Clemson OC Chad Morris' hopes of turning around Tigers offense morphs into QB development project
· Yahoo Sports
Nov. 12—CLEMSON — Chad Morris said it himself: His first year back as Clemson's offensive coordinator hasn't been as fruitful as he planned.
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Morris returned to Clemson this offseason. He left for the first time after a successful stint in 2011-2014 which kicked off the 2010s dynasty. Since then, he'd bounced around as a head coach and coordinator, and spent the last few years as a staffer and analyst after last calling plays at Auburn in 2020.
It hasn't been the happiest reunion so far.
The Tigers have regressed from 2025 under former OC Garrett Riley in nearly ever major statistical category besides rushing offense, are last in the nation for passing touchdowns (tied with run-heavy Army, which has attempted 185 fewer passes than Clemson) and second-last in red zone TD rate.
Most recently, Clemson (6-3, 4-2 ACC) failed to score an offensive touchdown in an 18-13 win at Syracuse on Nov. 7.
Despite the struggles, Morris said nothing about this year has been a surprise. If anything, the challenge has been tailoring the offense to a young, developing unit that will see zero starters pushed out due to lack of remaining eligibility.
"Here's who we are, here's what we're doing, here's what we can do, and now let's adapt to that," Morris said. "Just putting those guys and and just forcing the growth on them, so that's probably been the biggest thing."
In any program, the offense starts with the quarterback. For Clemson, producing a full-strength offense starts there, too. Developing freshman QB Tait Reynolds has become the focal point of Morris' work in 2026.
"Obviously, we're a long way from where we want to be, but watching the growth, watching the growth of Tait, and just seeing him grow as the offense grows, I think that's been definitely a bright spot."
Morris and Reynolds don't exactly come across as an obvious friendship.
There's 38 years separating the pair. Morris (57) is Texas born-and-bred and drinks Red Bull with his Fruit Loops for breakfast. Reynolds (19) is a West Coast kid from Arizona who'd be comatose if he was any more relaxed.
But seemingly, the two have developed a close bond. During the week before a 36-24 win at Florida State on Oct. 31, in which Reynolds iced the game with a 79-yard touchdown run (a program record for a QB), Morris called Reynolds at 10:30 p.m. to encourage that type of aggression with his legs.
"I said, 'I'm watching somebody run around, a highlight, that's playing high school football in Arizona. Do you know who this guy is?' And he starts laughing," Morris said. "And I'm like, 'No, I'm not laughing. I'm being serious, because I want to see you start running this way.'"
The open line of communication goes both ways. Morris said one of Reynolds' biggest areas of growth this season is gaining the confidence to tell his coach "no," and share which parts of the offense he's more or less comfortable with. Morris said he'll learn to like some of these more complex concepts one day, but for now, they can pull back and focus on maximizing his confidence level.
"I think he doesn't see all the things I see down on the field. He does a great job all game of planning, and all week, actually," Reynolds said. "I need to help them out there and just get a little more comfortable, and help them out as much as he can help me."
Clearly Reynolds and Morris are happy with where their relationship has grown. It hasn't always translated on Saturdays, particularly in the red zone. The solution to that issue is something the pair, and the rest of the offense, are still working on.
"I think that's kind of been the story this year," Reynolds said. "We're moving the ball like crazy on everybody. ... We kind of just beat ourselves, you know?"
Reynolds, Morris, Dabo Swinney — you name it — have all expressed faith that, at one point or another, Clemson's offense will explode. But it hasn't. And there's only three games left.
At what point do you start framing development not in terms of what can happen next game, but what can happen in future seasons with a QB Swinney has said Clemson plans to build around?
According to Morris, never. His focus isn't on the next season or the next game. Instead, he narrows his view to the next day, and he's trying to get his offense to do the same.
"You're trying to get these guys better every day, whether it's meetings and how we do our meetings, and keeping these guys locked in," he said. "That'll take care of itself. If you just focus on today and getting a little better, that's all we're asking."
With a freshman quarterback — just one of six to start a game in college football this season — you can't realistically ask for much else. But one day, Reynolds will be asked to do more. Morris will have to hope his day-by-day approach prepares Reynolds for that call.
Otherwise, what else have the Tigers gotten out of this season offensively?
"You got to take some of the the kid gloves off of you too, as a play caller, and just — 'Hey, you're going to make a mistake. Let's go make a mistake,'" Morris said.
"But we can't be afraid to call plays. We can't be afraid to go out and execute. And so I think that's been a growing process with him, and me and our whole offense."
Next up
Next up
What: Clemson (6-3, 4-2 ACC) vs. Georgia Tech (2-7, 1-5)
When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson
TV: The CW
Reach Jackson Castellano at [email protected]. Follow him on X @jaxacastellano. Want more Clemson news delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to The Tiger Take.