Through the years Clemson has had some prolific offensive football teams and stars, especially in the last 15 years when the no-huddle, fast-break offenses became the norm in college football.
The Clemson Insider went through the archives to find the best offensive football teams in Clemson history. What are the criteria for the 10 best offenses in Clemson history? Obviously, yards and points per game will stand out, as will offensive playmakers. How many All-ACC or All-Americans were on the team? Where did they rank in the ACC, nationally and much more?
Today, we continue our list with what TCI believes is the No. 2 offense in Clemson history.
1978
With the exception of Georgia, no one could stop Clemson in 1978. The Bulldogs were one of just two teams to hold the Tigers to under 300 yards all season as Clemson had a season low 293 total yards in a 12-0 loss in Athens.
In their 11 wins, the Tigers averaged 33.4 points and 433.8 yards per game. They scored more than 50 points twice, more than 40 once and had four other games in which they scored more than 30 points.
Clemson led the ACC in scoring (30.7), total offense (427.8) and in rushing offense (289.1). The Tigers 3,469 rushing yards is still a single-season record as is the 289.1-yard average. They also still own the record for most 200-yard rushing games in a season (11) and the most 300-yard rushing games in one season (5).
The 1978 team also still owns the record for the most rushing touchdowns in one season with 39.
Individually, running back Lester Brown led the ACC in touchdowns (17) and in scoring (102). Quarterback Steve Fuller, who won ACC Player of the Year honors for a second straight season in 1978, led the conference in total offense (2,164 yards), and wide receiver Jerry Butler led the ACC with 58 receptions for 908 yards.
Five players off the 1978 offense earned All-ACC honors as guard Joe Bostic and tackle Steve Kenney joined Fuller, Brown and Butler on the first team. Fuller, who finished tied for sixth in the Heisman Trophy race, was a third-team All-American, while Butler and Bostic both garnered first-team honors.
As mentioned, Clemson never slowed down. After the loss to Georgia, the team’s only defeat in 1978, the Tigers went six straight weeks scoring at least 28 points. In fact, just Georgia, North Carolina and Ohio State held the Tigers under 28 points in a game.
Though Clemson scored more points and gained more yards against other competition in 1978, perhaps its best offensive game of the season came at Maryland in Week 10. With the ACC Championship at stake, the Tigers totaled 440 yards on 78 plays in a 28-24 victory.
Fuller threw touchdown passes of 87 yards to Butler and 62 yards to Dwight Clark in No. 12 Clemson’s thrilling victory. Clemson rushed for 224 yards against the 11th-ranked Terrapins as Fuller also rushed for a score. The senior had a season-high 216 passing yards in the win.
The next week against rival South Carolina, there was no let down as the Tigers’ had three backs go over 100 yards rushing in the same game since 1950. Clemson won the game 41-23, and then a month later closed out the season with a 17-15 victory over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl.
The Tigers finished the 1978 season 11-1 and ranked No. 6 in the final Associated Press top 20 poll.
–Photo courtesy Clemson Athletic Communications