Clemson football: What we learned in win over S.C. State

Three major takeaways from the win over S.C. State for Clemson football

2. Tempo is the answer for the struggling offense

Clemson’s offense came out in the first quarter and they looked like they had a bit of an identity. What was the identity, you ask? Tempo.

Instead of taking a ton of time to get the play from the sideline and make several adjustments at the line of scrimmage, they just lined up and ran the play. And, guess what happened? They scored 28 points in one quarter.

Yes, it was against S.C. State, but that has to be the answer as we move forward.

It’s clear that D.J. Uiagalelei is pressing right now and the best thing Tony Elliott could do is simplify things for him. That means getting the play in fast, giving him simple reads at the line of scrimmage and running fast.

As the offense speeds up and gets the defense on its heels, they’ll get into a rhythm. When Uiagalelei experiences that rhythm, the game will start to slow down for him.

It doesn’t mean Clemson has to go back to the Chad Morris days where you do tempo no matter what with no regard for your defense, but it’s clear to me that the answer to getting this offense to click is to run fast and get rid of some of the mental issues that arise when they’re not flowing.