As fall camp is set to wrap up by week’s end, Monday provided an opportunity for Clemson’s tight ends to speak with reporters. Braden Galloway, Davis Allen and Jaelyn Lay all had their chances to speak following Monday’s practice. Up first was …
As fall camp is set to wrap up by week’s end, Monday provided an opportunity for Clemson’s tight ends to speak with reporters.
Braden Galloway, Davis Allen and Jaelyn Lay all had their chances to speak following Monday’s practice.
Up first was Galloway, who will likely split time at first-team tight end with Allen. That’s exactly the rotation that was seen during Clemson’s intrasquad scrimmage Saturday.
Now that Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is also coaching the tight ends, it should create more opportunities for Galloway and his teammates.
They certainly will be more involved in the team’s passing game going forward and should provide a sense of relief and security for D.J. Uiagalelei under center.
“I think with Coach E obviously coming over, he’s the one who’s calling the plays, so I do think we’ll have a little more of an opportunity,” Galloway said during Monday’s media availability over Zoom, “but I think the best part of our group is that it’s a bunch of selfless guys.
“We want everyone to be successful and if that’s me making a play, Davis making a play, Jae Lay making a play. We’re just trying to do our job to the best of our ability and when other people are succeeding, we’re happy for them.”
There’s hope that the level of selflessness throughout the room will allow for the position group to succeed.
To make sure that he showed up to fall camp ready to go, Galloway took matters into his own hands this offseason, while he was away from the team.
So, he put on some muscle this offseason.
Galloway indicated that he weighed in at 247 pounds this morning.
With that, he was really just trying to get stronger overall. There was an obvious emphasis on his lower body, but overall body strength is something that he was striving for during the offseason.
Speaking of working on his game, Elliott mentioned earlier this summer that he wanted Galloway to become a more consistent presence in Clemson’s run-blocking scheme.
Galloway was asked how he thinks he’s developed that aspect of his game during fall camp.
“I’m definitely growing,” he said. “That’s definitely still the weakness in my game and I’m not naive enough to think that it’s not. I’m attacking it every day, trying to get better at it…because it doesn’t really matter how strong you are, if your technique’s terrible, you’re not gonna be able to move anybody or get your job done.”
Going up against Brent Venables’s defense every day in practice will surely help not only Galloway become a better overall tight end, but it’ll certainly help the offense in the long run.
Iron sharpens iron.
Clemson’s offense has been mitigated by a strong effort from the defensive unit. That was on display during Saturday’s scrimmage as the offense was stifled for much of the afternoon, while not being able to overcome self-inflicted mistakes.
As far as evaluating the offense is concerned, Galloway thinks it is more so about the individual and not the entire offense as a whole.
It goes without saying that all 11 guys have to be on the same page, but one unit is working on installation while the other is scheming against the particular offense that they’re shown.
“I think you see the maturity in camp, but I think going against our defense is what makes us one of the best offenses in the country every year,” Galloway said. “It’s very rare that you get to practice against what we get to practice against.”
Galloway said there is a level of frustration that comes with a lack of offensive success, but he believes that it will lead to results, especially for himself, whenever the season comes.
Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!
