Garrett Riley Named Top Offensive Coordinator in College Football by PFF
Following a dream season as the play caller for TCU in 2022, new Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has found himself thrust to the forefront of college football. That'll happen when you help lead a team to the College Football Playoff National Championship, send a quarterback to New York as a Heisman Trophy Finalist, and win the Broyles Award as the nation's top coordinator. Garrett Riley has gone from "Lincoln Riley's little brother" to "Top Offensive Coordinator in College Football", at least according to PFF.
PFF.com, the analytics-driven football site, ranked their top 10 offensive coordinators heading into 2023. Atop the list is Garrett Riley. It's hard to argue. Riley did win the Broyles Award, and Todd Monken, Georgia's OC in 2022, is off to the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. What's interesting, however, is that numbers drive PFF, and TCU finished just 27th last year in total offense. Yes, the horned frogs finished 5th in total touchdowns with 70, but a lot of that has to do with playing 15 games, 2 more than most other schools.
Riley will certainly have the chance to prove himself worthy of the ranking and the $1.75 million Clemson is paying him annually. The Tigers, like their new offensive coordinator, find themselves entering a "prove it" season. For the first time since its inception, Clemson has missed the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons. Are the Tigers fading back to pack, or can Riley's innovations get Clemson back to the top of the sport? Only time will tell.
