Riley sees faster start in Year 2 of his Clemson offense

Garrett Riley sees a continuity in his group paying off.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Wednesday, July 17 2024

In last year’s media outing, the press anxiously gathered around Garrett Riley to hear his offensive vision. Likely in the back of his mind, Riley was still trying to learn the names of those within the building.

In Year 2, Riley sat in his chair to another sizeable crowd. This time, however, he addressed his questions with added comfort.

Riley’s first year as the offensive coordinator for Clemson didn’t go as planned, but there were occasional flashes of what the young coach brings to the table.

Last fall, there was a distinct theme of getting everyone on the same page. There was new terminology, new faces, and much more. Riley was Clemson’s third offensive coordinator in three years, following Brandon Streeter and Tony Elliott.

In his second year in charge, Riley has found more comfort in the continuity.

“More comfortable, for sure," said Riley. “And I think mainly from the standpoint of just getting integrated with the people here, with the coaches, with the staff, kind of our process, how we practice going against that defense every single day in practice, just all those things kind of mixed together kind of adds up to that.”

The lead-up to fall camp in 2023 was about ensuring everyone was aligned, and this year, Riley expects his united offense to get off to a fast start.

“We've got a lot of returners continuity with the staff, the staff understanding what we're about, what we're trying to accomplish,” said Riley. "So I think we've got some core leadership, too, that we've already identified. I don't know if I could have said it a year ago; I'm just being fresh into it. So, just all of those things. So yeah, I would expect us to get off to a faster start, and I know our players certainly expect that, too.”

The staff finds solace in the progression of that vision, but so does the face of the offense, who is charged with leading the unit to new heights.

Cade Klubnik is entering his second year as the full-time starter, hoping to push past an inconsistent first season taking the reigns. When it comes to Riley’s expectations of what he wants to see from his quarterback, he anticipates decisiveness.

“I expect sharp,” Riley said. “Just a guy that's not going to panic, a guy that's going to understand what we're trying to do, minimizing some of the bad plays. Those are certain things that come off the top of my head that we should be able to see this fall.”

Riley and Klubnik want to see more success this fall, but they are more comfortable with what is expected heading into this season.

The continued continuity may comfort the staff and players, but nobody will sit calmly for another four-loss season. Riley expects fireworks to jump off the field once the season starts, and he’s certainly comfortable with that vision.