Swinney says Passing Game has to Improve

CLEMSON — It’s simple. If Clemson wants to get where it wants to go this coming season, the improvement has to come from the passing game.

Last year, the Tigers averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt in the passing game, which ranked last in the ACC and 111 ^th nationally.

“Obviously, our pass offense has to improve this year if we are going to get better,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “We have to be more explosive there. We have to improve.”

Some wonder if the Clemson offense has what it takes to improve. They doubt if Klubnik is the man for the job. However, there is proof the junior has what it takes.

Case in point, look at the fourth quarter of the Gator Bowl. Klubnik completed 9 of 13 passes for 83 yards in Clemson’s comeback win, including 8-for-8 for 71 yards on the game-winning drive.

The Tigers’ quarterback averaged 8.9 yards per attempt on the final scoring drive, including a 16-yard pass on third-and-18 to Antonio Williams to keep the drive going and later a well-placed 15-yard pass to tight end Jake Briningstool near the sideline to setup Phil Mafah’s three-yard touchdown.

Swinney said it was good to see the offense go do it. It was good to see their pass offense do it and to see their quarterback do it. He feels the Gator Bowl was a sneak peek of what the offense could be this season.

A lot of that, he says, will be based on availability. Clemson, again, had another tough year when it came to injuries at the wide receiver position.

“We got Antonio [Williams] back in that bowl game. He made some big plays,” Swinney said. “One of them was on fourth down. We got Tyler Brown (back) and Adam Randall and the confidence that he regained down the stretch and in particular that game.

“All of that in totality carried over into the off-season. So, you start over. You do not get to carry any big plays or touchdowns over, but certainly the momentum put some good wind in their sails as they went into the off-season and started to evaluate themselves from last year and what they have to do to get better.”

Clemson will begin fall camp on Aug. 1.