CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney likes to say nothing carries over from one season to the next. Each team is different in their own way.
And though Clemson’s head coach is correct, what we now know the Tigers will bring back in 2025 on the offensive side of the ball should have their loyalist of fans ecstatic.
On Saturday, offensive tackles Blake Miller and Tristan Leigh decided to return to Tiger Town for one more season, meaning the Tigers will return eight starters from an offense that ranked 11th nationally in total offense (451.9 ypg) and 18th in scoring offense (34.7 ppg).
This is an offensive group that helped Clemson finish the 2024 season 10-4, as ACC Champions and with a return to the College Football Playoff. The Tigers will have to say good-bye to tight end Jake Briningstool, running back Phil Mafah and left guard Marcus Tate, as those three used up their eligibility.
“This will be just another step in the direction that we want to go, on our way to get back to the top of the mountain,” Swinney said at the end of the season. “You’ve got to put yourself in position. We did that. You’ve got to learn and grow, we’ll do that.
“The example that was set by these seniors, again, listening to them all year, all year reading their comments, it’s been amazing. Coming to work every single day has been an absolute joy and blessing. I promise you, the example that they set for these guys coming back, it will not be wasted. Those guys will build upon that. I’ve already seen that in the locker room.”
Clemson showed a ton of growth in Garrett Riley’s second season as its offensive coordinator. The offense was more explosive and was very balanced for much of the season.
Until Mafah was injured in Game 8 against Louisville, the Tigers were the only team in the country that was averaging more than 250 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game.
Clemson will have to find a replacement for Mafah. There is talent in the running back room, but at the moment it is inexperienced talent.
The Tigers have a little more experience at tight end with the return of Olsen- Patt-Henry and Josh Sapp, while redshirt freshman Christian Bentancur has the coaches excited about the position’s future.
Of course, it all begins at quarterback. Cade Klubnik will return for his senior year after having a magnificent junior campaign.
Klubnik threw for 3,639 yards, while completing 63.4 percent of his 486 passes. He threw 36 touchdown passes, which ranked third in the country, while also running for 463 yards and 7 TDs.
His 43 total TDs ranked second nationally.
Wide receiver Antonio Williams also announced he is retuning. He was a first-team All-ACC selection after recording career highs with 75 receptions, 904 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs. He also added seven carries for 101 yards and a touchdown and went 2-for-2 passing for 62 yards with a touchdown pass.
Williams will enter the 2025 season with 153 career receptions for 1,732 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has caught at least one pass in each of the 33 games he has appeared in while at Clemson.
Besides, Williams, the Tigers also welcome back freshmen T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco at wideout, along with Tyler Brown, who was a Freshman All-American in 2023.
Moore finished third on the team with 45 receptions for 651 yards and 5 TDs. Wesco caught 41 passes for 708 yards, which ranked second on the team and had 5 TDs as well. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception.
Though he redshirted the 2024 due to injuries, Brown was a reliable target for Klubnik in 2023, as he hauled in a team-best 52 receptions for a team-high 531 yards and 4 TDs.
On the offensive line, Miller will be a four-year starter at right tackle, Leigh a three-year starter at left tackle, while Walker Parks will be a four-year starter returning at right guard. Ryan Linthicum will be back for his second year as the starting center, while Harris Sewell will likely take over at left guard. Sewell has started eight games on the offensive line the last two seasons.