Press conference thoughts

A few thoughts and observations from yesterday's press conference introducing Chad Morris, Marion Hobby and Tony Elliott:

-- Dabo Swinney didn't want to talk about a timeline on when he decided to make changes to his staff. But in saying it was something he pondered long and hard, with extensive research, it's clear he didn't just wake up the day after the bowl debacle and decide to start researching candidates.

My best guess: After the South Carolina loss, he decided he probably had to make some changes and began exploring his options at that point.

Would he have made the changes had Clemson smoked South Florida in the bowl game? Good question.

-- I asked Swinney when he first heard the name "Chad Morris," and whom he heard it from. He said he didn't get a tip from anyone, that he came upon Morris through his research of possible coordinator candidates.

So I guess that shoots down the theory I posed recently, that Swinney leaned on Mack Brown for advice on possible candidates. It made sense, given that the two finalists for the job -- Morris and TCU co-offensive coordinator Justin Fuente -- are from that neck of the woods, and given that Swinney visited Brown two years ago and took a bunch of notes on how to build a program.

But it also makes sense that Swinney simply pulled up the NCAA stats and saw that Tulsa and TCU were among the more productive offenses nationally. You'd be surprised how many coaches, in the process of making such crucial decisions, just look at the NCAA stats as they're coming up with their list. That's what Tommy Bowden used to do. Not saying it's all they do, but it is interesting that it can be that basic.

-- The most interesting part of the press conference was Swinney's response to the question asking if Morris will have total control of the offense.

"Absolutely. Just like Coach Napier did."

Clearly, Swinney is sticking to his guns with this notion that it was Napier's offense and Napier's offense only.

I'm sure this response was not what some people wanted to hear. But I suspect Morris would not be here if he did not have assurances that it would be his show.

-- Morris left no doubt that the strength and conditioning regimen is going to change as the offense gets suited to his 80-plus plays per game ideal.

The focal point is an offensive line that is about to endure the winter from hell. I'd imagine it'll be similar to the offseason after Bowden and Rich Rodriguez arrived in Clemson in 1999.

The linemen lost a bunch of weight and changed their body composition during that winter, spring and summer. The offseason conditioning was so brutal that the games were easy. I'd suspect that's precisely the progression Morris outlined to the linemen last night during the team meeting.

Better buckle up, Antoine McClain. You too, Kalon Davis.

-- Listening to Morris describe his offense and its various nuances, you're left with the unmistakable conclusion that this is Gus Malzahn to a T.

He talked about dialing the tempo up and down depending on the situation. That's the difference between Malzahn's approach and that of Chip Kelly, who goes full-throttle the entire game.

He talked about employing a small number of running plays from an assortment of formations. That's Malzahn.

He talked about attacking defenses horizontally -- the innovation Rodriguez brought to the college game years ago -- but also vertically. That's the dimension Malzahn has introduced. Get linebackers and safeties preoccupied with all the eye candy and window dressing brought by the shifts, the misdirection and the false keys, then hit 'em deep with regularity.

Morris accurately pointed out the misconception people have about spread offenses -- or at least his version of the spread.

All the funky stuff they throw at you camouflages the fact that a lot of the running plays are still very basic, power running plays. It's a lot like the I formation, just not out of the I formation.

Swinney enunciated it perfectly when he said:

"We want to be simple, but appear complicated."

-- As of this writing, Tulsa hadn't yet named a replacement for Todd Graham. And there's reason for Clemson fans to be at least a little nervous until the Golden Hurricane name their guy.

Morris was given an opportunity to say "I am not going to be Tulsa's head coach," but he fell short of that by saying "I'm a Tiger."

My gut says there's not much to worry about. But Morris still left the door open, ever so slightly, so we can't fully close the book on the Tulsa thing until a coach is named and it's not Morris.

-- You could tell Marion Hobby is happy to be here, but you could also tell it was a very difficult decision for him to leave Duke.

He confirmed that he went back and forth and wrestled with it before finally deciding Saturday morning that he was going to be a Tiger.

Here's the story from the Durham newspaper.

-- Everything I have ever heard on Tony Elliott has been absolutely glowing. So many people at so many levels are so impressed with this guy.

I had an opportunity to talk with him for about 10 minutes yesterday, and there's no doubt in my mind Elliott is going to be an asset in the living rooms of recruits.

LW