Web posted December 31, 1997

By Rob Mueller
Staff Writer

ATLANTA -- There have been moments when Tommy West has felt the urge to resist the changes. But when he hired Steve Ensminger as Clemson's offensive coordinator last spring, he knew the secret was out.

West realized if Clemson was to return to national prominence like it enjoyed under Danny Ford in the 1980s, Ensminger's offensive vision would be crucial.

Sure, the injuries and growing pains on offense prevented the Tigers from fulfilling the promise West and Ensminger envisioned when the season began. But Clemson (7-4) still blazed new trails in the passing game and finds itself gearing up for a fourth straight bowl appearance when it faces Auburn (9-3) in the Peach Bowl on Friday (ESPN, 3 p.m.).

``I knew we needed to improve our passing game if we wanted to take this program up a notch,'' West said. ``And I'm really pleased with what Steve has done. But I told him when I hired him it wasn't going to be an easy transition. You just can't move from a team that's been an option football team for 20 years prior and all of sudden make the transition.''

Compared to the rest of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the numbers Ensminger's Tigers have posted validate West's foreboding. Clemson ranks fifth in the ACC in total offense (362 yards a game), seventh in passing offense (201).

But the passing totals, in Clemsonspeak, have been ground breaking. Tigers quarterback Nealon Greene set 30 school records in 1997, including completions in a season (169), completion percentage in a season (63.8 percent) and passing yards in a season (2,126).

All along, the Tigers never abandoned their roots. They finished second in the ACC in rushing (161.1 yards per game) despite an off-year from injury-plagued tailback Raymond Priester.

``We haven't changed much at all,'' Ensminger said. ``At the first of the year we were injured up front (on the offensive line) a lot. Then Nealon got hurt. Then Raymond. This year hasn't been as productive as we hoped but we haven't been as healthy either. But when we were healthy, we've been pretty productive.''

Just how productive Clemson will be against Auburn under equally innovative defensive coordinator Bill Oliver, Ensminger says, will come down to basics.

``They're very talented and athletic and besides all that, they give you a lot of different looks,'' Ensminger said of Auburn's defense. ``Our big deal right now is recognition of defenses. I think the key to our ballgame is up front. Us being able to recognize the defense and not being confused on all the different looks.''

``They do a lot of different things,'' Greene said. ``It's going to be a great test to see how far we've come as a football team.''

And for the Tigers to keep on growing, West again reiterates Ensminger's role.

Not too enthusiastically, however. Although he dispels the rumors that pit Ensminger as North Carolina's next offensive coordinator, West also understands the former LSU quarterback is an attractive commodity.

``I think Steve is very happy at Clemson,'' West said. ``If he gets the right head coaching job he'd be interested in leaving, and I'll try to help him get a head coaching job. He's a good solid football coach and is as good a quarterbacks coach I have been around. But I don't want to promote him too much. You wan't to try to keep him a secret as long as you can.''