Clemson Football: Leadership can make a big difference for Tiger offense

Clemson Football will enter its second season under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s leadership in 2024.

Given Riley’s name and track record, there was a ton of hype about the ‘dirt raid’ as we approached 2023. Much of that was because a lot of the responsibility for the decline in the offense’s product since 2021 had been blamed on a lack of creativity and innovation in the offensive game plan.

The offensive product didn’t just fail to improve last season, it declined overall from 2022. We learned that it wasn’t just scheme that was to blame. There was still a lack of playmaking talent in some spots. Coaching and development had to improve in some spots. Injuries took their toll.

Riley did not take much heat for the offense’s performance in 2023. His reputation was still strong and there were plenty of reasons other than Riley to point out.

One can’t predict injuries, but the team is as healthy as they have been in recent years as we approach the beginning of fall camp in early August. Thomas Austin is out. Matt Luke is in. The players have a year in Riley’s offense and another year of experience overall. Two key playmakers, Bryant Wesco and TJ Moore, are joining the wide receiver room.

The biggest problems from 2023 have been addressed. Riley is now in a much better position to make a difference for this offense in 2024.

I always caution fans from getting carried away with assumptions. I do understand why the tendency exists. The Tigers have had several immediate/overnight success stories in the past decade, but sometimes we need patience. Trust me, I understand patience can be hard to have when you have gotten geared up for a football game.

There is another side to that too. Just because we saw struggles in Year 1 under Riley doesn’t mean we can’t see a very improved product on the field this season. Riley feels confident about the offense this season and he cites a reason we haven’t even touched on yet: leadership.

No good offense can operate with leadership on the sidelines only. Cade Klubnik is clearly willing to step up and be a leader, but he was still young last season.

Take the example of Trevor Lawrence in 2018: he was mature beyond his years but he also had a great leadership structure around him among the players. It wasn’t even the offense that took the lead. Lawrence cited Christian Wilkins specifically being there for him when he took over as the starting quarterback.

I don’t think there was a lack of leadership on the team last season, but the core group the Tigers had in 2018 was different. I don’t think we can compare the on-field support group Klubnik had in 2023 to what Lawrence had as a freshman.

It sounds like leadership has been something Riley has been cultivating over the offseason. I am eager to see how it has developed around Klubnik.

It sounds like Adam Randall might be one of those guys.

Leadership doesn’t always have to come from the star players. Many speculate that players like Wesco and TJ Moore might pass a guy like Randall on the depth chart. That is pretty selfless to mentor the young guys who might take snaps from him.

One of the things we heard after the 2021 season was there wasn’t a senior leadership structure in place on offense that was pushing everyone, including young guys, to work independently to improve over the offseason. It sounds like Randall is working to make sure that doesn’t happen this season.

Hopefully, his efforts will rub off on others who will also bring strong leadership to the offensive side of the ball.