There haven’t been many questions about Clemson’s offense in recent years.
Sure, the Tigers could have run the ball more consistently a season ago, and that’s been an emphasis for the Tigers leading up to their top-5 opener with Georgia on Saturday. But Clemson has had the kind of starpower that’s kept the offense humming more often than not.
The Tigers have finished in the top 10 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards and points each of the last three seasons thanks in large part to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, who have taken their talents to the NFL. Lawrence turned into Clemson’s all-time winningest quarterback percentage-wise over the course of his three years with the program while Etienne spent four years becoming the ACC’s all-time leading rusher before the two remained teammates with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
So does Clemson’s offense have something to prove inside Bank of America Stadium to anyone who might be doubting its chances of remaining prolific as it moves into a new era? Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott isn’t willing to go that far.
“I don’t think it’s a show-me moment because that would be opposite of what our philosophy and mentality here is as a program,” Elliott said. “We’re inside-out, not outside-in. So we’re not worried about what everybody on the outside says. But for our guys internally, they understand the responsibility that they have as the next man up. They understand what the DNA and the lineage of this offense has been, and now it’s their turn to put their own mark on it.”
The Tigers are turning the offense over to D.J. Uiagalelei, who got 10 games worth of experience and two starts as a freshman last season. A former five-star recruit himself, Uiagalelei is generating preseason Heisman Trophy buzz with a solid showing as a true freshman, throwing for more than 700 combined yards in his starts against Boston College and Notre Dame with no turnovers.
The Tigers are going into the season with a committee approach at running back, but Elliott still has some experienced toys with play with. Lyn-J Dixon has never started at a game at Clemson, but the senior running back still brings more than 1,200 rushing yards into his final season with the Tigers. Meanwhile, freshman running back Will Shipley may be the fastest player on the roster.
Then there’s a deep receiving corps led by Justyn Ross, one of college football’s top wideouts when he’s been healthy. Ross recently got full clearance following the corrective spinal fusion surgery he underwent last summer, and Clemson plans to line up the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder inside and out. The Tigers could do the same with Joseph Ngata, E.J. Williams, Frank Ladson Jr. and Ajou Ajou among others who are back as part of a passing offense that’s been among the top 25 nationally each of the last three seasons.
“They’re big guys that are athletic and can run,” Elliott said. “I think they fall right in line with the lineage with the wideouts we’ve had here.”
There’s still experience at tight end (Braden Galloway, Davis Allen and Jaelyn Lae) and along the offensive line (Matt Bockhorst, Will Putnam and Jordan McFadden as starters), too. So there are some new pieces to integrate with a stiff test awaiting against Georgia on Saturday, but Elliott is still expecting plenty of production to come from the unit.
“What we know is this is goal no. 1 for us as a program is to win the opener,” Elliott said. “It’s an outstanding opponent, and it’s going to be a lot of excitement. But at the end of the day, when all of that fades, it comes down to one-on-one matchups. Did you win your matchup? Could you stay fundamentally sound and technically sound when the bullets start flying?”
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
