Clemson Football: Reviewing the 5 Keys to Beating the Oklahoma Sooners

Dec 29, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney runs onto the field before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Key #4: Clemson football’s new play-caller must run the offense like a veteran

Play-calling can be a difficult thing to assess. Fans shout about it all day when things are not going well but the fan’s definition of a bad play is usually one that just didn’t work.

But the play calling was going to be a major question mark heading into the Russell Athletic Bowl. With Chad Morris taking the head coaching job at SMU, the offensive coordinator job fell to assistants Tony Elliot and Jeff Scott, with Elliot calling the plays.

The only thing we knew was that the system was not going to change. Morris’ offense—with the same playbook and the same tempo—would remain. The only difference on game day would be Elliot acting as the general.

And if the Russell Athletic Bowl was any indication, it looks like Elliot is a general that this Clemson offense can thrive under.

The Clemson offense piled up 387 yards of total offense, put the ball in the end zone four times, won the time of possession by nearly five minutes, and generally ran smoothly.

Clemson committed only four penalties as a team against Oklahoma and, if the offense had not been in sync, it could have been a lot more. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the offense stalling under the weight of penalty yards, if there was any confusion with Elliot’s play calling.

But that did not turn out to be the case. The offense was efficient throughout the game and exceeded all reasonable expectations.

Next: Key #3