Clemson Football: The Biggest Offseason Storylines for the Tigers

The 2014 season is in the books for the Clemson Tigers, and it’s now time to turn our focus toward next season. This past year finished on a very happy note, with the Tigers downing Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl 40-6.

The season was already a success before that game, with nine wins in the regular season and a victory over South Carolina, but expectations for next season are even higher.

Here are the storylines to watch in the offseason as we enter into a new chapter of Clemson football.

Depth Chart at the Skill Positions

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With the Tigers having a lot returning at the skill positions, there will inevitably be a ton of competition at running back and wide receiver.

Wayne Gallman, Tyshon Dye, Zac Brooks and Adam Choice all have a legitimate shot at being the starting running back, and the wide receiver position is similar.

Mike Williams and Artavis Scott are coming off of big years, but Clemson will have a ton of talent at the position. Germone Hopper, Charone Peake, Trevion Thompson, Ray-Ray McCloud and Deon Cain all have starting potential, so it will be interesting to see how the depth chart plays out.

New Leadership on the Sidelines on Offense

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The offense will be made up of a lot of the same personnel on the field, but the changes on the sideline give the unit a different feel. Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott will be the co-offensive coordinators, and Brandon Streeter will serve as the quarterbacks coach.

The storyline to watch here is how all of those different parts will mesh as the Tigers prepare for next season. The trio seemed to work together very well in the bowl game when the Tigers put up 40 points, so the changes shouldn’t cause any concern for Tigers fans. Plus, the majority of the playmakers are back next year on offense.

Can the Tigers Land Mark Fields?

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With the recent commitment of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, there aren’t really many spots left in this year’s recruiting class. The top prospect left on the Tigers’ board is 4-star cornerback Mark Fields, who decommited from South Carolina last month.

Fields will visit Clemson on January 16, so Tigers fans will likely have more news on him after that trip. He is also set to visit LSU and Texas, and South Carolina will likely remain as a possibility to land him.

His decision will be watched heavily by Tigers and Gamecocks fans as we lead up to national signing day.

New Leadership on Defense

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The one concern the Tigers should have leading into next season is the departure of the leaders on defense. Several players will graduate from one of the nation’s top defenses, and defensive coordinator Brent Venables will need new guys to fill those leadership roles.

Grady Jarrett, Vic Beasley and Stephone Anthony are the three biggest names that will be gone from this unit, but others like Garry Peters, Tony Steward, Corey Crawford, DeShawn Williams, Josh Watson, Robert Smith and Tavaris Barnes will also be missed.

Deshaun Watson's Health

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Deshaun Watson’s health will be the biggest factor in Clemson’s 2015 season. The offense can be among the best in the nation with him operating things, but without him, the offense could be counting on a quarterback with little to no experience.

Watson showed with his stats—14 touchdowns and two interceptions—that he can be among the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation, so getting him fully healthy is the biggest storyline to watch.

He underwent season-ending ACL surgery before the bowl game, and the Tigers are hopeful that he will be back before practices start in August.