Every offensive coordinator, whether they're on the sideline or in the box on game day, has a play call sheet glued to their hand. Contained on it are all the formations, plays, schemes, wrinkles, adjustments, and tricks that they like against their defensive opponent for that day.
For many at the college level, that sheet is their personal bible for the day, and they'll visit it for every single play call, and revisit it between plays and drives, while others will simply glance at it on occasion for a refresher between drives, or here and there.
At his press conference yesterday, fresh off a bye week following their loss to Syracuse, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables paid Georgia Tech head coach and play caller Paul Johnson a humbling compliment.
First, Venables noted that the Yellow Jackets are much close to 90% run and 10% pass than they have been in year's past, when their run/pass ration had been closer to 80/20.
"If they sense a weakness, whether it's an alignment structurally, or certainly a player, they're going to attack you until you bleed to death. You've got to have a lot of respect for that."
"Instead of having some long play sheet, and 'we've got to get to all of my plays even though that one just went for 40'. Too many coordinators, I think have to get to all of their calls, and they forget to come back to their good ones because they've got to get to all their other ones."
"Trust me, they've got a ton of variety, and they've got answers - it's not like they're running three plays, but they do a great job of tasting blood and going after it."
Hear more from Venables below. Clemson and Georgia Tech Saturday in the prime time slot (8pm EST).
https://youtu.be/elvcXb7vDlw?t=221