Miller sees ‘unit on the rise’ with Clemson O-line

Harris Sewell has emerged as another key freshman contributor on the right side of the line with Blake Miller.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Wed Oct 18 07:00:06 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - Offensive line injuries played a part in sophomore offensive lineman Blake Miller becoming a starter last season; injuries have again plagued the O-line, requiring yet another freshman to step up.

According to Miller, true freshman Harris Sewell, who played the majority of the right guard snaps against Wake Forest, is a guy who can be trusted on the line to do what needs to be done.

“He’s a guy that I trust. I trust him to play right guard, left guard, center. I mean, wherever they put him on the field, I know he’s a hard worker,” Miller said. “He’s a guy who’s consistently in the meetings, asking questions. He’s asking the older guys questions. He wants to know how to play, and he knows how to play. He’s a guy I’m confident in.”

Miller sees an offensive line as a unit that is improving.

“I feel like we’re a unit that’s been on the rise,” Miller said. “I feel like we’ve been trying to get better as a unit. I feel like we’re closer than we were last year, and I feel like we’ve had a few games where I feel like there were things that we could have done better, and myself personally as well. But, I think we’re a team and a unit that (bounces) back, and we use adversity to fuel us.”

The biggest change for an offense is easily getting a new quarterback. This is the first season with sophomore Cade Klubnik starting the majority of games. A perceived lack of receiver talent around him does not help him to develop as a player. Two of the top three players in receiving yards last season are not on the team this season. The leader in receiving yards last season, second-year receiver Antonio Williams, has not played since Clemson’s week three victory against Florida Atlantic but is expected back this weekend at Miami.

Klubnik had a season-low in passing yards with 131 and his first game of the season without a passing touchdown against Wake Forest last time out. He did manage to get a rushing touchdown, though, as he had a season-high in rushing yards with 48. That was also the most rushing yards he has recorded since the loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl last season in his second career start.

Further, Klubnik has gone four straight games without an interception after having an interception in the first two games of the season, including a pick-six against Charleston Southern.

Miller feels that Klubnik has continued to improve.

“I feel like he’s really settled in as the season’s gone on … He’s been a guy pumping us up on the sideline. He’s always bringing great energy. I love that about Cade. He’s a guy that when we’re out there, he’s making sure that we’re efficient, we’re obviously playing with tempo, but we’re not running around like chickens with our head cut off,” Miller said. “He’s the guy. He really has stepped into that role. I think he’s doing a great job, and I can’t wait to see what’s in the future.”