Clemson heads into its trip to Syracuse with a few things trending in the right direction, and Dabo Swinney spent Wednesday evening pointing to two of them: a steadier Tait Reynolds at quarterback and a defensive front that has started to take over games.
The Tigers’ offense has gone three straight games without a turnover from the starting unit, with the only blemish in that stretch being a near-fumble against Charleston Southern. For a group that has had its rough patches, that cleaner stretch has stood out, and Swinney tied it directly to Reynolds settling in.
“His confidence,” Swinney said. “The game has just slowed down and just confidence in the pocket, confidence moving around.
Certainly, you see confidence in running the ball. His decision-making has gotten cleaned up.
You know, some of the turnovers that he had earlier were a couple of just decision-type stuff. But just, everybody’s just doing a little bit better job with the execution.”
That same Wednesday update also included wide receiver Cole Turner, who has been away from the team for personal reasons since the beginning of the fall. Swinney said Turner remains part of the team, but he is not practicing.
“He’s doing fine, but he’s not with us,” Swinney said.
On the other side of the ball, Clemson’s pass rush has become a real weapon over the last two games. The Tigers have piled up 10 sacks in that span, a sharp jump from the earlier part of the season, and Swinney said the surge has come from a mix of better execution and better play up front.
“Well, they’re winning matchups,” Swinney said. “I mean, it’s really, I mean, we’ve brought some pressure that’s gotten home.
We’ve had some games and some twists and things like that, that the guys have executed with a little more precision. But we’ve also just won some matchups.
Our technique, I mean, the guys have just gotten better.”
Swinney went a step further and called the defensive line Clemson’s most improved unit.
“It’s really been all year long; they’ve just gotten better,” Swinney said. “That’s one of the biggest areas of improvement on our team, has been our pass rush, our disruption up front, as we’ve kind of settled in and learned our personnel. So, just individual improvement, good fundamentals and technique, with great effort applied.”
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Clemson Must Rebuild Key Pieces Of Its Offense Before Syracuse
Clemson heads into its matchup with Syracuse having to patch together the middle of its offense after injuries sidelined starting center Harris Sewell, running back Gideon Davidson and left guard Elyjah Thurmon. The Tigers are also dealing with the loss of defensive end Armon Mason, who has medically retired because of a lingering leg injury, adding another setback to a roster already being forced to adjust on the fly.
Dabo Swinney said several young offensive linemen will be asked to step in, with Gavin Blanchard and Grant Wise expected to start at left guard and center, respectively. For Clemson, the immediate concern is not just replacing bodies but keeping the offense stable enough to navigate a game that now asks a lot more from players who have not been in these spots for long. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Freshman QB Opens Up About A Pressure Test Fans Noticed
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Reynolds also used the moment to reflect on how much he has had to learn, both from his high school days and now at Clemson. The growth has not just been about handling the playbook, but about adjusting to the speed, pressure and little distractions that come with major college football. With Syracuse ahead, the Tigers will be watching to see how he carries those lessons into another tricky setting. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Still Has A Receiver Absence Fans Can't Ignore
Clemsons receiver room has already had enough to sort through in camp, and Cole Turners continued absence remains part of that picture. Turner stepped aside for personal matters after the first fall camp practice on Aug. 6, and the Tigers have moved forward without him on the field while still keeping him in the programs orbit.
Dabo Swinney said Turner is still a member of the team, but there is no update yet on when he might be back practicing or playing. For Clemson, it leaves one more lingering question in a position group that values depth, especially with Turner bringing experience from 31 career games and the added familiarity of being the younger brother of assistant coach Nolan Turner. [Read more 🡒]