Clemson Football: 5 Things That Must Change for the Tigers to Improve

It was another successful season for Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers with 10 wins and a victory in the Russell Athletic Bowl against Oklahoma. The Tigers have established themselves as a consistent program over the past few seasons, but what exactly will it take for them to get over the hump?

There are areas in which the Tigers could improve, and taking steps forward with these issues could be what they need to get to that next level and start competing for championships.

Here are five ways in which the Tigers can improve heading into the 2015 season.

Turnovers

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The turnovers seemed to improve a bit this season, but there is still work to be done. Interceptions killed the Tigers in the loss to Georgia Tech, and the fumble late in the Florida State game still stands out in my mind. The Tigers only turned it over via a fumble six times this season, but it was the 12 interceptions that hurt them the most.

Deshaun Watson was very efficient with the ball in his limited time this year, so there is reason for optimism in this category. The true freshman threw only two interceptions in 137 passing attempts.

Offensive Play-Calling

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Chad Morris was an excellent offensive coordinator, and his offensive schemes guided the Tigers to some of the best offenses in school history, but his play-calling was sometimes questionable.

Obviously we don’t know what to expect from Tony Elliott, so it’s really tough to say this area needs improvement. We got a glimpse of what Elliott could do in the bowl game, but we won’t know completely until next season.

The offense in the bowl game appeared to help Cole Stoudt get into a rhythm, and it looked like he was more comfortable in that game. Elliott will have a ton of playmakers at his disposal in 2015, so it’s important that he utilizes them efficiently.

Backup Quarterback Play

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Tigers fans learned the hard way this season just how important the quarterback on the sideline is. When Deshaun Watson went down with injuries this year, the Tigers didn’t have an answer. Whether it was due to an injury or a lack of confidence, Cole Stoudt just didn’t look prepared or comfortable at times during the regular season.

The quarterback situation becomes even thinner from an experience standpoint in 2015 with the graduation of Stoudt. Nick Schuessler, who saw very limited time in 2014, will be back, along with the addition of the two incoming freshmen. Watson hasn’t proved that he can play injury free just yet, so having the backups prepared will be very important for the Tigers next season.

Offensive Line Play

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The Tigers also have to improve up front. The offensive line had a couple of strong showings—the Florida State and South Carolina games stand out—but the overall play was shaky. The Tigers were tied for 68th nationally in sacks allowed, as they gave up 27 of them this past season.

That isn’t much of a surprise considering the depth issues at the position, but the guys in the game have to get the job done. The future looks bright up front with the incoming offensive line recruits. Mitch Hyatt is a 5-star, Jake Fruhmorgen is a 4-star, and Noah Green could be one of the more underrated players in this class.

More Consistency in the Run Game

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One aspect of the Tigers offense that must improve is the run game. Clemson didn’t find much success on the ground until late in the season when Wayne Gallman got going.

Gallman finished the season with three games with 100 yards or more, but the running game needs to be more consistent next season. A healthy Deshaun Watson could help that cause, though.

With Watson in the game, the defense ultimately has another running back to worry about with No. 4 because of his running ability.