There is no better way to show a pass catcher at Clemson how to do something than to have him watch Dabo Swinney do it. At least that is the way offensive coordinator Tony Elliott does it.

This past spring, while trying to teach his tight ends proper fundamentals and technique when it comes to being a receiver, Elliott reached deep inside the vault. What he pulled out was Swinney coaching up his receivers from a 2003 practice, a practice that included Elliott when he played for the now Clemson head coach.

Swinney, of course, was the position coach at the time under then head coach Tommy Bowden.

“We were just watching how they were doing a drill about how to work different releases,” Allen said. “If you’re pressed man, or if they’re playing like a catch technique, we were watching footwork and what to do with our hands.”

Elliott explained this is his way of adding tools to the tight ends tool belt. He is going back and having them learn new techniques and fundamentals that will help them when the time is needed.

“We’ve really taken the time to tone in on the basics and the little details that are going to make us better, and that Coach E says is going to make us better,” Allen said. “We’re improving in everything – every aspect, every tight end – we’re all improving.”

As a group in 2020, Clemson’s tight ends combined to catch 50 passes for 664 yards and seven touchdowns, with Allen and Braden Galloway accounting for 43 receptions, 616 yards and six scores between the two.

Allen caught 16 passes for 247 yards, while four of those were touchdowns.

Clemson will kick off the season on Sept. 4 when they host Georgia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The game is scheduled to kick at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised by ABC.