TigerIllustrated.com - Swinney holds weekly news conference

November 17, 2009

Cris Ard
TigerIllustrated.com Publisher

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Opening statement: "Good to be with you guys again. It was another good team win. I'm proud of our team. They've really bought into the team concept. When you look at this season and this team, there have been times where the offense struggled or the defense struggled and one had to pick it up. Outside of the penalties that we had up there Saturday, that was definitely our most complete game. We really played some good football in particular offensively. I thought they were outstanding. I gave the offensive staff the game ball for that game. No turnovers on the road, no critical penalties and they did a tremendous job with scoring opportunities. They're doing a super job.

"Players of the game were Brandon Maye, Kyle Parker and Kevin Alexander for special teams. Last week Kevin was the defensive player of the game. Probably is having as good a year as any guy on this team. Plays SAM, plays end, doesn't make mistakes. Doesn't bust. He covers kicks. He's on the punt team. We're getting more out of Kevin than any other player, and asking a lot of him.

"C.J. was ACC player of the week again, for the fourth time. He's an amazing player. I don't know what else we have to do to recognize what he's done.

"I'm excited about the opportunity we have this weekend. Virginia is a big, physical team. They're huge on both sides of the ball. It's a great opportunity for us. We elected permanent captains yesterday after we met with the seniors. Thomas Austin, Michael Palmer, C.J. Spiller, Kavell Conner, Ricky Sapp and Chris Chancellor. Those guys will take us the rest of the way.

"Virginia, it's a capable team. They beat Maryland. They beat North Carolina. When y'all see them walk into the stadium your jaws will drop. They have 10 guys 6'6 or up. They're really big guys. They're going to be physical. We'll have to play well for sure. They play two quarterbacks and we've prepared for two. Their running back is 245 pounds, a downhill guy. We'll have to do a great job of handling our gaps and not getting knocked off the ball. We'll have to tackle well for sure . They've got five new coaches this year, a new offensive coordinator, so they're dealing with some transition on that side of the ball.

"We've got to stop the run and try to make them a one-dimensional team. We have to do a good job with our gaps and tackling and we have to continue to try to create turnovers.

"Defensively, they're very well coached. It's one of the better defenses we will have played. They're a true 3-4 team. They're the only team in the league that plays that scheme. They don't really sub a lot. A real key for us is to be able to run the ball. They're hard to move. They're big, tough guys. Their corners are 6'2. Their safeties are big. They don't give up a lot of big plays. You have to put drives together. That'll be something that's critical.

"Their special teams? they've done it all. They've faked extra points, field goals, punts, they've run reverses on punt returns, they've done it. You name it. Coach Powell isn't sleeping this week. I don't know if they'll kick it to us. Looking forward to a great week. We've got to have a great week of preparation. Our daily focus will kick back in today with our typical Tuesday practice."

Question: You could come on the field and already clinch. How do you guard against what could be an instant letdown?

Dabo: "It doesn't matter. If that happens, hey, that's great, but there won't be any celebrating with this team until after we take care of business on the field. We'd like to win it outright. You won't see any letdown. It's senior day. We won't spend 30 seconds talking about Boston College, I can assure you. Nobody wants to lose at home. Nobody wants to lose ever. We want to do what champions do and that's take care of business."

Question: Will you watch the game?

Dabo: "We leave the hotel around 12:55, so we won't be sitting around watching that one. There won't be a TV going in the locker room. It just doesn't matter. We're preparing to try to win this football game."

Question: Talk about the senior class and how they came together six weeks ago.

Dabo: "This senior class didn't come together six weeks ago. They came together in January. They've been together. They're not any different than they were at Georgia Tech or Middle Tennessee or Maryland. They've been solid as a rock since day one. That's why I knew at the Georgia Tech game I said I knew that this team had a chance to be special, that they had what it took, how they responded and how they dealt with each other, how they went back to business and went back to work. They came together way back. Football teams aren't made during the season. They're made from January through August."

Question: Offensively the output is documented well the last several weeks. What about the offensive line and its progress?

Dabo: "They've become dominant. They've continued to get better. They're playing with a lot of discipline. They're getting better. We've got one senior this year and one senior next year. They weren't very good last year but they're much improved. They still have a lot of room for growth. We're not the New York Giants yet, but we're getting better. Thomas Austin is probably the best lineman we've had here in a while. He's a leader. He's the leader of our team. Mason has really grown this year as a player. The sky is the limit for Antoine. We like our chemistry with Landon and David. Chris Hairston has an NFL future if he'll work in the off-season. He's as smart a guy as we have on this team. Dalton Freeman is just a freshman. Make no mistake about it, our success starts with the offensive line. We're only going to go as far as the offensive line will take us. If we're productive up front, we'll have a chance to win."

Question: These guys are going to be in class and around campus this week and people in town are already claiming an Atlantic Division title. Do you want them to enjoy that? Do you guard against that?

Dabo: "I tell them all the time to enjoy their journey. Let's go enjoy practice. Enjoy sitting there in the meeting with those guys. I tell them all the time to don't get caught up in the hype. When we were 2-3 people were talking about how bad they were and how bad coaches were. I told them not to listen to that. Stay committed on the prize and take everything in stride. Stay focused on what we do and how we do it. They're human beings, yes. They're going to hear that. It's our job as coaches to get them focused and prepared so that they're ready to go play."

Question: There's potentially a lot of excitement Saturday, but talk about the emotional side of it before the game, as seniors say goodbye.

Dabo: "I'll greet them as they come down the hill and take a picture with them. They'll join their families on the sideline and then the team will come down the hill. When we kick it off, let's go to work. It's already an emotional thing for me. I'm really close to a lot of guys. It's all about relationships. It never gets old. Every year when you have to say goodbye to your seniors, it's a tough thing. It's a sad day. And that senior group last year was special, to deal with what they dealt with, to jump all in, and earn a bowl game and then pass the torch to this next group. We've got a great group of guys."

Question: Share some thoughts on Jacoby's impact here.

Dabo: "I just had a chat with him yesterday. I'm going to miss him. He's a special young man. Great family. One of the most pleasant guys you could ever be around. He's the exact same way to coach. He responds the right way. Always has. He just loves to play. He loves to work. He's going to graduate in December. He loves Clemson. He loves it here. To see where he has come from to being a dominant kind of guy, I'm just so proud of him. He has really grown and has developed into a great wide receiver. He's a tough kid, as tough as they come. He doesn't mind playing without the ball. He's another one of those guys who got a lot of votes for captain."

Question: Do you have a favorite C.J. moment?

Dabo: "When he said he was staying at Clemson. Seeing this young man go up there in front of everyone and speak from the heart, that was a pretty special moment. Just proud of the man that he is. He's just a great role model. Just wants to use it the right way."

Question: The first month of the season, it seemed like if someone was going to make a big play, it was going to be CJ or Jacoby. Now you've got more production from their supporting cast. Talk about that.

Dabo: "It's very important. Our No. 1 goal is that we've wanted to be a balanced offense. When you have balance and the ability to run and the ability to pass and dictate when you want to do that, that's strong. Then you have other guys you want to involve, and they're productive and step up, that's big. Xavier Dye has stepped up for us. Terrance Ashe has become a steady, consistent guy. Ellington, Harper, Palmer, we've had a lot of guys. You can only do so many things."

Question: Who will handle your place-kicking this week?

Dabo: "I don't know. Both were perfect yesterday. We're off to a good start. I'm concerned but hopefully we can get them back mentally focused and back on their routine, because we know they can kick. It's like a great shooter who's in a little bit of a slump. Hopefully we can continue to do well on offense. Who will start? I don't know. But we're in a situation where you have to let both compete."

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