Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley isn’t paying any attention to the outside criticism amid the Tigers’ 1-3 start to the season.
“I don’t pay attention to any of it,” Riley said. “I’m always going to try and be a great example to our players. If I get affected by that, if our head coach gets affected by that, then what does that show your players?”
Riley and Clemson’s offensive coaching staff have been in the crosshairs due to the production, or lack thereof, from an offense that was expected to be highly explosive.
After four games, the Tigers ranked 113th nationally in scoring offense (19.8 points per game), 113th in rushing offense (116.25 rushing yards per game), 51st in passing offense (249.0 passing yards per game) and 89th in total offense (365.3 total yards per game).
Despite that output thus far, Riley remains confident in himself and in Clemson’s preparation.
“I’m confident in myself. I’m confident in what we do. I know how we prepare. I know how we coach our guys,” he said.
Riley – the 2022 Broyles Award winner who is now in his third year as Clemson’s offensive coordinator, and who made his FBS coaching debut at East Carolina from 2013-15 — discussed how he deals with outside noise through adversity.
“I’m not going to let any of that certainly affect me,” he said. “I’ve been in this business long enough. I know I’m young, but I think this is my 13th year. So, I’ve been through some ups and downs already as a young coach.
“But I think just being true to who you are. Just the way I was raised, and going to work every single day and happy with who I go to work with — it is a joy to go through times like this. I know it sounds crazy, but to go to battle with these kids and this staff – it’s football, man, and it’s still the greatest sport that there is in the entire world, and I certainly don’t lose perspective of that.”