Three ways Dabo Swinney, Cade Klubnik can fix Clemson football offense before App State game
CLEMSON — Clemson football's offense was abysmal in the Tigers' 34-3 loss to No. 1 Georgia on Saturday.
The Tigers (0-1) fell from No. 14 to No. 22 in the coaches poll and No. 25 in the AP poll after they scored no touchdowns against the Bulldogs. It was the fourth time under Clemson coach Dabo Swinney that it failed to score a touchdown.
Clemson had spoken highly of quarterback Cade Klubnik's growth in Year 2 under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley's system and added freshmen Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore to a talented wide receiver room. Yet, it was the eerily same offense from last year.
"Not scoring a touchdown in this past game, a lot of people are doubting us," wide receiver Tyler Brown said. "I just said, 'Don't give up on us, man.'"
Here are three ways Clemson can fix its offensive woes before hosting Appalachian State Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ACC) at Memorial Stadium:
Clemson's Cade Klubnik must hit on big throws, stay composed in pocket
Klubnik was 2-for-7 for 52 yards on passes 15 yards or more. He threw many high-arc passes that were a step or two late that allowed Georgia defenders to make plays on the ball, including his interception in the fourth quarter.
The quarterback didn't make 15-yard-plus throws in the middle of the field. Some of that is due to the Bulldogs' defense playing single-high safety throughout the game, but Klubnik can't ignore a key part of the field.
Klubnik also made quality throws when he stayed in the pocket and didn't panic. According to Pro Football Focus, he was 10-for-14 for 67 yards when blitzed and 5-for-5 for 39 yards on play action passes. When he was flustered in the pocket, he put himself at risk for negative plays, including the two sacks he took.
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Dabo Swinney must get Tyler Brown, other playmakers more involved
Swinney says Clemson has six wideouts it considers starters but failed to get those contributors involved early. Tyler Brown, who led the team in receiving yards and receptions last year, didn't record his first catch until the end of the third quarter.
"That's an F on us. That's like not handing (Phil) Mafah the ball until the fourth quarter," Swinney said.
Wesco (12 snaps) and Moore (6) both received the fewest snaps out of the wide receiver room and received one target apiece in garbage time. Clemson did a nice job getting wide receiver Antonio Williams and tight end Jake Briningstool targets, but it must get all of its dynamic players the ball to inject life into the offense.
Cade Klubnik, other Tigers must make the easy plays, avoid penalties
Clemson had two accepted penalties vs. Georgia, and both derailed drives. The first came on the Tigers' opening drive from Adam Randall on an illegal motion that negated a 7-yard gain. The second happened after Klubnik connected with Williams on a third-down conversion, but Randall received an illegal formation penalty.
"These are self-inflicted wounds that can put you in a bind against a team like that," Swinney said.
On Clemson's opening drive, Klubnik missed Mafah in the flat, which could have been a huge gain. On its scoring possession, it could have scored a touchdown to cut the lead to 13-6, but Williams could not track Klubnik's pass in the end zone.
If the Tigers can get out of their own way, they could help the offense have sustained drives.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: How Dabo Swinney can fix offense before App State