Tiger trio tribulation

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney in the second half on Saturday at Maryland was demonstratively signaling in plays, few of which worked. It was an odd sight, a head coach so wrapped up in the micro-details of a big game that he could not have been in full touch with the big picture.

But it's early.

The best medicine for the rash of ankle sprains suffered as people jump off the Dabo bandwagon is orange balm and reality: Clemson still has plenty of time to win the ACC's frantic Atlantic Division.

Or maybe Dabo was doomed from the start by a triple-whammy, and the Tigers' disappointing 2-3 record should have been predictable.

It is rare for a college football program to have a head coach in his first full season as a head coach, an offensive coordinator in his first full season as an offensive coordinator and a starting quarterback playing college football for the first time.

How rare? I checked.

Among the 65 teams in the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac-10 and Big East, Clemson's trio of Swinney, offensive coordinator Billy Napier and redshirt freshman Kyle Parker stands alone.

Among all 120 FBS teams, they stand virtually alone.

Wyoming has a first-year head coach (Dave Christensen) and a true freshman quarterback (Austyn Carta-Samuels). Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo served as co-offensive coordinator at San Jose State.

Experience gap

To paraphrase The Beatles, one and one and one is three inexperience problems waiting to collide.

Perhaps it's no wonder Clemson is 10th in the ACC in total offense and ninth in scoring offense.

The Tigers have not scored a touchdown on offense in the second half of the last three games.

Improving Boston College has a rookie head coach, Frank Spaziani, and two freshman quarterbacks, Dave Shinskie and Justin Tuggle. But offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill is a sage with over 40 years of experience, including offensive coordinator stops at North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He coached quarterbacks for the Cleveland Browns under Bill Belichick.

Undefeated Auburn was blasted for hiring Gene Chizik, 5-19 as the head coach at Iowa State. But Chizik brought in spread-option guru Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and has senior Chris Todd at quarterback.

The payoff

Individually, Clemson's three-headed plan makes sense.

Swinney, who confirmed before the season he would share play-calling responsibility with Napier, won over the Tiger faithful with a win over South Carolina last November. To know Dabo is to like Dabo.

Napier, 30 and the youngest coordinator in the six major conferences, was considered one of the top young recruiting coordinators in the sport and seemed in line for a promotion.

The departure of Cullen Harper left Clemson without an experienced quarterback.

Swinney will make the most of a bye week. Maybe he can ask a backup quarterback to learn how to signal in plays.

Napier did not get this far so fast without adjusting quickly.

Parker has at various times shown arm strength, passing touch, speed and play-changing skill. Consistency is key.

Collectively, this unusual trio is likely to click and the payoff might rattle scoreboards from Chestnut Hill to Miami Gardens. But the process might require unusual patience.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at 937-5593 gsapakoff@postandcourier.com.