In a recent episode of College Football Live, ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Harry Lyles Jr. weighed in on Cade Klubnik, Garrett Riley and Clemson’s offense ahead of the Tigers’ marquee season opener against Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 31 (12 p.m., ABC).
As Klubnik and Riley enter their second season together as Clemson’s quarterback/offensive coordinator tandem, Thamel thinks the offense could “finally move forward” in 2024 with what he expects to be “the best Clemson receiving corps talent-wise in several seasons.”
“The Clemson offense has been in a slump, and that’s the reason Garrett Riley came for 2023 was to jumpstart it,” Thamel said. “But the issue at Clemson has been glaringly clear the last three seasons — they simply haven’t had the skill position guys that they had when Trevor Lawrence was there, that they had when Deshaun Watson was there.
“The good news is this is the best Clemson receiving corps talent-wise in several seasons. Antonio Williams back healthy from his ankle injury gives them a huge boost. Tyler Brown had one of the best true freshman seasons of anyone in the ACC, and if Bryant Wesco, the freshman from Texas who’s a top-30 recruit, can bring back some of that juju from the old Clemson receivers, we will see that offense finally move forward.”
Lyles completely agreed with Thamel on those skill position players. As for the quarterback position, Lyles thinks Klubnik is an example of a Clemson signal-caller who has “suffered” in a sense from the previous successes of guys like Watson and Lawrence.
“Those were two guys that set an untouchable standard almost. We’re talking about two guys that made immediate impacts in the NFL,” Lyles said. “So when a guy like Cade Klubnik comes in – still a very talented player – but people expect that sort of play from every quarterback that has followed since those guys, and that’s just not a realistic expectation year to year.”
As for Lyles’ expectations for Clemson’s offense in Year 2 with Klubnik and Riley, Lyles is optimistic.
“So now that (Klubnik) is in his second year with Garrett Riley, I think that you’re going to see a Clemson team that is going to look more like their old selves,” he said, “especially with an offensive line… that is returning four (starters) this year. So, that’s usually a good group that could be great this year.”
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