CHARLOTTE – The Clemson Tigers made their 2023 ACC Football Kickoff appearance on the final day Thursday at the Westin Charlotte in Uptown and shared their thoughts about the upcoming season.
Center Will Putnam gave a look as to what we can expect from the Tigers offensively.
“Coach [Garrett] Riley gives us the versatility as an offense to do either or,” said Putnam about the options for passing and running plays, which he noted are complementary to one another.
As a three-year starter, Putnam is an experienced veteran on this Clemson team and with the addition of Riley as Offensive Coordinator, all eyes are looking to him for insight to the offense’s approach.
“As a whole offensive unit we have more cohesion, there’s better chemistry,” Putnam said.
He also talked about the excitement Riley has brought to Clemson, “It’s really contagious and it’s really positive for the program.”
The offensive lineman continued talking about Riley’s strategy and said he has taught the Tigers to take a mental approach.
“With coach Riley coming in and giving us more decision making abilities, you need to be able to make decisions right,” Putnam said.
He continued that as a result of this newfound freedom, the offense has been studying defensive fronts, blitz recognition and overall just understanding different defensive looks..
Apparently, Riley’s approach has not only rubbed off on players, but on the rest of the staff as well.
“Coach [Thomas] Austin emphasizes, it’s not just what you can do physically but also what you can do mentally.” said Putnam about his offensive line coach.
With the conclusion of the 2023 ACC Kickoff and the season just weeks away, the Tigers return to Clemson to complete workouts in preparation for fall camp, which begins on Aug. 4.
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