Gavin Holmes should start at CB
Texas's pass defense was exposed by Clemson's passing game and Klubnik, who threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns with one interception by true freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons. Klubnik played a really good game for the Tigers, keeping Clemson around until late in the second half when the Longhorns sealed the game on a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.
In pass coverage, this was a pretty forgettable game for redshirt junior safety Michael Taaffe and sophomore cornerback Malik Muhammad. Taaffe had multiple missed tackles on pass play coverage for the first time this season.
Clemson kept targeting Muhammad on the outside in one-on-one coverage on the boundary.
Muhammad gave up a career-high 120 receiving yards on eight targets and six catches in pass coverage against the young and talented Clemson receivers.
On the other hand, I thought senior corners Jahdae Barron and Gavin Holmes had excellent games for Texas's secondary against Clemson's pass offense. Barron was the highest-graded cover DB in the first round of the Playoff. He had a couple of big pass breakups and shut down freshman wideouts Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore when he was matched up against them in pass coverage assignments.
Holmes also had a nice pass breakup on a key play on defense for the second straight game. He is the only Texas defensive back who has been targeted multiple times in pass coverage in the past two games who hasn't allowed a single reception and has at least one pass breakup in coverage assignments against Georgia and Clemson.