While Clemson's offense may be the more heralded of the two units, Brent Venables defense cannot be underestimated
In the era of defensive S&P+ rankings (2005-present), few defensive coaches can claim the kind of success that current Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables has enjoyed. Between his previous stop in Norman with the Oklahoma Sooners, or his current post as DeCo of the championship-contending Clemson Tigers, Venables has fielded an S&P+ top-10 team in seven of those ten seasons. In the other three seasons, Venables-led defenses finished no worse than 34th.
While it is Clemson's offense, led by dual-threat Heisman finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson, that most football fans perceive as the strength of the Tiger team in 2015, it is the defense that has truly separated this year's edition of the Tigers from seasons past.