Clemson football’s success started up front on the line

Deshaun Watson is really, really good. His O-line last season was really, really good too.

Clemson ranked top-10 in adjusted line yards (6), which helps measure the OL effect on the running game – up from a 101st in 2014, and fifth in adjusted sack rate in an offense that was ninth nationally in success per play.

“That was the key offensively to our success this year, the offensive line,” Tigers co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said recently. “That was the position questioned most this year – those guys ended up being the leaders and took pride in every aspect of the game. They were able to run the football when we wanted to run it. And they believed in protecting the quarterback.”

Behind that improvement, the Tigers finished top-25 in rushing offense (21) and passing offense (23).

“When you have the ability to stay balanced … when you have the ability to stay balanced and run the football and have all the skill position guys that we’re bringing in just makes us hard to handle,” Elliott said. “And we want to dictate the pace of the game, but we tell them – let’s see what they’re going to do. If they’re going to try to stop the run, let them die by the pass. If they’re going to try to stop the pass, they’re going to die by the run.”

In addition to making things harder on the defense, planning becomes easier for Elliott and fellow co-coordinator Jeff Scott.

“It just gives Jeff and myself a lot of flexibility with our plan, the offensive line is huge and that’s where we’ve made a point of emphasis,” said Elliott. “We’ve been able to attract the top skill throughout the country and now being able to put together an offensive line that can give Deshaun time to give the ball to the skill guys and also create holes for Wayne (Gallman), Tavien (Feaster) and C.J. (Fuller) and Adam Choice coming back and also Tyshon Dye is a lot of fun.”

A star on Clemson’s O-line was freshman Mitch Hyatt, who lived up to the five-star hype and way more to plug in as an instant-impact player.

“There was never a situation where we felt we had to help him. He proved game in and game-out that he can hold his own. That gave everyone else confidence on the O-line too because we knew he was going to do his part.”