Former Clemson offensive lineman and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain is excited about the return of Chad Morris for his second stint at the helm of Clemson’s offense. 

In January, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney hired Morris as the Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, replacing Garrett Riley, who was fired in December after three seasons as Clemson’s OC.

Morris – who previously served as Clemson’s OC from 2011-14 — will try and revitalize a Tigers offense that finished eighth in the ACC in total offense in 2025, averaging 392.2 yards per game, and No. 11 in scoring offense at 27.2 points per game. The Tigers also finished sixth in passing yards (267.8 per game) and 11th in rushing (124.5 per game).

Now that Morris is back, Mac Lain — a former first-team All-ACC selection who played at Clemson from 2011-15, during Morris’ first stint with the Tigers — believes Morris’ offense will not only help the players within the offense, but Mac Lain says Swinney himself will benefit from the familiarity with it. 

“It does, and primarily Coach Dabo Swinney,” Mac Lain said. “Listen, he had said it in interviews, he and I have had private conversations and talked about it — where for those three years [with Riley as OC], it’s almost like [Swinney] hears the play, he has to translate it in his head, OK, this is what we’re doing. Where now, this is the Clemson offense, and you brought the architect back. So, he, Coach Dabo Swinney, gets to just be the CEO. He gets to do what he is best at, manage this team from that standpoint.”

Over 52 games during Morris’ four seasons in his first stint as Clemson’s offensive coordinator, Clemson averaged 36 points and 468 yards per game. He guided the top three scoring offenses and four of the top five passing offenses in Clemson history during his time in Tigertown.

Mac Lain doesn’t know exactly how many wins or points the return of Morris will end up translating to, but he believes “something positive” will come from Morris being back in Tigertown to lead the Clemson offense once again. 

“What does that equate to, what is that equal to? Is that 12 wins, is that a national championship, is that 40 points a game?” Mac Lain asked.

“I don’t know, but it will be something. It will be something positive.”