SAN JOSE, Calif. — Explosiveness is up. The running game is stronger than ever. The passing game is dangerously effectively on first down and dangerous, period, when opposing defenses are forced to creep up closer to the line of scrimmage. As a whole, Clemson's production on the offensive side of the ball has discovered a new level.
Or rediscovered, actually. After a year of relative struggles, the Tigers' offense has reverted to form: Clemson ranks third nationally in yards gained per play, averaging nearly two additional yards per snap compared to a season ago. The offense ranks second nationally in plays of 20 or more yards, 30 or more yards and 40 or more yards, and leads the Bowl Subdivision with 21 plays gaining 50 or more yards.
In schematic terms, however, not much — if anything — has changed.
"It’s the same offense," said co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott.
What has changed is the quarterback. In true freshman Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers have developed a passer whose impact has exceeded even his advance billing as the nation's top recruit, and who in doing so has reawakened an offense that went dormant in the one-year gap separating Lawrence from Deshaun Watson.
"It’s been very easy for us," co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Jeff Scott said. "It wasn’t like we’ve been having to go and create new plays. We really were able to get back to some of the things that we had done the previous three years with Deshaun."
Lawrence is undoubtedly the biggest addition to the Clemson offense, providing the Tigers the ability to attack defenses "horizontally and vertically," Elliott said, and creating opportunities for a running game led by sophomore Travis Etienne. The word Clemson players and coaches used to describe Lawrence's impact on the offense is "balance," meaning the ability to force defenses to engage in a cruel choose-your-own-adventure battle against a dynamic offense — either devoting themselves to stopping Etienne or to slowing down Lawrence, and neither has been possible.
"Mentally, I’ve gotten a lot sharper," Lawrence said. "I’ve grown a lot as far as decision-making and a lot of little detail stuff, too. All the way around, I’ve grown a lot."
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