Sports Illustrated tags Clemson offense among "college football's biggest disappointments so far"

Clemson's offense hasn't taken off quite to some preseason expectations.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Oct 12 13:01:02 GMT-04:00 2023

Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde did some midseason assessments this week, and Clemson football had one on the negative side.

Listed among units from Notre Dame (O-line), LSU (secondary), Alabama (O-line), Baylor (defense) and Arkansas (running game), among more, Clemson's offense is tabbed as one of the biggest disappointments so far.

"The hoped-for energy infusion hasn’t happened. Coordinator Garrett Riley didn’t bring a magic wand with him from TCU," Forde said. "Quarterback Cade Klubnik has not outperformed the departed DJ Uiagalelei. Running back Will Shipley is slightly less productive this season than he was the previous two. Clemson is tied for 12th in the 14-team ACC in scrimmage plays of 20 yards or longer and tied for 11th in plays of 30 yards or longer. Clemson is averaging a Cro-Magnon 19.8 points per game against ACC opponents."

In some midseason assessments and questions asked closer to home, Swinney and Riley addressed where the offense is and how it's being called.

"First of all, you're playing different teams," Swinney said on his call-in show, contrasting Riley's performance as OC at TCU last year versus Clemson this year. "We've played some pretty good teams. Duke's a good team. Florida State is pretty good. Syracuse was a Top 10 defense in the country, scoring defense, going up there at their place. We played some teams that we put up a ton of offense in several games, outside of this past one here. He's done a heck of a job. And he's got a young quarterback. Last year, the quarterback he had a fifth or sixth-year player, so he's got a young guy and had a couple guys out as well, but he's done a heck of a job. Again, almost 500 yards against Duke, and we got beat. Outgained Florida State by 100-something yards, but we got beat.

"It's been more turnover issues, and he's put us in position to win every single game. That's for sure. Not that he's perfect or can't do some things better -- that's not what I mean. You've got to give the opponent some credit as well. He's done a heck of a job and settled in and he doesn't have a leash on him, that's for sure."

Riley explained differences with there being different personnel and adapting the offense at this point.

"Every offense is different. We've got different players. A younger quarterback. All of those things," Riley said. "But, we're attacking in a lot of the same ways, so there's not a lot of difference in there. I would say it’s who we have and who we are right now and just trying to work through it. The last few games, I think getting off to a faster start would allow us to probably unhook the plow a little bit sooner. We took some negative plays in the Syracuse game, but we did a much better job in the Wake Forest game of not taking as many negative plays.

"My response to that [those wondering why his 2022 TCU offense and 2023 Clemson offense may look different] would be it's the same, but you've got to adapt to the personnel you've got."