When Clemson left the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after a season-opening 34-3 loss to Georgia on Aug. 31, Dabo Swinney felt better than most wearing the Tiger paw.
Swinney is naturally optimistic -- some would say too much so -- about his team, but his postgame sentiment stemmed in part from seeing an offense that, despite a meager points total, had displayed potential absent for much of the 2023 season. He actually saw progress from the very first play, but Clemson's mistakes ultimately derailed opportunities. Swinney sensed a similar feeling from his players.
"They came away from the game with frustration in themselves but also confident that, you know what? We've got to do the little things right," Swinney recently told ESPN. "They went back to work, they watched it, and they've gotten better and better."
Clemson has averaged 42 points and 509.1 yards since the loss to Georgia, despite a recent slowdown. In a season in which Clemson's defense has dropped off, the Tigers' offense has kept the team in the ACC race.
Other teams like BYU have positioned themselves for postseason glory through significant improvement on defense. Unit improvement is often tied to coordinator changes or new schemes, but sometimes the right mix of players can facilitate big steps.
Here's a closer look at nine units from eight teams that have taken big steps during the 2024 season. Not every unit included is in the top 10 or 20 nationally right now, but all have made significant jumps since the 2023 season.
Clemson offense
2024 national rankings: 14th in scoring, 31st in yards per play, 24th in passing
2023 national rankings: 50th in scoring, 98th in yards per play, 61st in passing
What has changed: Swinney has been frequently criticized for stiff-arming the transfer portal, especially at positions that have underwhelmed at Clemson, such as wide receiver. But his commitment to continuity, both with the players and an offensive staff led by coordinator Garrett Riley, has paid off more this season. Cade Klubnik, in his second full season as Clemson's starting quarterback, has already eclipsed his touchdown passes total from last year with 24, and needs just 570 yards to surpass his passing yards total.
"We needed him to take the next step, and what was the next step? Well, it was cutting down on the negative plays," Swinney told ESPN. "Last year, he turned the ball over a ton, he took TFLs, he took too many sacks. The game would speed him up, and this year, that's just not the case. He slows the game down, and he's just got total command of what he's doing. He's been the difference-maker for us."
Clemson also has received steady production from running back Phil Mafah, who Swinney called "an absolute workhorse," while wide receiver Antonio Williams, a freshman All-America selection in 2022, has bounced back from an injury-marred 2023 season to record 40 receptions for 468 yards and six touchdowns. The Tigers have six players with multiple touchdown catches.
Swinney noted that last year's offense moved the ball, ranking 15th nationally in first downs, but consistently struggled in the red zone, finishing 118th in scoring percentage. This season, Clemson has improved to 36th in red zone scoring percentage, while ranking 12th in first downs. Clemson's line regained Marcus Tate from an injury that cost him the final third of last season, while Harris Sewell and Tristan Leigh also returned. Ryan Linthicum has transitioned well into being a first-year starter at center. Swinney brought in Matt Luke, the former Ole Miss coach who has coached offensive line at Ole Miss, Georgia, Duke and elsewhere, to oversee the group.
"Matt has come in and just really connected that group," Swinney said. "They play with a ton of toughness and physicality and they play together. I'm just really proud of how well they're playing. They're not giving up many sacks, we're playing physical, we're incredibly balanced and efficient run and pass."
BYU defense
2024 national rankings: 24th in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed, 21st against the pass
2023 national rankings: 96th in points allowed, 106th in yards allowed, 91st against the pass
What has changed: The familiarity with second-year coordinator Jay Hill and his scheme has paid off for returning players, such as linebacker Isaiah Glasker, who leads the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and has added two interceptions, two sacks and a forced fumble; and cornerback Jakob Robinson (3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 4.5 tackles for loss). The biggest growth has come against the pass, as the Cougars rank second nationally behind Texas in net yards per pass attempt (5.31), up from 53rd last season (7.08).
"You have to be realistic about what these guys are able to take and I think the staff is starting to understand that a little bit more now," coach Kalani Sitake told ESPN. "Sometimes patience being the answer is not what people want to hear. There's some things that you just cannot speed up and understanding the scheme and how it relates to the offense and special teams, to help the team get victories."
The Cougars have held seven of their nine opponents to fewer than 200 passing yards. They have at least one interception in all nine games and are tied for second nationally in total interceptions with 16. BYU has multiple interceptions in each of its past six games.
The defense also was helped by adding a player who completely knew Hill's scheme in Jack Kelly, who played under Hill at Weber State before transferring. Kelly leads BYU in sacks (four) and quarterback hurries (nine).
"It's an expertise that he brings and being able to be flexible and do so many different things," Sitake said of Kelly. "He probably knows more about this than anyone on the defense. He's a big part of our success. But if you ask him, everybody's increased their knowledge and their football IQ, especially in the scheme."
Indiana offense AND defense
2024 national rankings: Second in points per game, seventh in yards per play, 23rd in passing, seventh in points allowed per game, second in yards per play allowed, first in rushing defense
2023 national rankings: 103rd in points per game, 113th in yards per play, 100th in passing, 98th in points allowed per game, 86th in yards per play allowed, 80th in rushing defense
What has changed: Just about everything in Bloomington, starting with coach Curt Cignetti and his staff, as well as an influx of experienced and talented players from James Madison and elsewhere. Cignetti is a quarterback guy, but his recent James Madison teams stood out on defense, especially along the line, and his first IU squad reflects similar excellence.
Indiana bolstered its defensive front with JMU transfers such as Mikail Kamara and James Carpenter, both All-Sun Belt performers. Linebacker Aiden Fisher, a third-team All-Sun Belt honoree in 2023, is tied for the Big Ten lead with 98 tackles. Holdover defenders also have thrived, including safety Amare Ferrell, who has a team-high four interceptions.
"I really like the way we're playing over there," Cignetti told ESPN. "TFLs, sacks, swarm the football, multiple hats to the ball. It all starts up front with us. We kind of turn those guys loose."
What might be most impressive is that the new staff entered a Big Ten known for running the ball and elevated Indiana to No. 1 nationally against the run (72.2 yards per game). The Hoosiers allow more than 7 yards fewer per game than any other team, have held seven opponents to less than 100 rushing yards and allowed 33 net rushing yards in wins over Michigan State and Michigan.
"It's just a mentality that the defense has: We can stop anybody, whenever, at whatever time," defensive tackle CJ West said.
Previous IU teams had offensive standouts, including at quarterback with Michael Penix Jr. and Brendan Sorsby, who threw 15 touchdown passes last season and has performed well this fall at Cincinnati. But the Hoosiers now boast much more depth around standout quarterback Kurtis Rourke, not only at wide receiver and running back, but along an offensive line that is tied for 17th in fewest sacks allowed and ranks No. 6 in pressure rate. Veteran line coach Bob Bostad has molded a group led by Trey Wedig and Mike Katic.
Indiana's yards-per-play mark stems from its scheme but also from a running back room with two very capable options in Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, and from a group of pass catchers that features six players with at least 17 receptions and multiple touchdowns.
"There's not like a blazer in that group, but they separate," Cignetti said. "They've got really good ball skills, the running backs can take it between the tackles, take it outside, catch the ball out of the backfield, protect when they need to protect, the receivers do a good job of making contested catches. And Rourke's been extremely accurate."
South Carolina defense
2024 national rankings: 12th in points allowed, eighth in yards per play allowed, third in sacks
2023 national rankings: 63rd in points allowed, 62nd in yards per play allowed, 101st in sacks
What has changed: South Carolina's upgrade is directly tied to a defensive front that has become one of the nation's best at pressuring quarterbacks. Led by Georgia Tech transfer Kyle Kennard, veteran tackle Tonka Hemingway and dynamic true freshman Dylan Stewart, South Carolina has 33 sacks, 32 quarterback hurries, 17 forced fumbles and 69 tackles for loss. The Gamecocks are tied for 11th nationally with 19 takeaways, and they already have their most forced fumbles since at least 1990 and 10 more than they recorded all of last season.
"We brought back the core of our defense, and then we added a talented true freshman in Dylan Stewart and a talented edge in Kyle Kennard and a talented linebacker in Demetrius Knight," coach Shane Beamer told ESPN. "But other than that, we just continued to build on what we did last year, and we played pretty damn good defense down the stretch."
The defense returned eight starters, including great depth at tackle, All-SEC linebacker Debo Williams and safety Nick Emmanwori, but needed to rise from the middle of the pack in the league and spark a fairly listless pass rush. Additions Kennard and Stewart have delivered.
"We needed to get more depth on defense, but priority one was increasing our ability to rush the passer," Beamer said. "Kyle had very productive tape at Georgia Tech and has done a great job for us. Dylan has been huge -- special talent and just continues to get better each week. As he continues to learn to play the game and gets more and more experience each week, the sky's the limit for him."
Kennard has become a big difference-maker.
"We were bringing in a talented guy when we brought him in here that had the tools," Beamer said. "Credit to him, though, for the way that he's worked to just be consistently disruptive week after week. He showed flashes of that at Georgia Tech, but he's done it for us every single game, rushing the passer and playing the run well."
Army offense
2024 national rankings: 24th in scoring, 13th in yards per play, third in runs of 10 yards or more
2023 national rankings: 111th in scoring, 107th in yards per play, 62nd in runs of 10 yards or more
What has changed: After veering from its traditional schematic structure, Army returned to its option roots this fall and has thrived behind bulldozing quarterback Bryson Daily and an experienced offensive line that has remained intact all season. The Black Knights went from consecutive 6-6 seasons to "getting back to who we are," coach Jeff Monken said. Monken pointed to a line that has had the same starters in each game, including veteran tackles Connor Finucane and Lucas Scott and center Brady Small, who benefited from starting throughout his true freshman season in 2023.
"Our offensive line is the best offensive line I've ever had," Monken told ESPN. "They're just rugged. They knock people out of the way, they sustain blocks, they're really physical. To have a quarterback like we have, who's a really physical interior runner, it all fits together."
Daily performed well in 2023 but has taken his game to a new tier this fall, eclipsing 100 rushing yards in each of the past seven games and recording multiple rushing touchdowns in the past six and seven overall. He ranks second nationally in rushing touchdowns with 21 and sixth nationally in carries per game with 21.75 (first among quarterbacks). Monken said Daily "wants the carries, he wants the game to be on his shoulders."
He also has help with running back Kanye Udoh, who averages 6.7 yards per carry with nine rushing touchdowns, and perimeter blockers such as wide receiver Liam Fortner.
"He's just a mauler on the perimeter," Monken said. "That guy is in the mix all the time. He'll stalk a corner."
Colorado defense
2024 national rankings: 52nd in points allowed, 64th against the pass, tie for sixth in sacks
2023 national rankings: 121st in points allowed, 124th against the pass, 53rd in sacks
What has changed: Deion Sanders was right about Robert Livingston. The little-known Cincinnati Bengals assistant proved to be the ideal coordinator for a defense that couldn't do much right in 2023. Despite having one of the nation's best players in Travis Hunter, Colorado allowed more than 200 rushing yards in six games and multiple rushing touchdowns in nine games. The Buffs generated only 5.4 tackles for loss per game, tied for 81st nationally, and allowed at least one pass play of 30 yards or longer in nine consecutive games.
Livingston, a former Bengals scout who had served as an on-field assistant since 2016, has boosted Colorado's play up front. The Buffs once again added transfers but this time maximized their pass-rushing ability, as BJ Green (Arizona State), Samuel Okunlola (Pitt) and others have applied steady pressure. Colorado has seven sacks in two of its past three games after never recording more than five in any game last season, and eclipsing three just once. Livingston told ESPN's Kyle Bonagura that his faith in Hunter and Colorado's other cornerbacks has allowed him to dial up more pressures.
"Everybody wants to have that sacks conversation when you're not having sacks, but as long as you're getting the quarterback off the spot, the rush and the coverage can kind of go together," Livingston said. "The way we've called some games this year, we've put those corners in some tough spots, and it's a testament to them. They can win their one-on-one matchups, and they can hold up."
Colorado also is harnessing its expertise on the defensive side, starting with Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback. The Buffs added Warren Sapp, a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman, as a defensive senior quality control analyst, and have former NFL players Kevin Mathis and Damione Lewis as defensive on-field assistants.
"His feel for the game is as rare as there is," Livingston said of Sanders. "My eyes might be somewhere else, and he says, 'Hey, man, they're going to come back to this bunch route, I know it's coming. Hey, we've got to be careful on this stack.' His vision, obviously playing at such a high level for so long at different spots, it's a phenomenal asset for me."
Arizona State offense
2024 national rankings: 42nd in scoring, 27th in rushing
2023 national rankings: 121st in scoring, 111th in rushing
What has changed: Arizona State is an ascending offense -- not where coach Kenny Dillingham's units have been in the past, but on its way to big things. Last season, the Sun Devils were shut out by Fresno State, mustered only three points in a blowout loss to Utah and eclipsed 28 points just once. This fall, ASU has scored 30 points or more in six of nine games, and has 67 over the past two weeks in wins against Oklahoma State and UCF.
Dillingham said "everything" is different on offense this season, including quarterback Sam Leavitt and other new additions, but the offense has also benefitted from the play of returnees such as running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, a Colorado transfer who missed most of last season because of a knee injury.
Skattebo's offseason of slimming down and speeding up has helped him become one of the nation's top backs, tallying 1,001 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, 27 receptions, 404 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. Tyson, who led Colorado in receiving as a true freshman in 2022, leads ASU in receptions (46), receiving yards (657) and receiving touchdowns (7).
"His ability to win one-on-ones just opens up the entire field," Dillingham told ESPN. "It's a game-changer. It makes people play with a hat short in the box."
Dillingham mentioned guard Ben Coleman, a transfer from Cal who received an extra year of eligibility after a spring knee injury wiped out his 2023, as being integral to the offensive line's improvement, along with the development of right tackle Max Iheanachor and others. Transfer tight ends Chamon Metayer (Colorado) and Markeston Douglas (Florida State) have brought a "way more physical" element to the offense.
"We play way harder than we used to," Dillingham said.
Vanderbilt defense
2024 national rankings: 36th in points allowed, 38th against the run
2023 national rankings: 126th in points allowed, 104th against the run
What has changed: Quarterback Diego Pavia is understandably the on-field face of Vanderbilt's renaissance, as his continued torment of Hugh Freeze and others in the SEC has been historic and stunning. But Vanderbilt's biggest gains have taken place with coach Clark Lea's signature unit, the defense, which has stifled the run and locked up in the red zone, where opponents have scored touchdowns on only 57.6% of their opportunities.
Lea pins Vanderbilt's results on game control, noting that all three phases must work together to limit the opponent's opportunities to strike. On defense, the Commodores must have "11 guys in structure," Lea said, to execute their plan, which sprinkles in aggression but focuses on preventing big plays. Vanderbilt has allowed only 18 runs of 15 yards or longer. Before some struggles last week against South Carolina, the Commodores had surrendered only six plays of 35 yards or longer (five in two games). The defense has individual standouts in linebackers Bryan Longwell and Nick Rinaldi, and edge Miles Capers, but its strength is the collective group.
"When you're playing zone defense, you want to get to the top of your drop point to have vision on the quarterback," Lea told ESPN. "You want to create two vices every time the ball is out, which means you got an initial vice with a force player and an inside-out player, and then you've got one right behind it. So it's 50% what you play and 50% how you play it. When we've been good, we've been on top of that. You eventually will get to a third-and-7-plus, where you have a chance to design some wins in the front and tighten down your coverage."