During his weekly radio call-in show, Dabo Swinney was asked an interesting question about the Clemson offense and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.
The question is: how much leeway has Swinney given Riley with the playbook and play-calling? This has probably been on the minds of many fans, as pieces of this Clemson offense in 2023 look dangerously similar to what we saw from this team last season.
“Oh, 100 percent,” Swinney said. “He’s come in, and it’s been a lot of fun since he got here. Of course, anytime you have new people, you’ve got to get everybody on the same page. But he’s brought, as we say, the ‘dirt raid,’ and it was a very easy transition.”
From Swinney himself, Riley has been given all the freedom needed for a top offensive coordinator. According to the head coach, terminology is has been a big part of Riley’s transition to Clemson.
“Because you want him to be comfortable with being able to call things,” Swinney said. “There were a few things that we kept that he liked from a terminology standpoint, but it’s got to be able to flow off his mouth quickly, and so, easy to transition with the coaches there. But he’s done a great job of installing it and teaching it.”
Riley and the Clemson offense will look to have a stronger second half of their season after an up-and-down first half.