CLEMSON — After a rough start on the ground for Clemson, the Tigers’ rushing attack has picked up the last two weeks.

LSU held the Tigers to just 31 yards in the season opener, but since then, their identity on the ground has become more solid, and the running backs have contributed more to the offense. The main man has been the wide receiver-turned-running back, Adam Randall.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik spoke about the impact Randall is having on offense.

“The biggest thing is his heart,” Klubnik said. “He plays with so much heart. He wants it so bad, and I do, too. He is laying his body on the line every single week, every single day, and he is leading us really well.”

Randall ran 15 times in the loss to Georgia Tech last week, while amassing 80 yards and a touchdown to keep the Tigers in the game. So far this season, Randall has gained 208 yards on 41 carries, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry with three touchdowns.

Not only has the rushing attack seen development through Randall, but Klubnik himself has also seen development. His running skills were shown against Georgia Tech, where he led the team with 17 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown of his own.

“It was definitely an emphasis that the coaches had set up,” Klubnik said, “in being able to get me more involved in the run game. The numbers in the box and the way that they were fitting things up, it was definitely more of an influence last week, and we did some great things that helped us along the way.”

Clemson (1-2, 0-1 ACC) has just 325 rushing yards through three games, while averaging 3.8 yards per carry as a team. Some contributors to those yards are freshman Gideon Davidson, who has only been given three carries for 11 yards, as well as David Eziomume, who rushed three times as well.

Though there has been growth on the ground, the offense as a whole has struggled to be consistent. Additionally, injuries to key offensive linemen, including left tackle Tristan Leigh and right guard Walker Parks, haven’t helped.

But Syracuse (2-1, 0-0 ACC) might be what the Clemson running game needs. The Orange is allowing 165 yards per game on the ground, including 4.81 yards per carry. Both numbers rank 16th in the 17-team ACC.

Heading into Saturday’s Syracuse game, the Tigers will be facing an offense with high firepower and tempo. In a way to control possession and momentum, maintaining a consistent run game will be crucial for Clemson.

The Tigers will get to show their offense off again when they face Syracuse (noon, ESPN) at Memorial Stadium.