Jake Briningstool says Clemson's tight ends are poised for 'big impact'

Sophomore tight end Jake Briningstool says more opportunities are coming for Clemson's tight ends.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 24 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Jake Briningstool knows that Clemson hasn’t had a dominant pass-catching tight end since Jordan Leggett, but he’s convinced that’s about to change. And he gives the credit to new tight ends coach Kyle Richardson.

Dwayne Allen had a whopping 49 receptions back in 2011, the year he won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. Brandon Ford added 40 receptions in 2012, and Stanton Seckinger had just 21 in 2013. Leggett led all Tiger tight ends with just 14 in 2014, but Leggett had 40 and then 46 over the next two seasons as the position found a resurgence in the offense.

However, Davis Allen’s 28 receptions last season stand as the top number since that 2016 National Championship, and the rest of the position group accrued just nine catches in total.

Briningstool is a rising sophomore out of Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood who caught three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown over 102 snaps during his freshman campaign. He’s worked his way up the depth chart and appears to be the second option behind Allen, and he says he thinks the tight ends are going to make a big impact in 2022.

“I feel like the tight ends have a better situation now in the way we are going to be used, and I think me and Davis both are going to make a big impact,” Briningstool said after Tuesday’s practice. “I think there are a lot more opportunities for us, and I think we can really open up the passing game and create mismatches and keep the ball moving and keep on going.”

The addition of Richardson, who had a successful run as an offensive-minded head coach at Rock Hill’s Northwestern High School and won two state championships, has made its mark on the room.

“Rich is awesome,” Briningstool said. “Just having him in the room has definitely helped us out from the passing game aspect and just bringing in cool ideas and creative ideas that will help score points for us. It's good both ways. I am excited about the season and happy coach Rich is here.”

Richardson is laid-back off the field but different between the lines.

“Coach Rich is funny. He is a lot different, but he is pretty cool. He brings in cool ideas and he is cool to talk to in the meeting room,” Briningstool said. “He kicks it back and it's more relaxed and he's cool to learn from and talk to. He's a good father figure for all of us.

“He is intense, and he is going to make sure we do the right thing. If we get it wrong, he is going to get it corrected. He isn't going to cuss at us or anything like that, which is actually better for us, I think.”

Briningstool thinks it would create a mismatch – and a headache – if he was on the field at the same time as Allen.

“I love Davis like a brother,” he said. “If we can get out there together, I think we have a lot of opportunities to blow the top off of the defenses and put up a lot of points together. I think it would be a lot of fun.”