CLEMSON — The Clemson Tigers may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but realized the football they can play in the second half of a 66-17 rout of Charleston Southern.

While the defense pitched a gentleman’s shutout if you consider all factors, the offense finally looked like a cohesive unit before the bout with the Buccaneers came to a close. Wit the first win of the season, here’s three key takeaways as the schedule heats up for the Tigers.

-Will Shipley needs more touches. He saw the ball plenty against Duke, and it still wasn’t enough. This week, Shipley touched the ball just 12 times. He had a average of 8.1 yards per carry, and there’s no reason to limit what he can bring to this offense. Considering some lingering shakiness from quarterback Cade Klubnik, yeah, let’s get Shipley the rock.

-We might’ve already known it, but it was solidified Saturday. Wes Goodwin’s defense is the strength of this team. The excitement around Garrett Riley is warranted, but they don’t have to overdo it for Clemson to win. The Buccaneers mustered just 0.4 yards per carry and had four first downs. Both of their touchdowns were a result of egregious offensive blunders. Remove the mistakes, and Goodwin can pitch shutouts in 2023.

-The pair of running backs the Tigers sport up front in Shipley and Phil Mafah are both bruising rushers. They’re fast in their own right, but the unit needs some juice. It may not come immediately, but freshman Jay Haynes can bring it. In the waning moments, he had four rushes for 28 yards and a touchdown. His speed was evident, and I’d like to see him get more opportunity in this offense to add a change of pace.