CLEMSON -- Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney again addressed members of the media late Tuesday morning at his weekly news conference, this time to discuss his team's open date week and of course Saturday's opponent.
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The No. 11-ranked Tigers (6-1, 5-0) will host Louisville (5-3, 3-2) Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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The following is an abbreviated transcript from Tuesday's presser.
OPENING STATEMENTS: "It’s good to be back at it. We're glad to be back at home. We're excited about a night game in the Valley.
"This is a really good team coming in here. Very talented. They have three losses but all of them have come by a touchdown or less. They have been in some competitive games. They can score on anybody. They put a lot of pressure on you offensively. They move the ball on everyone. This is the most complete offense we have seen since UGA.
"Their quarterback is a future pro and is well-coached. He is an extension of the coach out on the field. They want to throw the ball; they're 10th in the country in passing. They have good skill. Best overall group of receivers we have seen since UGA. They're explosive. We have our hands full. They're physical up front. They have very talented running backs. Huge challenge for us.
"Defensively they challenge you and have a very aggressive style of play. They're very good in the interior and on the edges. They have a couple of the best defensive ends we have seen this year. They do a great job with their hands. It's a well-coordinated group.
"We have to play well and have to do the things that have gotten us to this point. We have to take care of the ball. We have been good on third down offensively and defensively. We have to continue to build on the things we have done well. We have spent a lot of time studying things we haven't done well. It's November coming up. It's another great opportunity in the Valley. We have Clemson Hall Of Fame inductions this weekend.
"Injury-wise, we're in as good a spot as we've been in. Hopefully we can stay healthy this week and have all hands on deck Saturday."
Q: How are they different with this year's quarterback?
SWINNEY: "Passing game-wise, they're well-coordinated with the play action game and it creates a lot of stress. They really want to throw to set up the run game. When they have had some critical situations late in games, they have gone to the run game. They'll get into some pistol, get underneath, a lot of cross-country routes and boots. They complicate things with your backers and safeties. They're more play action-oriented. You member Coach Bobby Petrino ... that's what it looks like. They were always one of the biggest challenges and will be again. Their receivers are really good. That No. 1 ... he's special. He took the game over against Boston College last Friday. They have every aspect to their offense."
Q: Is this the fastest team you have played since Georgia?
SWINNEY: "Oh yeah. Oh yeah. There ain't no doubt. They know what they are doing. They are very well-schooled. They've got dudes. Their quarterback really makes them go. A lot of respect for him as a player."
Q: Their quarterback is a seven-year senior. How difficult is it to have that kind of patience with a quarterback in this era?
SWINNEY: "It depends on who the head coach is. That's part of it. It's hard to have patience because you have so much noise and fans. If a kid isn't great as a freshman and the head coach is under so much pressure, you go on to the next guy. Everybody wants to win yesterday. Unfortunately quarterback play, all play, it's developmental. If we threw guys away as first-year starters, we'd miss out on some of the greatest players to ever play. There just isn't a lot of patience anymore. You can see it in the NFL, too. Some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL now weren't great early in their careers. But people develop. Sometimes you have a guy who transitions right away but that's not always the case.
"Look at our quarterback who was a first-year starter last year and got better as the season went. The game has slowed down for him. He is a second-year starter and is still developing. It's not just mental. It's physical. It's everything together. You've seen guys who have hung around and get better in college football. You see that right now with Cade. I think we have the same thing with Christopher Vizzina. And he's getting better. He had patience on the front end. But he's getting better. Y'all don't really see it. He's really progressing. He's kind of doing it in the dark. Patience isn't a popular word these days."
Q: What is your famliarity with Coach Brohm?
SWINNEY: "I don't know him that well. I first met him when he was at Purdue crossing paths when we were on the recruiting trail. I think I saw him in Georgia one day and in Alabama one day while we were recruiting. I've gotten to know him some since he has been in the ACC."
Q: Where do things stand with Bryant Wesco?
SWINNEY: "Just giving him time. He has had more time getting ready to play. He got off to a good start last week. It's a big day today and tomorrow ... two strenuous days getting guys ready to play again. Hopefully he'll be ready to go. He has made a lot of progress."
Q: What is Tyler Brown's status?
SWINNEY: "He won't play this week. He's made a lot of progress but he's week-to-week. He's not day-to-day yet. He's getting better."
Q: With the benefit of a second open date during the season, did you handle your self-scouting like you normally would?
SWINNEY: "Yes, but I won't share that (details). We use our staff very efficiently in crossover study. We do the self-scout about every three games. We do it offensively every week. It was good for us. There were some things that were obvious but also other things that were more subtle. We took a lot of time with our younger guys during the open date, too ... a lot of competitive work. I think that was good for us. We also wanted to get some guys healthy. It's a big month ahead and we're looking forward to it."
Q: Tony Elliott said Isaac Brown is as much of a complete back as he has seen from a freshman. Your take?
SWINNEY: "Oh yes. They use their running backs in the passing game a lot. You have to be very disciplined because they involve their backs in everything, all aspects. He is a complete player. He can catch, run through the trash and has the speed to run away from you. He's not afraid to protect. It doesn't take you long to notice him. You wouldn't think he is a freshman. He's made some big plays in critical situations. Very, very good player."
Q: Do they play more man than anyone you have seen so far?
SWINNEY: "Not necessariliy but more than Virginia and Wake Forest ... more aggressive and a different style. They'll get up there and challenge you. They will play some coverage and involve their safeties in the run game."
Q: What have Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd meant to your program?
SWINNEY: "I don't have enough words for what they have meant to the program. Tajh was my first quarterback and a part of the Dandy Dozen. He helped us build a great foundation. We won 10 games for the first time in 20 years with him and won the ACC for the first time in 20 years. Now we don't win one in two years and people ask what's wrong. He did some things that were pretty special. He was a great leader. He is a Clemson man. It's been fun to do life with him and watch him grow as a coach. He's very smart and very gifted. He understands the game and is great with our kids. He loves Clemson and believes in who we are as a program. It has been awesome. To see him as a father now is really special.
"Sammy was the most low-maintenance superstar I ever recruited, he and Trevor Lawrence. Just zero drama and zero anything and just showed up ready to go. He's a beautiful football player. He was amazing to watch in practice ... just different. Every single week he was on the field he created problems for people. Just a great human being. He's a great father and a great husband. He's got a great spirit about him. He was one of those guys who helped changed us."
Q: Sammy wants to come back here at some point?
SWINNEY: "We've talked about timing. His kids are athletes. He's got a lot going on there. He does want to finish school at some point. We'll see."
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Q: Do you remember Sammy coming to camp?
SWINNEY: "Yeah, I couldn't believe it. He comes over and Brad Scott was recruiting him. I watched him in our drills. His work ethic was unbelievable. He had on a white t-shirt and by the end of the day it was dirty and torn. He took a million reps. He practiced so fast. It was amazing to watch him. I couldn't believe how polished he was. He was so easy to coach. Anything you needed him to do, he could do it. He was just far ahead of kids. He was so explosive with his ball skills. You just knew he was going to be different. Dwayne Allen was our captain that season and he came to me and told me that summer, 'Coach, we don't have anybody like this guy. This guy is unbelievable.' It didn't take long. I think it was day two of August practice and we knew (he was a starter). Great, great player and great career. A true Hall Of Famer."
Q: Could you conceivably redshirt Tyler Brown?
SWINNEY: "We could. That's a possibility. Those are real-time things. You don't ever know what your situation will look like in two weeks. That would be great if we could."
Q: Do you like the new redshirt rule where you can play four games, a bowl game and potentially four playoff games?
SWINNEY: "Yes. I love it. A lot of teams didn't have players available for bowl games, so that's where it came from. Coaches had to push for that forever. At least it gives us some time to figure some things out. We did that with Skalski that year. He played in one game against Georgia Tech, the last three games and then all of the postseason.
"Now you have guys opting out, so you see it all over college football. Every final four team had kids opt out last year. That's part of the reason why they said it's four games plus the postseason doesn't count. I wish they'd just go five years and be done. Just clean it up so you don't have guys who are 26 and all the medicals. Just get everyone five years. It would stop a lot of the opt-outs, too. If you just went to five years, almost everyone would play. I would love to see that."
Q: Would you keep the medical redshirt?
SWINNEY: "Yes, if a guy lost a year due to an injury. If you redshirt and lose a year to an injury, you can get a medical. Cole Turner has another year if he wants it. On his clock, he is a redshirt sophomore, but last year he was done by one game, so he could get that year back."
Q: Where have you seen the most development with Cade?
SWINNEY: "Taking care of the ball and his decision-making. Just too many negative plays last year ... run game, taking TFLs, taking sacks that were 100-percent on him, fumbles. He wasn't terrible throwing interceptions but had a few bad ones. He's just a much better decision-maker. He is taking care of the ball so much better. The game has slowed down for him.
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"I think it's maturity. It's physical maturity but also mental maturity and that comes from experience. You just have to go through things. If you have the right work ethic and the talent to go with it, you can get that. He's a smart kid and he loves feedback. He is really growing. And he got better as the season went on last year and I think that propelled him. He's a really gifted thrower. I'd say the other aspect is him using his legs. He was a non-factor using his legs last year and this kid is really fast. He can really run. He is so much more opportunistic and patient this year.
"When you know more, you can do more. It's just that simple. You can't do Algebra until you can add and subtract and do long division. It's a process that we all go through in education. He has more on his plate this year because he can do more. And we're better around him, too. We weren't last year."
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