Briningstool on Clemson offense improving: “We’ve always known what we can do”

Jake Briningstool is confident in the next crop of Clemson tight ends.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Thu Nov 16 07:00:06 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - People are betting on an offensive showdown with Clemson’s upcoming game against No. 20 North Carolina (3:30 p.m./ESPN), with both teams averaging over 30 points per game this season.

Things have improved as of late for the Tigers offensively, starting with Clemson’s win over Notre Dame, which was their first ranked win of the season. Junior tight end Jake Briningstool says that the offense always knew what they were capable of, but things have just been coming together more in the past few weeks.

“We’ve always known what we can do,” Briningstool said. “But I just think now, bringing it to the field and kind of just putting up more points in the last couple weeks, I think has been really good for us just from a confidence standpoint. We’ve got a lot of playmakers and a lot of different ways to use them.”

It always helps to have some depth at all positions. Since the wide receiver room has suffered a number of injuries, there has been more of a reliance on the tight ends to step up in that receiving role. In fact, Briningstool is third on the team in receiving yards and tied for first in receiving touchdowns. However, the tight end room took a blow losing redshirt junior Sage Ennis for the season with a torn ACL.

In his place, redshirt freshman Josh Sapp stepped up in the Georgia Tech game. True freshman Olsen Patt-Henry also got some playing time. The other true freshman tight end, Markus Dixon, did not get in that game but could see some game action in the rest of the season since Ennis is out. Briningstool feels confident in all of those freshmen to step up and help the team succeed. Particularly for Patt-Henry and Dixon, it is more about getting them mentally prepared for game action.

“(Patt-Henry and Dixon) are going to be really, really good tight ends here. Both of them have a lot of ability. Like you said, Sapp is really being able to showcase what he can do. Me and him, we’ve talked a lot just over the course of the season just being ready whenever the opportunity may come and opportunity may come sooner than expected or something crazy could happen like what happened this week,” Briningstool said. “So, I think just getting those guys really mentally, because you know they can do it physically, just get on the mental side of them. Really just helping them and kind of just preparing them for this role. But, I have the utmost confidence in all three of those guys that they can go out there and get it done just because of the type of players they are and the type of work ethic they bring every day.”

All of the injuries have certainly not done sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik any favors in his first season as the starting quarterback. He has struggled throughout the season with turnovers and has currently thrown at least one interception in the last four games. Overall, his play has improved, and Briningstool says that as Klubnik gets better, so will the team overall.

“I just think he has to trust his own abilities, not trying to do too much. Kind of just play within himself, play within the system. But I think as far as Cade goes, I think every single week, he’s just gotten better and better every week, and it’s just kind of unfolding into the rest of our offense,” Briningstool said. “Ss he continues to grow and develop and get better, you’ll see our whole team grow up and get better.”

One thing that helps a young quarterback is a consistent running game. Junior running backs Will Shipley and Phil Mafah have both provided that throughout the season. Mafah stepped up in a historic performance against Notre Dame when Shipley was unable to play after suffering an injury against NC State the week prior. Briningstool describes Shipley as bringing a “different mindset” to the game and Mafah’s performance versus the Irish really as helping to elevate the team overall.

“He (Shipley) just brings a different demeanor and different mindset to the game. So, it’s really just fun to play with him, play off of him and I think with Phil having the week that he had prior to that really elevated everybody to kind of matchup, especially coming into these last couple of games,” Briningstool said. “Everybody’s just trying to showcase everything they can do and give it all they got, leave it all out there to finish strong.”