Tigers attacking down field

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - There&#39;s a happy call back in Clemson&#39;s playbook this year ``Go long.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> More and more, the Tigers rely on Charlie Whitehurst&#39;s accurate arm and their trio of talented, quick receivers to put opponents back on their heels. <br> <br> Whitehurst, a sophomore, stands second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in passing and has reached the 2,500 mark in passing yards with only nine career starts. Receivers Kevin Youngblood, Airese Currie and Derrick Hamilton have combined for 68 catches and six touchdowns an unprecedented pace in school history. <br> <br> And it&#39;s brought a lot of smiles to Clemson coaches preparing for Maryland on Saturday. <br> <br> ``The good catches,&#39;&#39; offensive coordinator Brad Scott says, ``let&#39;s don&#39;t forget those are plays we haven&#39;t been having around here the last couple of years. It makes life a whole lot easier.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> This wasn&#39;t supposed to happen. Throughout the offseason, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden talked of beefing up the running game. There were long, tiring practices with runners pounding into the line, receivers blocking downfield and Whitehurst slipping out of the way after handing over the ball. <br> <br> Was Whitehurst worried he&#39;d miss his chance to go long? ``Maybe a little bit,&#39;&#39; he says. <br> <br> Everyone&#39;s happy with the results so far. <br> <br> ``Obviously when you score close to 40 points, I am and the whole offense is doing something right,&#39;&#39; said Whitehurst, already first in six career quarterback categories at Clemson. <br> <br> Bowden still wants an effective running game and will use the team&#39;s strong passing to help it along. While the Tigers still haven&#39;t rushed for more than 200 yards in a game this season, the offensive line and runners controlled things in the second half of blowout wins over Middle Tennessee and Georgia Tech. <br> <br> Lost in the offensive success is Clemson&#39;s improved defense. Georgia Tech was held without a touchdown and under 300 total yards in the 39-3 Clemson win two weeks ago. It&#39;s easy to call for the home-run play if you know it&#39;s not going to cost you points on the other end, Bowden says. <br> <br> ``To me it&#39;s the strength of the defense that gives you a lot more flexibility,&#39;&#39; said the former West Virginia wide receiver. <br> <br> Bowden says his father Bobby&#39;s wide-open, high-flying attacks at Florida State gained prominence when the Seminoles&#39; defense was annually among the leaders in fewest points allowed. <br> <br> ``Well, gosh, my brother Jeff calling plays for Florida State would be like dying and going to heaven,&#39;&#39; said Tommy of his assistant coach brother with the Seminoles. ``You could do what you want. ... Holy smoke, it makes a tremendous difference.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Whitehurst enjoys Clemson&#39;s modified no-huddle attack, where he methodically reads coverages before snapping the ball. The offense&#39;s confidence and rhythm builds each game, he says, and there&#39;s no telling how good this team can be. <br> <br> If that means throwing for 300 yards each game, so be it. If it means sacrificing a few passes for some long runs, Whitehurst&#39;s good with that, too. <br> <br> Look at teams such as Georgia a 30-0 winner at Clemson on Aug. 30 where quarterback David Greene can put up his yards and lead a balanced and winning attack. <br> <br> ``I&#39;d rather win 10, 11, 12 or 13 games a year than worry about how many yards I get throwing the ball,&#39;&#39; Whitehurst said. <br> <br> Still, it&#39;s nice to have Whitehurst and the receivers at the top of their games. ``It allows you to be a little more freewheeling,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. ``You feel pretty good about your chances.&#39;&#39;