Penalty flags haunting Ben Boulware and Clemson defense

To hear Clemson coaches and players tell it, officials have had their eyes on linebacker Ben Boulware.CLEMSON, S.C. — In the aftermath of any loss as demoralizing as Clemson’s final-minute defeat at the hands of Pitt, a range of “what if” scenarios get rehashed. For the Tigers, there were many. What if Deshaun Watson hadn’t tossed two picks in the end zone? What if Wayne Gallman could’ve converted from a yard out on consecutive plays that would’ve salted away a win? What if Dabo Swinney had chose to punt on fourth-and-1?

Most of those twists of fate were anomalies, as those “what if” moments tend to be. And then there was the flag on Ben Boulware, not so much a surprise as yet another…