Etienne Believes Expectations Were Unfair

Clemson starting running back Travis Etienne believes that the expectations placed on the Tiger offense this season were unfair

CLEMSON—The Clemson Tigers entered this season with the weight of the world on their offense.

Two dominant themes of Clemson’s record-setting offensive performance a year ago were balance and ex- plosiveness, both of which should feature prominently again for the Tigers in 2019.

In terms of balance, Clemson’s 2018 campaign joined the 2015 season as one of only two in school history to feature 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rush- ing yards. Clemson, Oklahoma and Central Florida were the only FBS programs in the country to average at least 245 passing yards and 245 rushing yards per game in 2018.

The balance was reflected not only in the team’s run/pass production, but also in the sheer number of players who contributed to the team’s scoring output. A school-record 22 different players scored touchdowns for the Tigers in 2018.

Clemson’s explosiveness was reflected in its school-record 7.35 yards per play, which shattered the previous record of 6.50 from 2006. The Tigers were in the top two in the nation in plays of 20+ yards (104, second), 30+ yards (59, tied for first), 40+ yards (35, first), 50+ yards (23, first) and 60+ yards (13, tied for second). They also recorded a school-record 19 touch- downs covering 50+ yards, annihilating the previous record of 14 set by the 2006 squad. Players who scored 18 of those 19 touchdowns of 50+ yards a year ago return for Clemson in 2019.

However, Clemson starting running back Travis Etienne believes that the expectations placed on the Tiger offense this season were unfair.

"I mean, yeah (they were unfair), we got most everybody back but everybody's roles kind of changes," Etienne said. "We have the younger guys, like (Justyn) Ross, he's a freshman last year. He didn’t really play much at the beginning of the season, now he's a starter, has a much bigger role than he did. 

"Diondre (Overton), we've got him in there now, we've got a lot of guys who are different kind of pieces, different roles, you might say, so I mean, just kind of figuring that out, and trying to get we have to work out the kinks, you know? It's like trying to remember how to ride a bike, or something, you're going to fall but you just got to keep getting back up and eventually you'll be coasting down the road."

In spite of expectations that Etienne deemed unfair, Etienne believes that the Tigers are right on track for where they had hoped to be–getting better each and every week.

Which means the Tigers will be just fine when all is said and done.

"This early in the season we have a lot of things to work on. Everyone expected us to come out here and be clicking all cylinders like we did at the end of last year," Etienne said. "But I mean, that’s just not realistic, and I feel like just as long as we’re good, we came in we know what we need to work on and actively, intentionally getting better each and everyday, working those teams, I feel like we're going to be right where we need to be when it matters most."