By Hale McGranahan.

PIEDMONT – Wren head coach Jeff Tate knows a little bit about coaching offense.

Tate, who’s coached for over three decades, took over at his alma mater in 2008. After going 3-8 in that first year, Wren has gone 39-20 and averaged just over 35 points per game on offense.

Last season, Wren scored 39 points a game, the highest figure of the Tate era. Triggering the offense was Kelly Bryant, a junior who transferred over from Abbeville, where he won the AA state title as a sophomore.

Bryant threw for over 2,600 yards with 29 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,100 yards with 18 scores in 2013. And here’s the scary part for teams on Wren’s schedule in 2014: Tate thinks Bryant will be even better.

“Mechanically, he’s improved so much,” Tate said. “I don’t know if you could put a percentage on it, because his arm-slot, how quick he got the ball out, comprehension of the defenses he’s throwing against, reading it quick, footwork. I mean, there are so many things changed.

“You could see it over the course of the season last year. Every time he played, he got better. Over the summer, I saw some things out of him that he didn’t do last year, so I know there are some things there.”

At Abbeville, Bryant operated a Wing-T offense, so there was a bit of a transition when he came into Wren’s hurry-up, no huddle spread.

“The more he plays quarterback in our system, the better he becomes (a) better-rounded quarterback,” Tate said. “He’s always been able to run the football, nobody will doubt that. He’s always been tagged as an exception athlete, nobody will doubt that.

“I think people now see that he can be an exceptional quarterback.”

Bryant also does it right off the field.

“Great kid, fine young man, his parents have done a great job of teaching him what the values are in life and how to treat people,” Tate said.

So there’s plenty for Clemson fans to be excited about when Bryant arrives next January.

“He’s very competitive. He always seems to be in control. He’s determined and, of course, blessed with a special skill set,” Tate said.

He added, “(Bryant’s) one of those guys where it’s difficult to get to him. He’s accurate throwing the football. I think his best years at quarterback are still ahead of him.”