The numbers were already uncomfortable. The quotes made them unavoidable.
As Clemson prepares for the Pinstripe Bowl, the conversation around offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has shifted from schematic debate to something far more serious: alignment. Or, more precisely, the lack of it.
Riley was hired to modernize Clemson’s offense, to restore explosiveness and efficiency to a program that once overwhelmed opponents with speed and precision. Instead, the Tigers arrive in New York with a 7–5 record and an offense that rarely dictated games. Clemson averaged roughly 27 points per contest and struggled mightily in situational football, converting just over 34 percent of its third downs — a glaring red flag for a roster built with playoff expectations…