Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott does not think it will be too difficult to keep the Tigers hungry now that they are coming off a national championship season.
“They understand that a lot of production just walked out the door,” he said. “There is a really good amount of pressure you put on yourself, even as coaches. We want to continue this thing. We don’t want there to be a drop off.”
Not only is Clemson coming of a national championship, but it also coming off a sixth straight 10-win season as well an Associated Press poll record sixth straight year in which it finished the year ranked higher than its preseason ranking.
The Tigers’ 70 overall wins during that six-year span ranks second to Alabama’s 76 wins. Alabama and Clemson are the only two schools to win at least 10 games in each of those years.
“I think they are excited,” Scott said about the prospects of the 2017 Tigers. “We are kind of recharging with a new group, especially offensively. They are anxious to see what that looks like and how we come together chemistry wise.
“Every position has a major competition and battle to really step up, so very rarely do you get that when you go into spring ball. So I think our guys are excited about it. It is a new year and Coach (Dabo) Swinney has already said. ‘We are not trying to defend a title, but we are trying to charge up the mountain to be the best that we can be.’”
To be the best, Clemson has to replace 89-percent of its offensive production and 84-percent of its touchdown production. The coaches are in search of a new quarterback, new running back, new tight end, two new receivers and a new center.
On the defensive side of the ball, they have to replace linebacker Ben Boulware, cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, safety Jadar Johnson and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins.
“Every year we look at it as a new season. A season of its own,” Scott said. “We’re very excited about it.”
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