Elliott knows offense has room to grow, hopes the growth starts up front

DJ Uiagalelei hopes to play better this week.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Oct 01 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – The perimeter blocking has to get better. The interior blocking has to get better. The wide receivers have to be better. DJ Uiagalelei has to be better. For Tony Elliott’s offense, the entire group has to play better if the 25th-ranked Tigers are going to beat Boston College this weekend.

The offense has struggled so far this season. Clemson averaged 43.5 points and 500 yards per game in 2020. This season, the Tigers, including the game against an FCS opponent, have the worst offense (295.5 yards) in the ACC. Against three FBS teams, the Tigers are averaging just 10.3 points and 188.7 yards (in regulation). The Tigers are 121st in total offense, 105th in scoring offense, and 99th in rushing offense.

Elliott said the improvement of the offense has to start up front on the offensive line.

"From a quarterback perspective, we have to do a better job up front of making the quarterback comfortable again,” Elliott said. “Thought he made some progress in previous games in terms of sitting in the pocket but thought he got a little antsy again and moving the pocket when he didn't need to on Saturday. I think all of the guys, the staff, everybody, felt like this was the game. And I think it's a couple of plays too. If we score on the first drive and hit that little dunk to Will Shipley, he's going to have a big play. Then we score on the second drive. Then we come back and at least get some momentum on those next couple of drives, it could be a different outcome. All it takes is a little bit of a momentum.

"I don't think we're at that point where 'it is what it is' yet, but we have to try to get the right pieces in place and assess what each individual and can do and try to build our plans toward putting them in a position to be successful."

Elliott was asked if he has to start scheming around personnel deficiencies.

"I think it's a couple of things, finding the right combination of guys up front and then making sure they understand the schematics and details of what we're trying to do,” he said. “And then the young backs too. Sometimes the young backs get a little antsy. There were a couple of plays where if we stayed on the right track and trusted it, man, it would result in big plays.

"The last couple of weeks schematically, you have to work around the three-man front, especially with the alignments they're playing with their defensive ends, you have to do some different things with your tackles, which is new to them. You get a week of preparation but still you have to go execute it and the nuances are a little different."

He said he knew as far back as the spring that there would be growing pains.

"I think you knew just with the transition and movement up front that there would be growing pains,” Elliott said. “You are moving a new guy to center, trying to find a new left guard, a new starter at right tackle even though he had played some. DJ, he had two games. But we knew that he was very talented and capable but there was also going to be a learning curve there as a full-time starter, especially when people are game-planning for you in particular.

"And in the run game, going back to the new moving parts, it was going to take us a little time for us to get it figured out."

The perimeter blocking must improve.

"I thought Georgia Tech, they made an improvement there. Where we have to get better is finishing off blocks,” Elliott said. “I think we initially get things started but we have to play all the way through the whistle, because that's what results in explosive plays. I think about one in particular, the bubble screen to Justyn Ross.

“He makes a jump cut and if we hold that block a little longer, he's going to take off. But we don't and he gets caught up by the ankle. We just all have to do a better job of the details, footwork, hand placement, and relentless finish all the way through the whistle. We have to do a good job as coaches too of pointing out to those guys how that extra effort can turn into big plays in the run game."