CLEMSON — Coming into the season, many thought Clemson would have a fairly stellar passing attack.

The Tigers boast a wide receiver room featuring two former five-star talents in Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, and both were expected to be key pieces on the offensive side of the ball, seeing as they were entering their third seasons in the program. However, with a freshman at quarterback in Tait Reynolds, and an offensive line littered with youth and inexperience, Clemson has experienced very little success when it comes to getting two of its best playmakers the ball down the field.

“Well, we tried last week, and we dropped ’em,” head coach Dabo Swinney quipped, referring to Moore’s multiple drops against Charleston Southern. Wesco also had a key drop in that game.

Wesco did reel in five catches in the 20-16 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday night, but those receptions netted just 38 yards. He now has 34 catches for 378 yards this season. The junior wideout is averaging just 11.1 yards per catch and does not have a touchdown catch.

Moore’s numbers were even more pedestrian on Saturday night, finishing with just three receptions for 25 yards. He has 30 total catches for just 269 yards. He’s averaging just 9.0 yards per reception, and like Wesco, Moore has not been on the receiving end of a touchdown pass.

“It just hasn’t come together like we want,” Swinney added. “I take ownership of that.”

It’s crystal clear that this passing game just hasn’t evolved into what many had envisioned for the unit, particularly seeing as that is one of the reasons Chad Morris was brought back as offensive coordinator. During his first stint at Clemson, Morris routinely liked trying to push the ball down the field.

For a number of reasons, to this point, that just hasn’t happened during his second tenure. Even when Reynolds is putting the ball on target on some of his downfield throws, the receivers haven’t always come down with them. Even during Saturday night’s loss to the Hokies, Wesco had a huge drop on 3rd-and-9 while the Tigers were driving and trying to win it in the final minute. Wesco originally had it, but could not control it all the way through the ground.

Being a former wide receivers coach himself, Swinney is fully aware of how frustrating it’s been for his star wideouts to not be utilized as the weapons they are.

“I think Wesco had five catches today and had a big drop there at the end,” Swinney said. “We just got to keep working at it. It just hasn’t gone as well as what we obviously thought offensively to this point. But we will keep working at it.”

– Photo courtesy of Bart Boartwright/The Clemson Insider