Much has been made about Clemson Tigers entering the season and head coach Dabo Swinney’s opposition to using the transfer portal.

As a result, the team missed opportunities to address needs on the roster, and some people thought Clemson would be left in the dust until their coach changed his ways. One of the positions people were singing about the most was wide receiver.

Of course, Swinney made the most of his group and all the naysayers were proven wrong in 2024.

In 2023, the offense struggled. There were no big, explosive plays as they were a tough group that slowly moved the ball down the field.

As a result, they finished 50th in scoring, 98th in yards per game and 61st in passing yards. This year, those numbers have jumped all over the place as they are 14th in scoring, 31st in yards per game and 24th in passing yards.

Klubnik falls apparently the five-star recruit the Tigers thought they were getting when they drafted him out of high school. Five-star freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. is making an impact, along with TJ Moore and Antonio Williams, giving the team a stellar trio at the position.

Given their impressive turnaround, it should come as no surprise that ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg listed the Clemson offense as one of the most improved units in the nation this season.

“Swinney noted that last year’s offense moved the ball, ranking 15th nationally in first downs, but consistently struggled in the red zone, finishing 118th in scoring percentage. This season, Clemson has improved to 36th in red zone scoring percentage while ranking 12th in first downs. Clemson’s line has Marcus Tate back from an injury that cost him the final third of last season, while Harris Sewell and Tristan Leigh are also back. Ryan Linthicum has transitioned well into a first-year starter at center. Swinney brought in Matt Luke, the former Ole Miss coach who coached the offensive line at Ole Miss, Georgia, Duke and elsewhere, to oversee the group.”

The Tigers were hoping that continuity after a difficult 2023 would lead to better results in 2024. After a season-opening setback against Georgia Bulldogs where it looked like it was going to be more of the same, they got things moving and started producing at an impressive clip.

Credit also goes to running back Phil Mafah, who has turned into the team’s workhorse in the backfield and answered the call consistently.

He managed 161 carries this season, gaining 981 yards (6.1 per carry) while scoring eight touchdowns. That kind of balance has helped make this unit one of the strongest in the country.