The first time Brent Venables faced Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense was in 2012. The Yellow Jackets were merciless against Clemson’s defense that afternoon in Death Valley.

Though the Tigers won the game 47-31 in a shootout, the Yellow Jackets ran for 339 yards and had three rushing touchdowns. They averaged 7.4 yards per run. It was not something the defense was proud of.

Since that game more than five years ago, Venables and his Clemson defense has become the expert, if you will, on how to defend the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option offense. The Tigers have held Tech to know more than 251 yards in any game, while the per-carry-average has gone down to 4.5.

In the last two meetings between the Tigers and Yellow Jackets, which will meet again Saturday in Death Valley, Georgia Tech has managed just 166 yards combined for a per carry average of 2.1 yards.

“You really just kind of go from one year to the next,” Venables said. “Every year is different. Their players are different and our players are different. I think that is a big part of it too.”

With guys like Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell, Ben Boulware, Dorian O’Daniel, D.J. Reader, Carlos Watkins, Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd and Vic Beasley, Clemson has been able to control the line of scrimmage against Tech, which likes to block low and take the feet out from un-expecting defensive ends and tackles.

But, Clemson has been able to beat these blocks in recent years and as a result the Tigers have had little trouble with Tech’s running game. Last year, Clemson held the Jackets to 124 total yards, including just 95 rushing yards. The 124 yards were the lowest ever for a Paul Johnson coached team.

The last time Georgia Tech came to Death Valley in 2015, the Tigers held the Yellow Jackets to 71 rushing yards on 42 carries, the single lowest rushing total in Johnson’s coaching career.

“Some years we have had the advantage at certain positions from a matchup standpoint and that always makes a big difference, too,” Venables said. “It is not always your schemes. The scheme is a starting point, but ultimately the players have to go out and execute, play with leverage and stay on their feet, while playing physically tough and finish for 60 minutes.”

That perhaps explains why Tech is averaging just 200.8 rushing yards per game against a Venables led Clemson defense, which is far below their average the last five seasons against anyone else they play on a year-to-year basis.

The Yellow Jackets, who are averaging 372.3 yards per game this season, have just one rushing touchdown in the last three meetings combined against the Tigers as well.

So does Venables have the magic formula for stopping the triple option?

“It is just game plan from week-to-week,” he said. “This week it is the triple option. This week it is the spread. This week it is three tight (ends), two backs. There is some different teaching for sure, fundamentally, philosophically and I think planning ahead is probably important.

“And then from year-to-year, when you have a lot of carryover from your personnel and your staff, I think that really helps because you are kind of able to get to the short cuts quickly as opposed to helping guys try to figure it out and where they have to get a ton of reps. You always have to get a ton of reps but when you have veteran players it always helps as well.”