Scott Believes Tigers are Peaking

For the Tigers co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, the hope is that the Tigers offense will continue its upward trend that began four weeks ago against Florida State.

CLEMSON — The Clemson Tigers (9-0, 6-0 ACC) will once again face their toughest defense of the season this week when they take the field against the NC State Wolfpack (4-4, 1-3 ACC), who ranks fourth in the ACC in total defense.

For the Tigers co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, the hope is that the Tigers offense will continue its upward trend that began four weeks ago against Florida State.

“We feel like we’ve got all the pieces,” Scott said. “it’s just everything matching up. We had some of those plays early in the year and just didn’t connect. Then Saturday night we did. I think that’s something we’ve seen coming through the way the guys have worked and practiced, and hopefully that will continue.”

Clemson has now scored 45 points in four consecutive games for the first time in school history. The streak includes two straight games of 59 or more points for only the second time in school history, joining a two-game stretch against Florida State and Louisville last season.

They have also gained 702 yards and recorded 700 yards of offense for the sixth time in school history, the fifth time under Dabo Swinney. It was Clemson’s first 700-yard performance since Nov. 24, 2018, against South Carolina (744). Clemson recorded 600 yards of offense for a fourth time this season to surpass the 2012, 2017 and 2018 squads (three each) for sole possession of the most 600-yard games in a single season in school history.

The Tigers have now posted back-to-back 600-yard games for the first time in school history, exceeded both 300 passing yards and 300 rushing yards for the sixth time under Head Coach Dabo Swinney. It marks the first time since at least 1954 that Clemson has rushed and passed for 300 yards in back-to-back games and they joined Oklahoma (three consecutive games to open the season) as the only teams to post multiple games with both 300 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season.

“Looking back, that’s what this offense has really been known for — is explosive plays,” Scott said. “That’s what we want to do. You don’t want to always have to drive 10 plays and go 85 yards to score … It’s nice to get those (big plays)."

The one “problem” with the Tigers becoming a quick-strike team is the stress that it can put on the defense, who for those three straight series got very little, if any rest.

In fact, only one of the Tigers seven scoring drives Saturday took more than seven-plays — with one of those drives lasting only two plays. However, for Scott and the rest of the Clemson Tigers they will gladly take the points, even at the expense of a tired defense.

“It’s hurting our plays per game, but we’ll definitely take the one-play scores over a certain number of plays whenever it goes that way,” Scott said.

The Clemson Tigers appear to be hitting their stride exactly at the same time that they did last year.

If the Tigers continue their offensive trend, few people will remember the first five weeks of the season when many thought the proverbial sky was falling. And for Scott, a slow start is natural for teams with such high expectations placed on them — even for the best of teams.

“I think it’s natural,” Scott said. “I think you can look at the NFL. Some of these NFL teams and even some of these great players that you come out and say there’s not doubt he’s going to have a great year — it takes a little while. Every year is different.