Tony Elliott is still getting used to his new role.
It’s been eight months since Clemson’s offensive coordinator also took over the tutelage of the Tigers’ tight ends. Elliott previously tutored the running backs, but the move allowed Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to bring former Tiger running back C.J. Spiller back to fill out his coaching staff.
Ellliott said it’s been a fun change for him since it’s gotten him closer to his roots. The Tigers’ veteran assistant played receiver at Clemson and coached the position in previous stops at Furman and South Carolina State before returning to his alma mater in 2011.
Learning the personalities of his new position group — and vice-versa — has taken some time.
“I think they’re still trying to figure me out as a person because my style is different than some other coaches they may have been around in the past,” Elliott said. “And I’m trying to figure them out because it’s a different temperament than being in that running back room. The tight ends, they’re a little bit more straightforward and about their business. So I’m learning how to really communicate most effectively with those guys.”
Elliott has been around a while, though, so he’s not oblivious to the talent he’s inherited. With Braden Galloway and Davis Allen back in the fold along with youngsters Jaelyn Lae, Sage Ennis and Jake Briningstool, it’s a group heavy on experience, depth and potential.
In fact, Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff are of the opinion it rivals any collection of tight ends in the program over the last decade.
“This is probably as talented a tight end group as I’ve had since I’ve been the coach here,” Swinney said.
It’s easy to see why Galloway and Allen could be a bigger part of the passing game based on the kind of promise they showed last season. The duo combined for 43 catches with six of those going for touchdowns. Allen, a bigger target at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, was third on the team with four touchdown catches.
The lone senior among the group, Galloway led the tight ends with 27 receptions, but Elliott said the 6-4, 240-pounder is still just scratching the surface when it comes to the type of player he can be at the position.
“The biggest thing is just to get him committed to being a complete player because he’s very, very capable,” Elliott said. “And I’m more referring to the blocking aspect. Just getting him committed to saying, hey, do what you’ve got to do. Get the job done. And I think he’s buying into that.”
Elliott said he’s seen growth out of Allen as a receiver when it comes to understanding coverages and the fundamentals of route running. And Ennis, a redshirt freshman who played in four games last season, impressed Elliott in the spring.
“I think we all knew Sage was a guy with a ton of potential, but you just hadn’t seen it because he was in a line,” Elliott said. “What you saw out of him this spring is he’s a tough young man. He’ll put his face in the fan. He can run. He can stretch the field.”
Lay (6-6, 270) and Briningstool (6-6, 220) are two physically imposing youngsters at the position. Like Galloway, Elliott said Lay needs to work on becoming a complete tight end, particularly when it comes to embracing his size and strength as a run blocker. Briningstool was an Under Armour All-American who hauled in 12 touchdown catches as a senior at Ravenwood (Tennessee) High last year.
“I think the sky is the limit for that young man,” Elliott said of Briningstool. “I think we knocked it out of the park with him.”
Personalities are one thing. But what Elliott has already come to realize is he has a lot of different options with a lot of different skill sets that he can utilize at his new position.
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