Clemson has high expectations and 'reinstilled confidence' entering 2023 Season

Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff met with the media on Tuesday to provide a glimpse into what promises to be an exciting 2023 season for Clemson football. The Tigers have high expectations as they prepare to kick off the season on Labor Day night against the Duke Blue Devils in Durham.

A significant factor behind Clemson's optimism is the addition of Garrett Riley as the offensive coordinator. Riley's arrival has injected fresh energy into the team, and the coaching staff is eager to see how his approach will impact the Tigers' offensive prowess.

Leading the charge on the field in Riley’s offense will be sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik. The dynamic young playmaker took over the reins towards the end of last season, showcasing his ability to lead Clemson to a resounding ACC Championship victory over North Carolina, with an impressive 39-10 win.

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Clemson’s new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley meets with the media yesterday at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex.

Hailing from Texas, Klubnik has a decorated background, having been named the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year before joining Clemson. Despite limited experience as a freshman in 2022, he showed plenty of promise, completing 61-of-100 career passes for 697 yards, for two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Additionally, Klubnik proved his versatility, contributing to the ground game with 42 rushes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. 

Dabo Swinney is visibly pleased with the team's progress during the offseason, praising the players for their dedication and focus.

"I love the focus of our guys. We've had tremendous leadership all summer. These guys have been here,” Swinney noted about the high level of accountability displayed by the players. “The biggest thing that I would say is, this is the best, probably in about, I don't know, probably five or six years, our accountability. That's something we track.”

Taking all the numbers into account, Swinney said it has been a banner offseason for the Tigers.

“I think we have two guys out of 135 that are negative on accountability points. That's never been the case. That's one of those little internal metrics. For me, that really gives me an indication of the focus of this group."

Moreover, seven key players have chosen to return for another year, adding experience and depth to the team.

"We also had a lot of guys choose to stay and play another year,” Swinney said proudly. “Seven guys and a bunch of those guys draftable that chose to stay and play another year here at Clemson, all graduates. So that's really exciting."

The addition of Riley as offensive coordinator has had a significant impact on the team as well. Swinney expressed his delight at the smooth transition to one of the top offensive minds in college football. 

"He's been a great fit. It has been an easy transition. I think we got a lot done in the spring. Even though we had a lot of guys out, we still got a lot of the infrastructure in, terminology, and just little nuances that are different.”

Swinney also noted that the change is like a shot in the arm for the Tigers as they look to regain some of their old form on offense.

“It's been a lot of fun, and kind of a little bit of a reset if you will, some procedural things and systematic things, but the biggest thing is that I just really feel reinstilled confidence,” Swinney stated. “Sometimes you have to have a different voice from time to time. I always say it doesn't necessarily have to be the best, but we’ve got to believe it's the best. That's a big part of it, and I think that these guys have regained their confidence in what we're doing, how we do it, and why.”

Now the onus is on the Tigers to carry that momentum into the fall.

“It's carried over into summer. We gotta go do it during the season, but it's all good. It will get real Labor Day night."

With a talented quarterback like Klubnik at the helm and a coaching staff brimming with enthusiasm and confidence, Clemson football enters the 2023 season with high hopes as the offense enters the Garrett RIley Era.

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