When No. 2 Clemson faces No. 3 Ohio State at the Sugar Bowl on Friday in a semifinal match at the College Football Playoff, it will be without offensive coordinator and running back trainer Tony Elliott. The school announced on Wednesday afternoon that Elliott would not be available for the game and would not travel with the team due to COVID-19 protocols, and shortly after arriving in New Orleans, Tigers coach Dabo Swinney confirmed to ESPN that Elliott had tested positive.
“It is a pity that he is out. We love Tony. The good news is that he is doing very well,” said Swinney. “He has no symptoms or anything like that. I wish he were with us, but he will be with us in spirit.”
Swinney also confirmed that the QB coach and passing game coordinator, Brandon Streeter, will assume the call-to-play functions in the absence of Elliott.
Elliott is the lead author of the game in the Tigers’ attack, which is the third nationally with 44.9 points per game, and he has earned respect as one of the best offensive minds in the game. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the supposed No. 1 general choice in the 2021 NFL Draft, is also one of the four finalists in the Heisman Trophy. Travis Etienne’s running back will leave the program as the all-time leader of the ACC.
A longtime Tigers assistant under Dabo Swinney, Elliott was the winner of the 2017 Broyles Award for the best assistant coach in college football. Because of Clemson’s field success, he also started attracting interest from other jobs and was briefly linked to the Auburn vacancy before Bryan Harsin was hired from Boise State.
The Sugar Bowl semi-final between the Tigers and the Buckeyes begins on Friday at 8 pm ET.