CLEMSON — Offensive coordinator Billy Napier, quarterback Kyle Parker, and even star back C.J. Spiller each took a share of responsibility for the Tigers’ offensive woes Wednesday.

They all agreed Clemson’s stale offense can’t be traced to one player, position or coach. The issues are wide spread as the Tigers have scored just seven offensive touchdowns through five games.

“There are some things I can improve,” Napier said. “I’ve been learning ... I can help the guys around me, I can help my quarterback play better.”

Napier said Parker must improve his ability to diagnose defenses and be patient in going through his progressions. He said Parker was too quick in leaving the pocket at Maryland and against TCU.

“All-around decision making, stuff like that that really only comes with time,” said Parker of areas where he can improve. “I have to do a better job of giving our guys a chance to make plays.”

Surprisingly, Spiller said some of the running woes were on him.

Division I-AA’s James Madison rushed for 268 yards against Maryland, while Clemson produced only 81 rushing yards at College Park.

Spiller said he was too patient, too indecisive, and could have done a better job of “putting his foot down” and “using his speed.”

Don’t blame Maye

Tigers middle linebacker Brandon Maye can’t explain the defense’s second-quarter breakdown against Maryland, and Maye has an alibi — he can’t remember.

Maye suffered a concussion on the third play of the game and says he went blank until halftime, returning to the game in the third quarter.

The Terps scored 17 points in the second quarter with Maye absent.

Maye is integral part of the defense not only because he is second on the team in tackles (36) but also because he is the quarterback of Kevin Steele’s defense.

Steele said Maye’s absence did not create communication or player positioning issues.

Steele said the Tigers actually had their fewest errors of the season Saturday, and indicated the notable errors would be ignored if the outcome was different.

“If the scoreboard is different the questions would be different but the errors would be the same,” Steele said. “Look at every play, analyze every play, accountability, responsibility and application of technique.”

Maye said he initially failed a trainer’s cognizance test. Asked where he lived, Maye said “I said something crazy. Somebody said I said it was a planet or something ... like Jupiter.”

Brown out and Hairston is fully back

After starting the last two games, receiver Jaron Brown has been demoted, at least temporarily, to the second team. Brown, a redshirt freshman, dropped two passes at Maryland and was flagged for a hold. He caught one pass.

Jacoby Ford, Xavier Dye, Marquan Jones and Terrence Ashe worked with the first team during the first two days of practice this week.

Left tackle Chris Hairston fully participated in practice Wednesday and is expected to be 100 percent for Wake Forest.

 

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