Clemson's Morris loves taking a gamble

Clemson's new offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, loves to play fast and daring football. So he isn't detered by the fact that his Tigers have converted just one of five fourth-and-ones over the first four games of his tenure with the program.
The Tigers generated 35 points in Saturday's victory over then 11th-ranked Florida State. But they failed on a fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter that probably would have sealed the victory.
"That was missed assignments. I loved the call. I'd do it 100 more times,'' said Morris at his weekly media session Monday. "We missed two key blocks on the edge. I didn't come here to lay it up.''
Morris arrived with a quick-tempo, high-risk offense. The goal is a minimum of 80 snaps per game, intended to wear out opposing defenses. Dabo Swinney hired Morris in January to put a jolt in what was an ailing offense, and he's certainly shaken things up.
"Coach Swinney will have to tell me 'Whoa!' not 'Go!' '' Morris said. "I'm not going to play conservative here unless he tells me to.''
The Tigers (4-0) play their first road game Saturday, and it's a huge one: At Virginia Tech at 6 p.m.
-- Rick Bonnell