CLEMSON -- Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney again addressed members of the media late Tuesday morning at his weekly news conference, this time ahead of the Tigers' next opponent.
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The No. 10-ranked Tigers (5-1, 4-0) will host Virginia (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday at noon.
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The following is an abbreviated transcript of Tuesday's presser.
OPENING STATEMENTS: "Good morning everybody. I'm really growing up. I can't wait to see what I turn out to be when I grow up. I've got two firsts coming up. I've got my first player going into the Ring Of Honor. It's just really crazy how time flies. I've known C.J. Spiller since he was 16 years old. Now he's going in the Ring Of Honor. He was my first five-star guy, my first first-rounder and first Pro Bowler. He was my first College Football Hall Of Famer. I'm so excited for him. What a well-deserved honor.
"And then my first time to coach against one of my guys in Tony Elliott. It's a special weekend all the way around. I think it's going to be a beautiful day. I know Clemson nation will show up and create the best game day environment in the country for us.
"As far as the game, Virginia is a good football team. I am really impressed with the job Tony and his staff have done. I've tried to keep up with them and the job they've done. You see what he has instilled up there. They had four games that came down to a play last year. His team shows up. This year they have taken another step. They're well-coached and they have good schemes on both sides of the ball. All three phases they play very physical and hard and they play fast. And it doesn't matter what the score is. This is a tough-minded group and that comes from what Tony and his staff have instilled.
"Everything starts with their quarterback. He's a problem. He's kind of like the kid from Stanford that we saw. Some of his best plays come off of scrambled or busted plays. He puts a lot of strain on you. They're a big zone read team. Sometimes there are plays where the read is to give it and he'll pull it anyway. He runs around you. They get him on the edge some. He's one of those guys who creates a lot of problems. And he can throw the football. Their tight end is a really good player. No. 8 is leading their team in receiving. He's one of the biggest kids we'll see all year. They have two really good backs. Obviously we all know Kobe Pace. We loved him here and loved him in recruiting. He's a tough, physical, confident, runner. I'm proud of him.
"Defensively, it's one of the best fronts we have seen. These guys are really good up front. No. 90 and No. 55 are big, heavy-handed, kids inside who play hard and they're very effective. They have one of the best safeties we'll see all year. Their scheme is a challenge. They're very well schooled on how to execute it. You have to take care of the ball and execute at a high level.
"I'm excited about us getting back in the Valley to see if we can keep building momentum within our season. We're just 5-1. We have to keep going. It'll take consistency in our preparation."
Q: With Peter, he played a few more snaps last weekend. Is he at a point where he can ramp up now?
SWINNEY: "Yeah. Yeah. He's playing himself back into true football shape. He's good to go."
Q: Maybe the biggest recruit in Clemson history - C.J? What would that recruitment be like in 2024 with NIL? Would you be able to sign him today?
SWINNEY: "I don't know. He's a unique guy. Who knows? There are all kinds of hypotheticals you could create. I think C.J. was born to come to Clemson. What God wants, no one can stop it. Where we are moving forward, absolutely? Maybe the last two or three years it might have been a challenge because of raising NIL money. When you get into the revenue sharing, that'll be a game changer. It won't be any different for us than it will for anyone else. I'm excited about that."
Q: Are you giving that message to recruits now?
SWINNEY: "Yes. Everyone has to make their own decisions. It really doesn't start until next summer but you really have to start now."
Q: Getting to next summer is the challenging part, but is there a pitch you'd like to make to the common Clemson fan now?
SWINNEY: "Yes, we need to keep supporting (collective). We'll start operating on revenue sharing on January 1. I think most people will do the same. We have the money. We just can't share it. So you have to raise it outside of your in-house money. We're in a really good spot. We only have 12 scholarship seniors and four of them can come back. You always plan for a little bit of attrition. We're in a good spot and we're heading into a better spot."
Q: Do you have any idea of how you want 2025 to be (roster allocation)?
SWINNEY: "There are some we want to keep for sure. We'll have to cut a bunch of guys. We're not at 105 in January. You can't do that in January. We're already over with the amount of kids we have committed now. There will be some kids who might want to move on. And that's normal for every team. We just have 12 scholarship seniors. That's it. You want me to go sign 30? Who are you telling to leave? I'll let you call those parents. You won't get 105 Bryant Wesco's, so you have to have a little bit of everything to contribute on your roster ... like redshirt juniors like Ryan Linthicum?
Q: Do you think you need a quarterback in this class?
SWINNEY: "We have three quarterbacks we love. But yes, we try to get a quarterback in here every year. We have three guys we think we can go play with. We had just two on our 2018 team. We have quarterbackcs who love Clemson. Everybody wanted me to fire Klubnik last year and go get someone. He's pretty good. CV is going to be a redshirt sophomore. We'd love to get a guy. We will. We'll definitely take a quarterback in the 2025 class. Main thing is we need to keep the three that we've got."
Q: Is Tony's offense similar to what you do here?
SWINNEY: "Similar. It's built on running the football, boots and screens and they will take some shots. You see a ton of zone read. And there are a lot of different ways to get to it. There are a lot of similarties."
Q: When you face a quarterback who is an agent of chaos, how do you balance that in defending him?
SWINNEY: "He creates a lot of chaos. That's for sure. You have to squeeze him. You have to be disciplined. He's quick enough to beat most people in space one on one. You have to be great up front and win inside because he'll find a lane. You can't over-rush him. He's a problem. You have to cover forever. If he gets outside of the pocket, he will extend the play. They want to lean on the run game and the stuff that comes off of that. You have to try to make them one-dimensional. If they can get the run game going, that's when he is at his best."
Q: You mentioned following Coach Elliott. What have those conversations been like?
SWINNEY: "We have lots of conversations and texts. I always go sit by him at the ACC meetings. He's doing awesome and he's been through a lot. His first year was just a nightmare situation. That's why God took him there because no one was more equipped to lead a group of people and navigate through some dark times. And he did a great job. And last year, they had a lot of growth. You could see his impact and those kids buying in. This is a good team who has just one loss in the league. We'll get everything they've got. And they've got a lot of Clemson people on that staff."
Q: You mentioned Spiller earlier. What's your relationship been like with him over the years?
SWINNEY: "When he left my office that day in 2009, I thought he was leaving. I was shocked when he walked into that press conference. He is one of a kind and a remarkable human being. Even as a young player, he was incredibly wise way beyond his years and had a great vision for what he wanted to do. He writes things down and then goes and lives those things out. He's relentless in going after his goals. And he's a really good coach. He has done an awesome job with our backs. He has had a great impact with Mafah. You see young Jay Haynes coming on. And he went and signed Eziomume and Jarvis.
"Our relationship is like a father and son. I love him like a son. He's special in every regard and it's been awesome to see him become a great father. His daughter is here now. He's a great husband. He's got a beautiful little boy now that I call Champ. He is the epitome of the Clemson spirit. He walked away from a lot to come to Clemson. And then the same to stay at Clemson. When I got the job, we all wanted him to come back and knew he could be drafted but he had big tears in his eyes and Tim Bourret was looking for him. I just remember hugging him and telling him to do what was best for him. I told him I was for him. He wiped his tears away and I told Tim, 'He's leaving.' I just walked to the back of the room. When he said he was coming back that day, I couldn't believe it.
"He's such a special person. No one epitomizes the spirit of Clemson better than Spiller. He deserves to be in the Ring Of Honor. He changed things. He was that first fuel on the fire if you will. He was that first big spark that led to where we are today. Then it's what he did here and the person he ultimately became. People don't really appreciate what he did in college football. He's already in the Hall Of Fame. He's still got records. Little Champ will be bringing his kids here one day and talking about Granddaddy Spiller."
Q: Seems like your offensive line has cut down on penalties from last year. How has coach (Matt) Luke helped you there?
SWINNEY: "Matt has done an awesome job. Part of it is experience. We're much more experienced since last year. We had a lot of injuries last year. We had freshmen who played a lot. We're just a much more experienced group across the board. Blake, Parks, Tristan, Tate ... they have played a lot of football. Linthicum has been here four years. We have a very connected, cohesive group. They play well and don't make a ton of mistakes."
Q: You and Tony I'm sure talked about opportunities he had when he was here. Why do you think he didn't end up somewhere else?
SWINNEY: "He had several opportunities over the years. He is a person of faith. Whatever he does, he doesn't make a decision without really being led by the spirit. I think that's how everyone should make those decisions. Sometimes those decisions might not make sense to people who aren't led by faith. He felt like Virginia was the right step for him. He had a couple of other opportunities staring at him in that moment, but Virginia is where he wanted to go. God directs our path and I think he is what Virginia needed in that moment. I would say the administration there got a chance to see what kind of leader Tony is. He had to help them navigate through a very difficult, unimaginable, situation."
Q: Any concern with Stephilyan Green not getting back this week?
SWINNEY: "No. He practiced yesterday. We anticipate him being able to go. He wasn't quite ready last week. Same thing with Sadler. We're hopeful we'll have him back this week."
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Q: Burley had mroe time this past week. Is he starting to come on?
SWINNEY: "Depth. He probably doesn't get 23 plays if Stephiylan is in there. So there was opportunity there. He has battled a million injuries. He missed pretty much all of last year. He's a big dude but he's still maturing and is still figuring his body out. He's not a fully developed guy yet. But he's naturally talented and can do some stuff. He's impressive. He's a hard guy to move. He's a different type of player than Payton Page or even Capehart, but he's a young guy. We weren't putting Capehart out there at this point in his career. He's not anywhere near what he can be but he just needs to keep going and maturing. He's still learning the game and did some good things the other day."
Q: Your thoughts on Harris Sewell so far. Could he be a sixth guy there?
SWINNEY: "Oh yeah. Harris and Sadler, if they started, we wouldn't miss a beat. We have seven guys there (we view as starters). We have had the same thing at receiver. It shows the depth and development that we've had. Harris is a good player for sure and can play all three spots. We have a ton of confidence in him. Sadler, the same. He's just been out more than he's been available. Sadler and Harris are big-time players.
"And Trent is a guy we trust. Heck, we put him at right tackle the other day because we didn't want to put Mason in there. We're trying to hold Mason (to redshirt). Elyjah Thurmon ... man, he's fun to watch. He's a true five-position guy. We've got a good group and we've got more on the way ... some dudes rolling in here who look like they're supposed to look. And we don't anticipate losing anyone but Marcus."
Q: How is Wesco at this point?
SWINNEY: "Getting better. He's day to day. Tyler is week to week. It's not a long-term thing. We'll get him back sooner than later."
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Q: Do you plan to play Elyjah all year?
SWINNEY: "Yes. We're all in with him. Played some special teams, too, the other day."
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