Dabo Swinney: Up-tempo, no-huddle philosophy will remain in place at Clemson with or without Chad Morris

CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney said he did not think offensive coordinator Chad Morris had been offered the Texas Tech job as of this afternoon when the Clemson coach met with reporters.

But should Morris leave Clemson, Swinney said the up-tempo, no-huddle offensive philosophy will remain in place at the program

“It’s a Clemson offense not a Chad Morris offense,” Swinney said. “We hired Chad because it’s what we wanted to do philosophically,”

Morris was hired from Tulsa after Clemson’s poor offensive showing in 2010 and led Clemson to the nation’s No. 9 offense this season. Morris interviewed for the Texas Tech job on Tuesday.

Swinney thinks the Clemson offense can continue to be productive post-Morris.

“I think one thing we’ve hopefully demonstrated in four years is we can take players and be creative with them and have success,” Swinney said. “My first year, in ’09, we had three pretty dynamic guys in (Jacoby) Ford, (C.J.) Spiller and Michael Palmer. I think it’s well documented we used those guys in a lot of ways and set school record for scoring with a little different way of doing things.

“(After 2010) I really knew what I wanted to go to it was just a matter of the right timing and having the personnel. The only candidates I was considering were guys that fit (up-tempo, no-huddle) philosophy. That’s who we are. That’s the personnel we have that’s who we’ll continue to be.”

Swinney said he’s already working on contingency plans in the even Morris leaves for a head-coaching job. The Post and Courier was told by a source close to Swinney this fall that wid receivers Jeff Scott could be considered for Morris’ position if Morris should depart Clemson.

“I think in this position you always have an idea of what you want to do,” Swinney said. “You have a Plan A, B, C, D how many letters are there in the alphabet?

“Again. If that works out that’s a dream opportunity and I’m tickled to death (for Morris). Who knows, we’ll see how that all plays out.”

Extra points

Swinney said he’s not in a rush to hire a replacement for defensive backs coach Charlie Harbison who left for Auburn earlier this month. “We have no shortage of great candidates,” Swinney said. … Swinney said WR Martavis Bryant was suspended for the bowl game because he broke a team academic policy, not one related to university policies or standards. “You have to follow the rules. We have study hall rule you have to follow here,” Swinney said…. Swinney said he had not heard Brent Venables being connected to the Texas Tech vacancy.