Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney: We're going to be a more balanced team

Head coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers have a lot to figure out before the 2014 college football season starts, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The losses of such stars as Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant, players who have been instrumental in the Tigers’ success the past few seasons, is concerning.

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But Swinney isn’t exactly being all negative about it. During a recent radio appearance in Jacksonville, the Clemson coach believes that his team might even be a little more balanced on the offensive side of the ball now that everyone won’t be focused on Watkins potentially making that next highlight catch.

“I think we’ll be a more balanced team. Swinney said on the air. “Everybody knew the ball was going to go to Sammy, but I think we’re going to be a little more diverse, with the use of our tight ends and especially our running backs. I’m very excited about the personnel that we have at running back. I think that can really be a big factor. We’ve had a 1,000-yard rusher three years in a row, but, this year, I think we’ve got the potential to have pretty special in the backfield. Every year, it’s different, but we’ll be about seeing how your personnel shakes out, doing what’s best for your team and whatever gives you the best chance to win on game day.”

That strong rushing game is going to be needed, if for anything else than to help the transition of Cole Stoudt to the starting quarterback position to replace Boyd go a little more smoothly. Swinney named Stoudt the starting quarterback not long after his stiffest competition, Chad Kelly, was booted from the team this spring.

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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney: We’re going to be a more balanced team

By Jack Crosby | May 23, 2014