Morris looks for improvement in red zone scoring

Chad Morris' offense ranks 19th overall in total offense at 473 yards per game.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Oct 12 10:56:17 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – The numbers for the Clemson offense have been as good as or better than expected over the season’s first six games.

Offensive coordinator Chad Morris has his offense clicking right along, ranking 23rd in the nation in pass offense (297.67 ypg) and 19th overall in total offense at 473 yards per game.

However, Morris is a perfectionist, and he says that as good as his offense has been, he wants it to get better and one area that he points out that needs improvement is red zone scoring.

The Tigers rank 81st in the nation in red zone scoring, getting points on 18-of 23 trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, with seven rushing touchdowns, seven passing touchdowns and four field goals for a 78% percent rate.

The touchdown percentage sits at 60.8 percent, however, and Morris says that isn’t good enough.

“For a championship percentage, you want to see 67-to-70% touchdown efficiency in the red zone,” Morris told TigerNet earlier this week. “Last week, we were 4-of-4 scoring. You want to be 80% in the red zone scoring, and you want to make sure that 67-70% of the time you are scoring touchdowns.”

The Tigers scored two touchdowns in the red zone last week against Boston College, but also kicked two field goals, and Morris says that isn’t good enough.

“Last week, we were 50% scoring touchdowns,” he said. “We were in the red zone four times- 100% scoring points which is great, but 2-of-4 scoring touchdowns which is 50%. We wanted to come away with one more touchdown for 75%, but of course the type of person I am, I want to score a touchdown every time we are down there. But, we had opportunities.

“That’s the thing that you like to see. We dropped a touchdown pass- Charone [Peake] had a wide-open touchdown. The next one we miss a guy. We missed Brandon FordBrandon Ford
RS Jr. Tight End
#80 6-4, 235
Wando, SC
View Full Profile down in the flats in the two minute offense. That would’ve been a touchdown. Those are the things that you have to take advantage of. In order to be where we want to be, we have to get to that 65-70% range.”

Three of the top five teams in the nation in red zone efficiency also happen to sit in the top seven in the nation, and their red zone numbers are staggering. Stanford has been in the red zone 27 times and scored on all 27 possessions, with 22 of those being touchdowns.

LSU has scored on 28-of-29 possessions, and 23 of those are touchdowns, while Wisconsin has also scored on 28-of-29 possessions, but an astounding 26 of those are touchdowns.

Morris said there are two reasons why teams like LSU, Stanford and Wisconsin are so successful in the red zone – play makers and being able to run the football once the field shrinks.

“I think obviously having playmakers making plays is very important,” he said. “You’ve got to have that. But you’ve also got to be able to run the football when you get down there. I think those two things weigh into the consideration as well.”

The Tigers have struggled to run the football inside between the tackles, and Morris says that hurts the offense, especially inside the 10-yard line.

“I think so,” he said. “We haven’t run the football like we want to, especially once we get close. I think we have to be more efficient in that regard. We just have to get movement up front and find a crease whether that be a bounce or side-stepping on an inside zone run. I think that’s what it is.”