College football programs lose players to the NFL draft every year, whether it be underclassmen or seniors. Last year, the Georgia Bulldogs had 15 players...
Report: TCU's Garrett Riley to Be Hired as Clemson OC After Brandon Streeter Firing
Jan 12, 2023
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 26: TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley looks on during warmups during the college football game between the Iowa State Cyclones and TCU Horned Frogs on November 26, 2022 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Clemson is expected to bring aboard TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley for the same position after firing OC Brandon Streeter earlier Thursday.
Larry Williams of Tiger Illustrated and ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and Chris Low reported the news on Riley. The deal between Riley and Clemson could be finalized imminently, per Rittenberg.
Riley, who is the younger brother of USC head coach Lincoln Riley, just led an offensive unit for a TCU team that went 13-2 and made the national championship game. He also coached the quarterbacks.
The Horned Frogs averaged 38.8 points per game in 2022, good enough for ninth out of 131 Division FBS teams.
It was the 33-year-old Riley's first year in TCU after he spent the previous two seasons as SMU's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
For his efforts, Riley won the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach. It was a well-deserved honor after he helped turn around a TCU team that went 5-7 the year before and finished 66th in scoring.
On the flip side, Clemson's offense disappointed at times in 2022, finishing 30th in scoring (33.2 PPG). The Tigers notably scored just 14 points in blowout losses to Notre Dame (35-14) and Tennessee (31-14). The Orange Bowl loss to the Vols capped an 11-3 year.
Clemson's season followed a 2021 campaign in which the Tigers were 82nd in scoring while allowing the second-fewest points per game on defense.
The Tigers should be undergoing a big change in next year's offense. Starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has transferred to Oregon State, leaving Cade Klubnik in charge of running the offense.
Klubnik, a 247Sports 5-star prospect entering his sophomore season, could flourish under Riley's tutelage if the new OC's work with TCU signal-caller Max Duggan is any indication. Duggan threw for 32 touchdowns (eight interceptions) and 3,698 yards last year while rushing for 423 yards and nine more scores.
Clemson will begin its 2023 campaign on Sept. 9 against Charleston Southern.
The 2022 college football season is sadly behind us, as Georgia repeated as national champions by clobbering TCU 65-7 on Monday night. Now that another season...
Trenton Simpson NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Clemson LB
Dec 30, 2022
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 15: Clemson Tigers linebacker Trenton Simpson (22) in pass defense during the Clemson Tigers game against the Florida State Seminoles on October 15, 2022, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 235
HAND: 10 1/4"
ARM: 32 3/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.43
3-CONE: 7.06
SHUTTLE: 4.24
VERTICAL: 40.5"
BROAD: 9'10"
POSITIVES
– Impressive athlete with good change of direction and fluid hips. Can mirror and match against running backs and tight ends in man coverage.
– Uses his hands well to help stay in phase when playing man coverage or get reroutes when playing underneath in zone coverage.
– Has the acceleration to click and close quickly.
– Good ball skills for a linebacker. Plays the hands from a trail position and has decent hand-eye coordination to get pass breakups when facing the quarterback.
– Can use his quickness to make offensive linemen miss at the second level.
– Physical at the point of attack when taking on run blocks and strong enough to get off blocks from tight ends and wide receivers.
– Speed helps him make plays in pursuit. Has the athletic ability to break down and make tackles in space.
– Has the agility and acceleration to be an effective looper in line games as a pass-rusher.
NEGATIVES
– Needs to work for more depth when spot-dropping in zone coverage to tighten the windows between the second and third levels of the defense, especially in Cover 3.
– Struggles to read the quarterback's eyes and anticipate throws in zone coverage.
– Not strong enough against the run to consistently get extension against offensive linemen. Will get pushed around a bit if he can't win at the point of attack.
– Not a violent block-shedder when working to get off blocks. Linemen with good grip strength can latch onto him.
– Has a habit of taking too shallow of an angle versus outside runs.
– High pad level. Likes to lunge and leave his feet when tackling, which will lead to misses.
– No pass-rush moves as a blitzer.
2022 STATISTICS
— 12 GM, 72 TOT, 4 TFL, 2.5 SK, 2 FF, 3 PBU
NOTES
– DOB: June 14, 2001
– Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
– No. 29 on Bruce Feldman's list of top athletes entering this season: 6 percent body fat, benches 375 lbs, power-cleans 355 lbs, 35" vertical jump, 10'2" broad jump, high 4.3s in 40-yard dash (per Clemson's coaches)
– 2021 Honors: Second-team All-ACC (PFF), All-ACC Academic team
OVERALL
Trenton Simpson put on about 10 pounds this offseason, per his school bio, but the extra weight didn't appear to affect his athleticism much (if at all). That's part of the reason why he ended up on Bruce Feldman's "Freaks" list and is one of the top linebackers in this year's draft class.
Simpson has always played with his hair on fire and has been physical at the point of attack against the run. Wide receivers and tight ends working to the second level had trouble blocking him, and the added strength helped him hold his ground and get some extension versus offensive linemen.
However, Simpson still has room for growth in those areas, as bigger and more physical linemen will still be able to push him around a bit in the NFL. He also struggles to get off blocks against the big guys.
Simpson's athleticism shines through when he plays man coverage. He's fluid and sinks his hips well to cover running backs and tight ends on shorter routes, and he has the speed to carry if they go deep.
That speed also comes in handy when he converges on the ball in zone coverage. However, he does struggle to find his landmark while spot-dropping, and he isn't great at reading the quarterback's eyes to anticipate throws, which will leave throwing windows open.
Schematically, Simpson would be best as a "Will" linebacker for a team that uses a lot of even fronts and man coverage. Down the line, he can probably mix in at "Sam," too, but he'll need to become more consistent with his angles on the front side of outside runs before he can make a full-time switch to that position. He also isn't a terrible fit in a zone scheme, but that will take some time and development, and he looks more comfortable in man.
Simpson is what a lot of teams are looking for in a modern-day linebacker. He could easily be a late Day 1 pick and the first linebacker off the board.
Bryan Bresee NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Clemson DL
Dec 30, 2022
CLEMSON, SC - SEPTEMBER 10: Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) during a college football game between the Furman Paladins and the Clemson Tigers on September 10, 2022, at Clemson Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'5.5"
WEIGHT: 298
HAND: 10 1/4"
ARM: 32 1/2"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.86
3-CONE: 7.41
SHUTTLE: 4.38
VERTICAL: 29"
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Good size for an NFL defensive tackle and doesn't carry much bad weight.
— Quick reaction to the snap and has good acceleration off the ball, especially on passing downs.
— When working finesse moves as a pass-rusher, he has impressive use of hands to clear the offensive lineman's hands to start the moves.
— He is swift when hand-swiping, and he works the blocker's hands after contact, too.
— He has a nice swim move with a tight arm-over to clear the offensive lineman.
— Also showed a good rip move and the potential to develop a push-pull move down the line. He has the upper body strength to control the lineman and enough hip mobility to clear his lower half.
— As the looper in line games, he has decent agility for a tackle to avoid losing ground when working laterally.
— Solid bend as a pass-rusher.
— He ties his hands to his feet well against the run, allowing him to get his hands up fast and make contact with the offensive lineman on his first step.
— When slanting, he has the initial quickness to throw off the blocker's angles.
— Has the upper body strength to gain control of the bock along with a wide base to hold ground in one-on-ones, and he's solid against doubles.
— He's decent in anticipating a second blocker coming, turning his hips into pressure and reducing the surface area for the second blocker to hit on a double.
— With his base and impressive balance, he can absorb contact against down blocks or when slanting to keep the offensive lineman on his hip and avoid getting washed down.
— When he does keep his hands inside, he is violent and strong to shed and get off blocks.
NEGATIVES
— Has missed 12 games over the last two years with injuries and illnesses, which has stunted his development.
— Plays with high pad level and has a habit of standing up out of his stance.
— Wide hand placement invites offensive linemen into his chest and limits his extension. Might have shorter arms, too.
— Stops his feet on contact against the run.
— His pad level and wide hands diminish the effectiveness of his bull rush.
— When working a push-pull move, he needs to start the move earlier so he can get pressure. The ball is typically out by the time he wins with the move.
— Doesn't have a good pass-rush motor or plan. Doesn't throw a ton of counters and will stop rushing if his initial move doesn't work.
— Subpar tackling form, as he likes to tackle high and struggles to break down and bring ball-carries down in space, whether that's as a pass-rusher against an athletic quarterback or in pursuit as a run defender.
— Not very productive in college with 28 solo tackles (51 total) in 25 games.
2022 STATISTICS
— 10 GM, 15 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 SK, 2 PD
NOTES
— DOB: Oct. 6, 2001
— No. 14 on Bruce Feldman's list of top athletes entering the season; benches 435 lbs, power-cleans 330 lbs, dead-lifts 585 lbs; 30" vertical; 4.7 seconds in 40-yard dash
— 2020 honors: freshman All-American (several media outlets), ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-ACC
OVERALL
Bryan Bresee is an interesting projection, mainly because of how the last two years have played out.
As a freshman at Clemson, he showed a lot of promise and traits that made it easy to see why he was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. However, like most 18- and 19-year-olds making the transition from high school, he was still raw and needed to refine his technique.
That's what these last couple of seasons were supposed to be about for Bresee, but he has missed nearly as many games as he's played. That's prevented him from showing he can pair his physical traits with clean technique and likely made it difficult to iron out kinks in his game.
All that being said, Bresee does have the rare combination of size, strength and athleticism to suggest he'll be better and more productive as a pro. He's strong enough to hold up against the run and nimble enough to create havoc as a pass-rusher. It's just a matter of staying healthy and how long it will take him to make the transition.
Schematically, Bresee would be best as a 2i- to 3-technique for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He's not big enough to play as a nose tackle in odd fronts and could play as a 4i- to 5-tech defensive end, but that would be pushing it athletically, so teams running that scheme might look elsewhere for defensive line help.
Myles Murphy NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Clemson DL
Dec 30, 2022
CLEMSON, SC - SEPTEMBER 17: Clemson Tigers defensive end Myles Murphy (98) during a college football game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Clemson Tigers on September 17, 2022, at Clemson Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'5"
WEIGHT: 268
HAND: 8 1/2"
ARM: 33 3/4"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.53
3-CONE: 7.21
SHUTTLE: 4.29
VERTICAL: 31"
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Great size and frame for an NFL defensive end. Moves well at 275 pounds.
— Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well and puts major pressure on offensive tackles when he times up the snap count.
— Has good quickness on his stick moves to test offensive linemen's ability to change directions.
— Showed a nasty hand-swipe move to win around the edge. Has the bend to take an efficient path to the quarterback after winning on the outside.
— Has good hand placement on the V of the neck of the blocker on his one-arm stab move. Keeps his feet moving through contact and has plenty of strength to generate some movement.
— Can be deadly when turning speed to power with his combination of strength and acceleration if he gets more violent at the point of attack.
— Solid as a bull-rusher, can collapse the pocket against smaller offensive tackles and works to get on an edge instead of trying to go through the tackle's chest. Also has a good rip move as a counter off the bull rush to win around the edge.
— Has the upper-body strength to get off blocks with a hump move against play action or the run and to develop a push-pull move.
— Good agility and closing speed to get sacks as the looper in a line game and when unblocked.
— Solid pass-rush motor and rushes with a plan. Will throw countermoves if his initial move doesn't work.
— Can get extension against offensive linemen fairly easily and reset the line of scrimmage when his hands are tied to his feet off the snap and he shoots his hands quickly. Currently better out of a three-point stance than a two-point, but he's shown growth in getting his hands up faster year after year.
— Long arms help with getting extension against the run, too.
— Quick to read blocks, whether that's recognizing when he's unblocked on the backside and staying tight to the line of scrimmage and squeezing or recognizing reach blocks on the front side to stretch the play out.
— Little to no issues shedding blocks when his hands are right.
— Strong lower body and plays with a wide base to hold ground versus one-on-one blocks from tackles.
NEGATIVES
— Could be more physical at the point of attack as a power rusher to put offensive linemen on their heels and get more of an initial surge and be more effective with his bull rush and one-arm stab moves.
— Needs to improve the accuracy with his chops when starting finesse moves to help knock the offensive lineman's arms down and finish the move cleanly. Could also afford to work the lineman's hands more after contact.
— Often gets caught with his hands down by his waist against the run, allowing blockers to get into his body. A little slow to get his hands up, especially out of a two-point stance.
— Could do a better job of selling the vertical rush up the field as a looper to get the linemen to open up their hips and create inside rushing lanes. Gives the line game away a little too early.
— Doesn't get his eyes inside to recognize and get underneath pullers when unblocked against the run. Has a habit of staring into the backfield instead of looking for someone coming.
— Doesn't play with enough knee bend to get a leverage advantage against taller offensive linemen.
— Stops his feet on contact versus the run.
— Has a tendency to get a little overaggressive against zone runs and pop his gap early.
— No. 3 on Bruce Feldman's list of top athletes entering the season; benches 405 lbs, power cleans 335 lbs, deadlifts 505 lbs, 35-inch vertical, 10-foot broad jump, runs the 40-yard dash in the high 4.5-second range
— 27 career starts
— 2022 Honors: first-team All-ACC
— 2021 Honors: first-team All-ACC (PFF and Phil Steele), fourth-team All-American (Phil Steele)
— 2020 Honors: Freshman All-American (several media outlets), ACC Co-Newcomer of the Year (AP), third-team All-ACC (PFF)
— Father played at Chattanooga and brother played at NAIA Worcester Polytechnic
OVERALL
There aren't many prospects that have Myles Murphy's combination of size, power and athleticism. At 6'5" and 275 pounds, he moves well enough that Clemson felt comfortable dropping him into coverage on occasion, and he has plenty of strength to hold up at the point of attack.
Murphy has enough power to be effective with a bull rush or one-arm stab move as a pass-rusher in the NFL, especially if he gets more violent on contact. But he also has the agility and bend to win around the edge. Against the run, he can be hard to move with his instincts/block recognition, strength and long arms to get extension.
Murphy does have some work to do with his use of hands both as a run defender and pass-rusher. He got caught with his hands down by his waist far too often and struggled to land his initial chops when working finesse moves. However, the Clemson product did show growth in both areas from 2021 to 2022, so there's reason to believe he can fix the issues.
Schematically, he was better out of a three-point stance than a two-point, which makes him a natural fit as a defensive end in even fronts. Murphy could be an end in an odd scheme, lining up primarily as a 4i- to 5-technique and occasionally as a 3-tech, but he shouldn't be put any further inside than that.
Murphy might not be a great fit for a team looking for a standup outside linebacker type of pass-rusher, but the Georgia native is somewhat scheme-versatile for any club looking for a more traditional, hand-in-the-ground defensive end.
College football's bowl season is about to reach some of its biggest games. From Dec. 30 through Jan. 2, college football's New Year's Six bowl games—including...
Four teams are in the hunt for the national championship as the College Football Playoff semifinal games loom large. But most teams out of the playoff are...
While most college football teams across the country are preparing for or playing in bowl games, there's a very important period happening on the CFB calendar:...
It's hard to believe that the 2022 college football season is almost over. We still have a full bowl season to get through before it's officially done, but...
