Elliott talks fan frustrations, playing free, and who calls the plays

DJ Uiagalelei looks for a receiver Saturday.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Oct 25 16:19:10 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Tony Elliott made it clear Monday that he and he alone calls the plays, with input from head coach Dabo Swinney and the other offensive assistants, and that he understands fans’ frustrations and that he owns the struggles of the offense.

Clemson’s offense ranks near the bottom of the rankings in most statistical categories, bringing a reaction from fans and players and coaches alike.

“I understand they’re frustrated, and I don’t blame them for being frustrated,” Elliott said Monday. “We’re all frustrated because we’re not performing, so I own it. But at the same time, too, I don’t listen to it. I don’t pay attention to it. I’m really just focusing on the guys in the arena because, at the end of the day, it’s us that’s going to get us out of this situation.”

Elliott then said he had a message for the fans.

“What I would say to them is, hey, I respect your opinion. You have a platform for it. And I wish things were not the way they were.” Elliott said. “But, at the end of the day, I know one thing, that everybody in this building and everybody in this program is working extremely hard trying to persevere through the adversity because we believe that this is going to reveal the true character of the program.”

Elliott was asked if he was the lone playcaller or if head coach Dabo Swinney also calls plays. Elliott responded by saying that he calls the plays and depends on Swinney and the other coaches for input.

"There are certain situations where I'll refer to coach Swinney, like third down situations and if we want to be aggressive. That's what he's communicating,” Elliott said. “In-between series, I'll say, 'Coach tell me what you're seeing.' So he's telling me the plays he thinks that may have a chance. Then I ask (Brandon) Streeter what the quarterback is like, (Robbie) Caldwell, what are you seeing in the run game. Then I take that information and put together the plan for the next drive, until we get to third down, and then get the flow of the game from coach Swinney, like the third down call when we had the quarterback run there. So, I'm the one up there calling the plays, and then he gives input in-between series, and then he's always situationally letting me know where we are."

Elliott said injuries and inexperience have changed the offense from what it was a year ago, but more concepts are added each week.

"Where we are now, is we have to lean on our base concepts and try to tweak and get a couple of game-plan specific. But this past week, we had some game-plan specific stuff in the run game that was new, changing some targets that allowed us to be successful in the run game,” he said. “We had a couple things in the pass game, some different routes where we tried to attack the middle of the field more. We had some guys open there, but we didn't them the ball as much as I would have liked. I think we're moving in the right direction. The biggest thing is the depth and consistency of the guys playing, and being able to add those tweaks from a game-plan specific standpoint each week."

During the struggles, Elliott said his approach is simple.

"My approach is making sure I'm not putting more pressure on them than is already on them,” he said. “Help them from a film standpoint. A lot of times the routine stuff, you don't say anything because it's expected. Now I've got to praise that to give them confidence. Then just make sure my demeanor and approach is giving them the energy and belief.”

When he was asked how he can help his players play freer, he said he recalled the game against FSU in 2003 when the Tigers defeated No. 3 Florida State, 26-10.

"What my message will be to them was what flipped there in '03, is players just said, 'We're going to play for each other. We aren't going to play for anything else. We are going to play for the game and each other and see what happens.’ That's how you play free,” Elliott said. “That was my message in the locker room after the game. Football, what it really boils down to, is the love of your brother. Playing for the man next to you, that's why you play. Of course you want to win, but you play for the man next you. I can't be playing for anything external or the score board. I believe if that my play, if it's directed towards my teammate and it's reciprocal, then we're going to do what what we need to do and get the results. That was my message to the guys after the game, that No. 1 we aren't going to quit.

“That's not what we do. That's not a foundational principle in our program. We are going to just play for each other and hopefully that resonated with the guys and gave them something to think about as they go back to their real world. Now they go back to their own world and what's happening? The phone, right? You can't get away from it. Twitter, Instagram, I just had to stop looking at it. Not that I'm afraid of it, but I understand how words can be hurtful. As much as you say, 'I'm not going to look at it, I'm not going to take advice from someone that's never been in my shoes,' words still have power. We have to make sure that the words they're hearing and seeing are speaking life into them."