The 3 Metrics That Chad Morris Must Fix on Clemson's Offense

Clemson’s offense needed a change after 2025, and head coach Dabo Swinney went back to what he knew previously with the hiring of former offensive coordinator Chad Morris.

Morris brought another level to the Tigers from 2011-14, setting records as the only Clemson team to be one of five programs to record more than 15,000 passing yards and 8,500 rushing yards. Now, he will look to do that again, pickup up where he left off 12 years later.

If the new Clemson offensive coordinator is looking to do that, these three metrics must change to help flip the script.

First Quarter Efficiency

In the 2024 season that saw the Tigers make the College Football Playoff, they would play like they were shot out of a cannon.

10.4 first-quarter points per game often gave Clemson a hefty lead after the first 15 minutes of the contest. It never had to play behind. Swinney’s group was third in the entire country in scoring during that frame.

2025 was the complete opposite. 5.5 points every quarter had the Tigers outside of the top 50 at 65th in doing so. That’s nearly half the points in the same amount of time.

That offensive swagger needs to return, and Morris has stressed that in saying that he plans on taking multiple shots down the field with each quarter. If he lands one in the first quarter of these games, not only does it bring more confidence to the offense, but it sets the tone for what the Clemson standard should be.

The next two elements of the offense have to compliment this idea, but if Clemson brings in even a touchdown every first quarter, the floor of the group skyrockets.

Third Down Rate

Another glaring issue was third down efficiency, and Clemson struggled to move the chains when it came to late-down scenarios. The Tigers were 109th in the country last season in third down conversions per game at 4.7 a contest.

That’s just over a conversion per quarter. It won’t win you games.

Swinney’s group averaged 13.6 chances in 2025, putting them tied for 65th in the country. The Tigers got the looks, they just couldn’t take advantage when it was necessary.

During Clemson’s ACC Championship season the year before, it averaged 6.3 conversions and that was 13th in the FBS. It’s just over one more conversion compared to that of 2025. If Morris is able to bring those conversions back, especially in the late-game scenarios where the Tigers struggled this past season, it would be a significant improvement in his first season back at the helm of the offense.

Yards Per Carry

One of the Tigers’ glaring issues was running the football. While they had a new running back in Adam Randall, who was learning the position and had the upside to make up for it, there is plenty of quality in 2026 to not allow the issues to happen again.

Clemson was outside the top 100 again in yards per carry last season, only averaging 3.7 yards. Compare that to 2024, and the Tigers only averaged a yard more at 4.8. However, it made a big difference.

Instead of 103rd, like this season, the statistic two seasons ago had Clemson 34th in the FBS is doing so. It was enough for a conference championship and postseason appearance.

The Tigers still need to play balanced, and Morris will ensure that ends up the case with the amount of tempo that he plays. Whoever is running the football in their backfield next season, whether it's Gideon Davidson, SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr., among others, Clemson can’t be one-dimensional for the second season in a row.

If that ends up the case, it will be the Clemson defense that has to win games instead of the offense come the fourth quarter.

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