When Chad Morris was roaming the sidelines at Death Valley during his first stint as Clemson’s offensive coordinator, the tight ends tended to be a focal point of the scheme.

In the years since he left, the Tigers have certainly had some productive players at the position, but in recent seasons, it seems the tight ends haven’t always been used quite the same way. At least not as consistently.

With Morris now back as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator, there is a new energy spreading throughout the position group, as the tight ends are once again expected to be a big part of the plan in the new system. Co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kyle Richardson hinted recently that fans could even see more two-tight-end sets than seen in recent years.

“It is a very tight-end-friendly system,” Richardson said. “We are going to be in multiple personnels and we have done that over the years, before I was the tight ends coach. Coach Swinney, he loves a tight end, and he loves multiple tight ends. We have never lacked for that regardless of the system.”

Clemson certainly isn’t short on talent or experience at the position. Olsen Patt-Henry returns for his senior campaign and is expected to be full go for fall camp after missing all of the spring recovering from an injury suffered late last season. Christian Bentancur enters his third year in the program after leading the tight ends with 20 catches in 2025. Sophomore Logan Brooking and freshman Tayveon Wilson provide some quality depth.

With Patt-Henry and Bentancur being at the top of the depth chart, those are the two tight ends that could be the biggest beneficiaries under Morris’ system.

“It is more of an everything role,” Richardson said. “With this offense, we’re going to hang our hat on the run game, so the tight ends got to be great in the run game, and a part of that with the offensive line. That is a big piece of it. The flip side of it is we are not just going to be blocking tight ends either. In the screen game, we are huge. In the pass game, we are a big piece of it. And we also got to be able to protect. We got to be part of the protection. So we can take bigger shots downfield. Tight end is a very unique position. They have to be in the know of everything.”

During his first tenure running the offense at Clemson, Morris helped produce a Mackey Award winner when Dwayne Allen took home the honors in 2011 after hauling in 50 receptions for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Following Allen’s departure, Brandon Ford stepped up and thrived in Morris’ system in 2012, registering 40 receptions for 480 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s the kind of production the current tight ends are striving for.

“With this system, the tight end, he is a big factor, and he is a big piece in how far this offense goes,” Richardson added. “That is what I have tried to do this offseason, to get them to understand, with this new system, how much it is going to run through this room. How important it is that we are playing at a high level. As successful as the tight end room can be, that will improve the success of the offense.”