Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley at 2024 Clemson Media Day

you expect to see out of it this year are you expecting a little bit faster start from the Le yeah absolutely you know I mean we've got a lot of returners um continuity with the staff staff understanding what we're about what we're trying to accomplish so you know I think we've got uh some core leadership too um that we've already identified that I don't know if I could have said a year ago just being fresh into it so just those things um you know so yeah I would expect us to get off to a faster start and and I know our players certainly expect that too how much more comfortable are you in this setting now after you know you're here in your second year year and a half here at Tiger Town how much more comfortable are you with these yeah more comfortable for sure um and I think mainly from a standpoint of just getting integrated with people here with the coaches with the staff um kind of our process how we practi practice uh going against that defense every single day in practice just all those things kind of mixed together kind of adds up to that if you go back how are you and how was summer what was new what did the same summer was great it always goes fast um kind of probably like every coach's response you you love it you enjoy it you look forward to it for a long time and about that last week vacation you're kind of ready to get back and get ready to go um but we have camps an unbelievable Camp season for us um and a lot of the athletes that we had here um as well as our youth camp was always a blast but you know the Camp season the the work that our guys have put in on their own kind of all summer and and the plan that we put out for them and and them executing that plan feel really good about that I think we've made a lot of strides this summer um and again that kind of goes back to some of the leadership that I feel like we have on our side of the ball this year so you know feel feel good about it I think it was a a good two months for us for sure last year was a little bit of a roller coaster but you guys were right there when it all ended does that bring a piece of comfort to know that it was the little things and maybe it was a flippish a little bit but like you guys were right there now you compounding hopefully eradicate a lot of those yeah I think um you got to learn from all those things right and I mean there was a lot of you know the close games uh that we came up a little bit short on you know some of the mishaps I mean they're all things that us as Co coaches and our players certainly got to learn from and that's where you kind of saw us grow as the season went on and that's just going to carry some momentum as we all know into this season for us well it was a it was a roller coaster going back watching it too you know I mean there's a lot of really really good things a lot of promising things a lot of flashes here and there and also obviously some things that we just got to get corrected we just got to be better um so so you know it's always good as a coach once the season ends to De compressed for a minute go back really evaluate what went on and and you got to kind of look at it with fine tooth conb but you also got to look at it kind of macro as well so um it's always a great time for us and I think we found a lot of things that that we tried to address this spring specifically when you look at the turnovers maybe the the fumbles is there anything that y'all do differently is there anything that you could identify as a reason why that was such a an issue at times yeah I mean you always want to look is it is it some sort of technique thing is it is it Personnel um you know you're always emphasizing and trying to work on the stuff in practice at nause you so you know I think just a lot of unfortunate things honestly uh but it's something that we're certainly going to emphasize moving forward um just as we did last year uh but obviously you got to got to take care of the ball there's no question about it you brought up Poe leadership who have you seen really step up and ways well I think you know Phil mafa obviously is a is a guy that's kind of The Quiet leader um he's going to do it by his actions and his play and just always doing the right thing you know so he's he's certainly a guy that our guys look look to uh Jake berning St uh comes to mind as someone that's really improved and kind of emerged in that role uh really proud of him his maturity and what he's done and uh you know kind of taking that thing by the LA a little bit through the spring and this summer you know I know K's certainly improved that as well now that he's played and kind of has some credibility that that he's been the guy for a year um up front you know Tristan Lee Blake Miller certainly guys that uh that bring a lot to the table from the leadership standpoint did you have a conversation with Kate about how important that is that maybe he kind of take the range that and Lead his team yeah I mean that's something we always talk about I mean that whole quarterback room I mean that's something you're always trying to evolve and get better with and and it's it's one of those things that there's a little bit of a fine line you can't be a fraud you can't try and overdo it you can't do too little like there's a in my mind there's kind of a balance and a happy happy medium to it and and he's certainly finding his own way right now with it