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Clemson defensive coordinator upset with Tigers' play

Top-ranked Clemson is No. 2 in defensive efficiency, but that doesn’t have Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables convinced his unit is playing all that great.

Clemson arguably had the country’s best defense through the first half of the season, but the past three weeks offered a stark contrast and provided the kindling for Venables’ fiery harangue aimed at his group.

“Maybe these last few weeks, when we haven’t looked very good, maybe that’s who we really are,” Venables told his defense, The Post and Courier reports. “Maybe the first six, seven games were smoke and mirrors.