2018 Opponent Series: Furman - Sept. 1
Over the next two weeks, we will be giving you an inside look at every opponent on Clemson's schedule. The road to a fourth straight ACC Championship and another College Football Playoff trip begins September 1 against Furman.
Furman enters the 2018 season with quarterback questions of their own. The post P.J. Blazejowski era has begun in Greenville, and the two guys looking to replace him are senior Harris Roberts and redshirt freshman JeMar Lincoln.
Speaking of Roberts, according to The Greenville News, he is currently enrolled at Clemson in a cooperative educational exchange program that allows students to play at one school while pursuing their desired degree at another. Yep, he's a Tiger, playing for the Paladins in some respects.
In addition to the changes at quarterback, Furman brought in Geroge Quarles to take over as offensive coordinator.
As for the quarterback, head coach Clay Hendrix was impressed by the performances he saw during the spring game, according to Scott Keeler of the Furman Sports Report.
Don’t expect a massive overhaul with the new coordinator. The Paladin offense was impressive in 2017 as they led the SoCon in scoring, averaging 32.6 points a game. They also had one of the nation’s top rushing attacks which averaged 225.8 yards per game and had the second most efficient passing attack in the FCS.
The Paladin defense won't be too shabby either. Headlined by junior defensive back Bryan Okeh, Okeh is the leading returner tackler with 83 from 2017, the Paladins led the SoCon in sacks with 34 in 2017. Senior defensive tackle Jaylan Reid had 45 tackles, 8 ½ of them for a loss and two sacks a season ago and was named to the SoCon’s second team defensive preseason list. The Paladins will look to take the next step on defense with the talent they have returning.
Furman Paladins
Head coach: Clay Hendrix, second year
Last season: 8-5 overall, 6-2 in SoCon play, lost to Wofford 28-10 in the second round of the FCS playoffs
Returning starters: 5 offense, 9 defense
Players to watch:
- Kealand Dirks (Running Back - RsSr.) - The Clemmons, N.C. native rushed for 720 yards and nine touchdowns in 2017. He earned a spot on the SoCon’s first-team offensive preseason list. He will be leaned on to replace Antonio Wilcox, who was a part of the productive backfield for the Paladins in 2017.
- Aaqul Annoor (Safety, Sr.) - The first team defensive SoCon preseason selection was a force in the Paladin secondary in 2017 and registered 64 tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in 2017, including 13 stops against NC State.
- Elijah McKoy (Linebacker, Soph.) McKoy was third on the team in tackles with 81 in 2017. The sophomore was named to the SoCon's first team defensive preseason list. McKoy stepped up in place of a banged up linebacking core of Dillon Woodruff, Alex Burch, and A.K. Olusanya during the 2017 campaign.
Last Meeting against Clemson: 2012: Clemson won 41-7 in Death Valley. Quarterback Tajh Boyd threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns in a rout over Bruce Fowler’s Paladins.
2018 Schedule
Sept. 1 - at Clemson
Sept. 8 - at Elon
Sept. 15 - Colgate
Sept. 22 - at East Tennessee State
Sept. 29 - Western Carolina
Oct. 13 - Wofford
Oct. 20 - Samford
Oct. 27 - at The Citadel
Nov. 3 - Chattanooga
Nov. 10 - at VMI
Nov. 17 - at Mercer
**Home games in BOLD