Hangin' with Chad

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Nov 14 12:34:13 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – Offensive coordinator Chad Morris said Monday that he was looking for a spark from his offensive unit during Saturday’s game against Wake Forest, and he found it in a simple eight-yard completion to a freshman.

Morris said Saturday’s third quarter – in which Clemson gave up 21 points and fell behind Wake28-14 – was frustrating because he saw an entire football team that was sleepwalking through what amounted to a championship game.

“I was very disappointed in the energy level,” Morris said during his Monday media session in the WestZone. “It wasn’t just the offense - In general it was the whole sideline in my opinion. I was spending the majority of my time on the sidelines having to tell players that we have to play with energy and that our tempo stinks. It was like, ‘You guys have to pick the energy level up and somebody has to give us a spark.’

“We had turned it over twice and they had a punt return for a touchdown and they scored 21 points and it was like ‘here we go again.’ Then, with 5:37 left in the third quarter, that spark hit us and it was as simple as Tajh taking off of a zone read and throwing out to Adam HumphriesAdam Humphries
Fr. Wide Receiver
#13 6-0, 190
Spartanburg, SC
View Full Profile to a spot out on the edge for an eight-yard gain. From that point forward, the energy picked up. That was where it started, and we go down and score a touchdown and it picked up.”

Morris said he broke the game down into three sections, and part of it was that his offense only had four possessions in the first half.

“The first half as an offensive unit you have four drives and you score on two of the four,” he said. “The first one we are executing well going down the field and go up 7-0. We don’t get the ball back until late in the first quarter or early second quarter and we go down and throw an interception. They really didn’t stop us at this point. Then the defensive lineman made a good play and Tajh threw ball low. It stopped us, but we get the ball right back and we go down and score again. Then we get the ball back with a minute to go until halftime, and I thought Tajh rushed a throw. We protected well and he could have sat in the pocket. Then we had a drop and wound up punting.

“At halftime, I was trying to make sure we didn’t get frustrated with the lack of possessions. That was my big concern. We can't go back to what happened at Georgia Tech – we just made a few adjustments and then we came out in third quarter with just poor energy. The way we played - we were just blah and ho hum. We were walking around and taking an extra two seconds to get down. Even Tajh. And that was something we hadn’t done before. But then we got that spark and it turned around.”

Morris said that Wake Forest could have had six interceptions against Boyd if they had been able to hold on to the football, and said there were several factors.

“Not checking down was one thing, but there were several things that tie into it,” he said. “We wouldn’t be 9-1 without the play of Tajh BoydTajh Boyd
RS So. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile and there is no doubt about that. His confidence level has grown two or three fold, and you want a quarterback with that swagger. And because of that, he is taking additional chances because he feels he can make every throw. He thinks he can put it into a Dixie Cup when they rush just three and drop eight. But you have to take what they give you. Sometimes he was forcing things over the middle when he had a receiver open on the outside.”

On turnovers

“We have turned the ball over 13 times all year long as an offense and seven of the 13 came in the last two weeks. How big of a concern is that? It’s a huge concern.”

On the play of the offensive line

“I was pleased with the pass blocking. But we should have rushed for 250 yards. We have to get better play out of our guard positions. Both of them. They are very non-efficient in the run game and that is calling it like it is. We have to be more physical in those two positions right there. I am not happy to say the least. We are too soft. We are going to try and get Kalon DavisKalon Davis
RS Fr. Offensive Line
#67 6-5, 335
Chester, SC
View Full Profile more involved in some of the guard play, but I am very disappointed in him. He has not practiced very well.”