME——
In Arlington, Texas, No. 1 Alabama (11-0) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (10-1), 4 p.m. Friday on ESPN.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 1:56 PM with the headline "All-ACC Clemson safety will miss first half vs. Ohio State. Here’s who must step up."
