Three Things to Expect From Chad Morris's 2026 Clemson Offense

Chad Morris is back in Clemson, and with that, some exciting potential on the offense.

The Tigers’ new offensive coordinator had plenty to say regarding his offense on Clemson Athletics’ podcast, Two Right Turns. He added to a lot that was mentioned in his introductory press conference in January,

Here are three things to expect from Morris’s offense going into the 2026 spring camp and upcoming season.

Pace of Play Will Change During Games

It’s like a baseball pitcher can throw a fastball and offspeed, that’s how Morris wants his offense to run in seasons to come.

He learned a lot about the evolution of offense in his time last season, working for ANSRS as a senior advisor and going to various programs around the country to speak to coaches. From that, Morris gained a lot of knowledge about what makes an offense successful.

In his tenure from 2011-14, it was about tempo, playing fast while getting the ball to your playmakers. Perhaps there has been a shift since that time period, and Morris knows how to adjust.

“At one time, it was all tempo,” he said on the podcast. “What’s next? And, we all agreed, as we would talk through this, is the ability to change the pace of play. So tempo is still a thing, but it’s the ability to change and get in and out of structure and still play with pace.”

Changing the offensive rhythm also confuses the defensive coordinators, Morris also learned. That's where offense will find the most success in today’s game, and for Clemson, that’s very possible.

The Tigers have plenty of talented receivers and running backs, and they are able to change their personnel often, which is another advantage. Morris will be able to work with a group that has plenty of versatility to play on an offense like the ones he’s found successful.

I think that’s the challenging part,” he said, “especially talking to defensive coordinators, is ‘Hey, look, we love people if they want to play fast all the time. We’re great with that, but it’s the teams that change the pace that gives us problems, and they do it in different personnel groupings.’”

An Emphasis on the Run

Morris wants his offense to be “tough”. So, what does that require?

A strong run game that brings the most physicality.

That opens everything up, and Morris will bring an emphasis on being creative when showing these plays, bringing receivers in motion for eye candy to make opposing defenses think otherwise.

“You have to be able to present the run and in multiple ways, and being creative when you do present the run,” he said. “You’re running the same plays, but the creativity, the window dressing behind it.”

Morris has plenty of running backs who can bring that. Sophomore Gideon Davidson may be the player in pole position coming out of the offseason, but other backs like David Eziomume, Jay Haynes and Chris Johnson Jr. can bring that prowess.

He also believes that if the run game gets tougher, it begins a trickle-down effect with everybody involved with the team.

“I firmly believe that if you’re tough at running the football offensively,” Morris said. “Your defense is tougher. The people that work in the bistro are tougher. You’re just a tougher football team all in all, and so that’s what we are.”

Lots of Deep Passes

Opening up the run will allow Morris to play his “two-back, run-oriented, play-action shot football team”, meaning that whoever his quarterback will end up being is going to be throwing the ball, and far.

He has high expectations for this offense, and rightfully so with the benchmark being the standout seasons that Morris had in the past. He averaged over 460 yards and 36 points again over those years, and that’s the goal again.

“We want to travel, and we want to push the ball down the field at least three times a quarter,” Morris said in January, “and that means the ball traveling in the air 25 yards or more three times a quarter.”

He even said that if two deep shots each quarter occurred during each game, Morris would end up being “a little bit disappointed.” That’s the expectation he has, and although it is high, the Tigers certainly have the personnel to do it.

That includes the playmakers, which Morris has plenty of. That begins with T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr., but players like Tyler Brown and Cole Turner can make noise with those deep passes. Look out for the freshmen trio of Naeem Burroughs, Gordon Sellars III and Connor Salmin with potential to impact games as well.

“Chart it, let’s figure it out, why isn’t it happening, and get the ball to our playmakers,” Morris added.