After 'bump in the road,' Elliott not going to put any more pressure on offense

Eyes will be on Justyn Ross' health status this week.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Nov 15 14:56:55 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott smiled Monday morning when he was asked if the Tigers feel like they have to keep up with Wake Forest’s prolific offense Saturday, and he said that he won’t put any more pressure on his players than they already feel.

Wake Forest and Clemson kick off at noon Saturday on ESPN in a game that has ACC Atlantic Division title implications, and the Demon Deacons bring the nation’s second-best scoring offense (44.7 points per game) into the contest.

Clemson’s defense will, of course, have a say in how many points the Demon Deacons score, but Elliott knows this will have to be his offense’s best game.

“We say that every week and we are chasing that. We felt good going into this last week because we were making progress,” Elliott said. “We just hit a little bump in the road and didn't play our best in spots with some of the guys we are counting on. But I am not going to put any more pressure on these guys. They already have a ton of stuff that they are trying to unload. The biggest thing for us is just focusing on the plan and the details and put together our best week of practice.

“And yes, we are going to have to score some points but we can't press. We have to play within the system and our best players have to play well. That is going to give us a chance and we have to complement the defense and complement special teams and just be ready to do our part and do whatever it takes.”

Elliott said that he is proud of the way his offense has responded to adversity this season.

“One thing that I love about this group is that they are finding a way to win, regardless. We know it's coming," Elliott said. "J-Ross (Justyn Ross) goes out and DJ (Uiagalelei) is struggling a little bit, and then Taisun (Phommachanh) comes in and gives us a spark and then Taisun goes out. It's always something but these guys always find a way to persevere and push through and so we are going to build on that and put together our best plan. And focus on some of the things we have an opportunity to accomplish - obviously Wake is a very good team and having a very special season, but we have a group of seniors that have a chance to go undefeated at home.

"It's Senior Day and the last day in the Valley, so there will be a lot of juice for this one and hopefully we can channel that energy in the proper direction, which results in clean execution and hopefully some points on the board.”

Wake Forest is 106th nationally in total defense, giving up 440 yards per game, but Elliott sees a group that plays with effort.

“They play hard. Obviously, every time you play them they are going to be a little undersized in spots but what they lack in physical stature they make up in heart, effort, and toughness,” he said. “They understand their scheme very, very well. The guys up front step in unison and they are very good with their hand placement. They have experience at linebacker. They are confident in playing their man coverage. They blitz when they need to. You see a group that is playing with a ton of confidence. They know where they are supposed to be and how to play the defense and they are having a lot of fun doing it.”