CLEMSON | Monday evening Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney addressed members of the media in a teleconference, this time to reflect on his team's win over Boston College, injuries and of course a much-needed open date.
Become a subscriber at Tigerillustrated.com!
Due to the open date week, Swinney will not have his regularly-scheduled Tuesday news conference.
ALSO SEE: Monday Clemson Football Nuggets | Top 50 recruit weighs in on Clemson visit | MONDAY INSIDER | A season unlike any other | Clemson's verbal commitments
The following is an abbreviated transcript of Monday evening's teleconference.
OPENING STATEMENTS: "Just proud of our guys, proud of the staff and how everyone responded to get a huge win on Saturday. Our team's will to win is special. They're resilient. A lot of good things in the game but a long way to go. Still, our most complete game. We just worked together a lot better.
"Defensively and offensively the key was going to be winning the line of scrimmage and we did that. We stopped the run and we got the run going. We had much better penalty discipline and our depth came through. The biggest negative was that it was our worst game from a pass defense standpoint ... just too many yards after the catch, too. Offensively, we were very balanced, almost 16 yards a completion and almost six yards a carry. The offensive line played outstanding ... by far our best game communication-wise. Phil Mafah was great. D.J. probably had his best game in terms of managing the pocket.
"It's good that B.T. Potter got a lot of work, but we also missed some real opportunities to put the game away. We had some missed throws and some big drops. There is still a lot we can improve on.
"The open date comes at a good time for us. We are a MASH unit. We have a lot of guys who would have a hard time playing this week. We can get a head start on Syracuse and get healthy. Will Taylor tore his ACL. Like most ACL injuries, this one was non-contact. He is a resilient young man. We've had a lot of success with guys getting back from that injury around here. Hopefully Will will be able to get some of the baseball season in during the spring."
Q: How is Justyn Ross and Braden Galloway?
SWINNEY: "They're doing good. Galloway was more concussed. Ross got hit in the head area. They're going to be cautious with him but he's great. Saw him today. I feel good about that."
Q: What specifically did you see from D.J. that made you feel he grew up some Saturday?
SWINNEY: "He has grown up in the run game and is making his presence known. He is hitting his stride there. He's a problem ... a big, strong, man who is hard to bring down. That creates opportunities in the pass game. A lot of it has been fundamental stuff, miscommunication. We really played well up front. I like how he managed the pocket, so we were pleased with that. He made good decisions and took care of the football. He missed some throws, a couple of touchdown opportunities and then we had some drops, too."
Q: You're never worried about the polls, but does this change how you feel about it now that you're not ranked?
SWINNEY: "You just answered the question. Doesn't have anything at all to do with us trying to beat Syracuse."
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
Q: How do you get some of your receivers over the hump with some of the drops and miscues you've had there?
SWINNEY: "It starts with the run game, first of all. We haven't been able to do a lot in the pass game because we have seen a lot of drop-eight because we haven't run the ball well. We did the other night. The biggest thing is to keep working and keep grinding. D.J. made some great, great throws on the money. I can think of four right off the top of my head that were easy plays and we didn't make them. We have to keep going, man. We will continue to work hard in practice. We have an incredible will to win and improve. We are a battle-tested bunch at this point."
Q: Are Galloway and Ross in concussion protocol? Are they going to be back in time for Syracuse?
SWINNEY: "Yes, that is correct. I hope so. Hopefully by practice on Sunday, they will be ready to roll. They took Justyn out of the game and put him in protocol. His was just more precaution and they just wanted to make sure he was fine."
Q: Do you change anything up in your open date routine this week because of the injuries?
SWINNEY: "We have to adjust a little bit. It's not a normal open date because our next game is on a Friday night. So we'll have to practice on Sunday. As far as some of the competitive work we like to do in an open date, we won't be able to do that as much. Right now we have to get some guys healthy. We have to get some bodies healed up and work on the basics and details. We need to get in some cross-over and self-scout stuff we will do as a staff. We have a good plan as far as how we're going to be on the field and when."
Q: Was Malcolm Greene a healthy scratch again this past weekend?
SWINNEY: "I wouldn't say he was healthy but he just wasn't ready. He's one of the toughest kids we've got and a guy we need to get in there more. He's just been injured."
Q: What's Will Putnam's status and how did you feel Hunter Rayburn played?
SWINNEY: "Putnam is a little better. We're hopeful by Sunday he'll be ready to go. Rayburn, man, I was super proud of him. We had one series down in the red zone, a pick play and then we jump off-sides and have a bad snap. But man he played really well over the course of the game. He was physical. It will be huge for his confidence. I was really proud of him. Bockhorst was our player of the game. He was tremendous ... by far his best game. And he helped Rayburn. The whole group played well. There were a lot of things on tape I was encouraged by. The game slowed down just a little bit for Marcus Tate. McFadden and Walker have been solid all year for us."
Q: Looked like Bockhorst was as comfortable as he's been. Do you move him back there full-time?
SWINNEY: "It's been a work-in-progress all year. It's good to be able to go in and handle the (center) assignment like he did. Every week we evaluate everything. We'll see how it all plays out. I anticipate him playing center and guard all year. As far as our best lineup, we're always evaluating that."
Q: You mentioned DJ's running success. Do you see opportunities for him to pull and keep on some of the zone read stuff?
SWINNEY: 'There are a couple where he could be more aggressive. That's an area where he is still growing. He's had some good scrambles, too. He had a nice scramble the other night on a drop-back. He's getting a better feel for those things. He's making good decisions there."
Q: What does it say about D.J. that after the game he is back out on the field trying to do some things?
SWINNEY: "I wasn't surprised to hear that. That's just who he is. He is a great competitor, a gym rat. He loves the game. He's frustrated with some of the throws he has missed. That throw he made to Ngata could have put the game away but we just didn't make the play. He's a competitor. He knows the plays he has missed. It's just who he is. He's a young player. He cares. He's not just satisfied with getting a win. He wants to get better. When you have that type of talent and you care and you're willing to work, you're going to improve. It's just a matter of time before it clicks for everyone."
Q: How close was Xavier Thomas to quitting football? He said Saturday he almost quit at one point last year.
SWINNEY: "That's what coaching is all about ... seeing kids hang in there, mature and persevere, learn how to handle success and failure. He was in a bad place mentally and physically this time last year. I'm happy for him now. He made a real commitment. We sat down in January. He followed through on everything he said he was going to do. He carried it all into the off-season and now he's just playing so well, fast and confident. He's doing well in the run game, affecting the quarterback and having fun."
Q: Is there a small part of you that is embracing the challenges you're getting every week. now this season?
SWINNEY: "I just want to have one more point. They all count the same in the end. I'd like for us to make some of the plays that are there. We know we're going to get everybody's best shot. We have a lot of young people on this team that are figuring out what it's like to be on at Clemson"
Q: Any other injury updates?
SWINNEY: "Frank and Mario have been battling groin injuries. Fred rolled his ankle the other week but is better. We'll see where we are later in the week."
****************************************
**** ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: You can now read the premium message boards at Gamecockcentral.com, Warchant.com, UGASports.com and other sites in the Rivals.com network. Click HERE to get access to their premium message boards!
