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CLEMSON -- Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney addressed members of the media Tuesday at his weekly news conference, this time to preview his team's matchup with Syracuse.

The two teams will face off versus one another at 7:30 p.m. in the Carrier Dome on Saturday. The Tigers are a 27.5-point favorite over the Orange.

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The following is an edited, condensed transcript of Swinney's Tuesday news conference.

OPENING STATEMENTS: "The next goal for us is to win the division. That starts this week. We lost there two years ago. It's a great environment. We are going to have to play well. We have a lot of respect for them. They had us on the mat for a two-count last year. We were able to find a way to win. Dino Babers has done a great job up there. We are very well aware of the energy and toughness we will face up there. Last week's game got away from them.

"If you're going to be a great team, you have to win on the road. It takes discipline and focus and execution. Just maturity and mental toughness to execute at a high level in a tough environment.

"Their quarterback is a veteran who knows their system. He is athletic. He can throw the ball. He's got good size. They have rotated several backs. They've got good receivers. Defensively, two All-American ends who will play on Sunday. They have some All-American candidates in the secondary. It's going to be a tough matchup. Everybody knows what's at stake. Looking forward to heading up there."

Q: The tempo with which they play on offense, how much of a challenge will that be?

SWINNEY: "We practice that way everyday. It's something our young guys on defense are used to. The first couple of games, Syracuse has slowed it down more. We've noticed they've looked to the sideline more. They've picked their spots. They have not been lightning quick."

Q: What do you see in Tommy DeVito?

SWINNEY: "They're similar. Both he and Eric Dungey are athletic and can push the ball down the field. He's not quite as big as Dungey. Still, he has good size."

Q: Is Amari now full-go?

SWINNEY: "Yes. He's been full-go. We wouldn't have played him otherwise. He played 30-something plays last week. He's still getting back into the swing of things and working his way back into football, game-shape. He got hit a couple of times."

Q: Dino yesterday said you guys had a castle with dragons protecting Trevor Lawrence.

SWINNEY: "Ah, that's classic Dino right there. He has respect for our team. I don't know anything about The Game Of Thrones. I don't know what that means. We try to put good players around Trevor. We had a lot of those same dudes two years ago up there when we got beat."

Q: Talk about the environment up there. Why is it so difficult?

SWINNEY: "It's confined. There is an echo. There is nowhere for the noise to go. You let them get it going up there, it'll get rocking. They're expecting a big crowd. It's a night game, it's on ABC, a national audience, so they want to put their best foot forward."

Q: What do you tell your younger guys who weren't up there two years ago?

SWINNEY: "We'll talk about some tips that I discuss before we hit our first road game. I think it's important to revisit those things. If you're a good player, you're going to be a good player wherever you go. I don't make a big deal out of all of that stuff. I love going on the road. At home there is a natural energy. On the road, you have to draw from that energy and not let it drain you. I love it. It takes a certain mindset and mental toughness. We can only have 72 guys travel. We have 120 on the roster."

Q: Does all that noise impact the way you communicate?

SWINNEY: "Absolutely. It can definitely impact the way you communicate. We have to be able to function. It can really impact you if you don't prepare and if you're not locked in. You have to have mental toughness and focus to block those things out. If external factors determine your performance, you probably won't be a good player. Because you don't control external factors. We try to make conditions unrealistic here in our indoor facility."

Q: You pride yourselves on consistency. What is different about your team now, if anything?

SWINNEY: "Let's just keep doing what we've been doing, which is our very best. We try to dominate our opponent. They keep score for a reason. Let's try to have a killer instinct. Let's come out ready and let's finish. We're not yet where we want to be. Last week, we had an edge to us. There was a lot of talk during the week. Let's just show up and play. I appreciated our guys and how they handled themselves. The challenge was made and we accepted it. You get yourself ready or you don't. It's a simple game when it comes right down to it. You win your matchup or you don't.

"We're just trying to teach this team what it takes to win consistently. We have a room full of guys who think they know who don't know. We have a couple of rows full of guys who do know and they're leaders. We want there to be no doubt. Well, there was no doubt two years ago. They beat our butts."

Q: So far after two games what's the identity you've seen from your defense?

SWINNEY: "Pretty disciplined and we have controlled the line of scrimmage. We were hopeful but you never know when you're going up against yourself everyday. We won the line of scrimmage over the first two games. Again, we have a long way to go. We're making mistakes and we're leaving gaps open. We have all kinds of things to fix. But ... the physicality, the effort, the tenacity that I have seen defensively is the same as it has always been. We're playing hard and with pride. Our positioning has been good. Very few big plays.

"Sometimes our eyes are on the wrong things, but we have been positioned well. The back seven has been outstanding. I felt that coming into the season. This is as good a back seven as we have had. I love our depth in the secondary and I love our speed at linebacker. You're just going to see that grow."

Q: Travis Etienne had his best game catching the ball last Saturday. How big is that potentially for your offense?

SWINNEY: "I think it's very big. It's a problem when your back is a factor in the passing game because the coverage has to be tighter. We're taking those check-downs and the backs are available in the passing game. Guys like No. 9 and No. 23 can break tackles and go the distance. It opens up things down the field. Absolutely. We want to get those guys touches any way we can."

Q: When you're trying to talk to guys lower on the depth chart about being ready, how much of a challenge is that at times? How often do you talk to them about that?

SWINNEY: "Not very often. It comes up from time to time. We just talk to everyone about preparing to be the starter. If you're not preparing to go play 50 plays, you're cheating yourself and your team. We've had lots of guys who were ready. You just never know. Everyone has to be locked in as if they're the guy. You have to have that mindset. Sometimes you get an opportunity and you're not ready for it, you may not get another one. They need to mentally rep and stay engaged in case their number is called.

"We also try to play a lot of guys. That creates that edge. It creates that thought of hey, I better be ready."

Q: Your assessment of the tight ends and their blocking to this point?

SWINNEY: "Good. I've been pleased with J.C. Chalk so far. he has done a nice job. He is playing himself into that role. He has made a couple of nice grabs. Man, Luke Price has come in there and has been physical. He smashed a guy on the goal line with Trevor Lawrence and just moved that guy. Davis Allen is a natural, physical guy who is getting better. Same with Jaelyn Lay. They're doing what we need them to do to this point. We are off to a good start after two games."

Q: Talk about some backup guys on the offensive line.

SWINNEY: "Matt Bockhorst and Cade Stewart ... we trust them. They will play a lot. Bockhorst could start for us today. He's everything you want. He's just behind John Simpson and Gage Cervenka. We trust Bockhorst. He's nasty and relentless. He's smart. I love what his game brings to our team. Same thing with Cade, a really good player. He's versatile. He's getting back to full speed with his ankle. We're excited about Blake, Chandler, Jordan, Putnam, who you will continue to see more of throughout the season. We have about 11 guys we are prepping every week."

Q: Tony Elliott described Lyn-J as being funny even when he doesn't know he's funny.

SWINNEY: "That's a perfect description. He just cracks you up. Everyone loves Lyn-J's reaction. He always has the best answers and reactions to things. We have a lot of fun with him. He's a baller. He's just getting better. He probably had the most breakaways in our camp last year. He's more mature. It's showtime now. We need that. Travis can't carry the load. We have a long season ahead. Lyn-J makes us better. I'm excited about that combo. Lyn-J has done a nice job with his protections. He's running with more discipline with the blocking schemes. He has a better understanding of the game."

Q: How surprised were you to see what Maryland did to Syracuse?

SWINNEY: "Pretty surprised. That doesn't have anything to do with us. They won four games two years ago and beat us. They were 4-8 and beat us. And we won the national title last year and it came down to a 4th and 6. I don't have to say much to our guys about this one. I've been in games like that ... that just get away from you. Maryland ran about four plays against Howard. It's a whole new staff. They've got a bunch of transfers you know nothing about. That game just got away from Syracuse. Simple as that. Maryland is better than people thought and Syracuse probably wasn't prepared for some of the unknowns.

"Just throw that one out the window. Syracuse is a lot better team than they showed last week. It's all about this week. It's all about Clemson, to be honest with you. We try to make it all about us. If you get caught up in those other things, you'll never be consistent as a program. It's about us getting better and winning performances and playing with excellence. If the opponent beats us, they beat us."

Q: The starting QB for you has been knocked out the last two games against Syracuse. What is it about those games that has been difficult?

SWINNEY: "Having our quarterback knocked out the last two games. They're a good team. Dungey was a great player. They've had some weapons, they've played with passion, belief and have been physical. When you go on the road and lose your starting QB, you're turning it over, yeah, that makes it different. First of all you have to not lose to Clemson. Control what you can control. Last year we had a good flow of the game going and then a crazy scramble and Trevor gets knocked out. It was shaky and it took awhile to settle down. We had three turnovers in that game."

Q: What has A.J. Terrell done to develop into a premiere corner?

SWINNEY: "He has physically put the work in and mentally. He has busted his butt in that weight room. It's night and day from where he was when he got here. He's more confident, has more strength, more experience and with all that natural skill set. He's got the right mindset."

Q: What has Derion Kendrick shown you over the first two games?

SWINNEY: "He did his job in week one. He really stepped up this past week. They went after him and played with poise and played with good technique. He's got some swag to him. He brings energy and he's just confident. He knows he can play the game. He likes practice. He's always talking at practice. There is an energy to him. He's not disrespectful. He's just got a swag and a confidence to him. A lot of mental toughness. He's not affected by a play. You'll give up plays from time to time, but his ability to flush that and go on and go back and learn from it is there. He's thirsty for knowledge. He likes to be coached. He's a worker. I love DK."

Q: What about Tony Elliott's approach do you like when he's stingy with offers in the recruiting process?

SWINNEY: "That's characteristic of all our staff. When they bring one in here, they better not complain. Don't complain about your players. I'm not going to fix their mistakes. There are expectations that I have with the guys who come through the door. The coaches know that. We don't offer freshmen and sophomores unless it comes from me. This is a developmental game, so I'm always trying to slow it down. i want to get the juniors and seniors who develop. If we take a guy early it's because we're all on board. It's a no-brainer for us. Otherwise I'm always trying to pump the brakes. I'm always trying to talk guys out of it.

"When you bring guys in here and your philosophy is till graduation do we part, you need to be right. We're not ever going to bat .1000, but we've been pretty good. We're never going to take a bunch of guys at running back. A lot of kids want to come to our program. We're not just trying to get guys. We want to get the right guys. This is a hard deal. It's more fun when you can coach guys who love ball, guys who value education and want to be coached. We're looking for all of these intangibles. You can have a good team every now and then but to have sustained success, it comes down to the people.

"We're one of the slowest schools to offer. Maybe we have the fewest offers. We want to be patient and we want to give kids time. We don't want to feel rushed. We try not to cast a big, wide net. We try to be very specific and identify the qualities that we are looking for."

Q: You've struck gold with some late acquisitions over the last several classes.

SWINNEY: "That's an encouragement. Slow down. If a sophomore gets offended because we haven't offered, fine, I don't care. I'll be the bad guy. Some of those coaches may leave. We weren't recruiting defensive backs in 2015 until very late because we had some guys leave. I'm loyal to the guys here. I won't tell a guy he has to leave because we missed on him. If he breaks rules, that's a different deal. You're not entitled to be here. It's a privilege. 2015, we're not recruiting DBs because I'm counting on all those guys to come back at that time.

"I'm glad I kept those scholarships for Clelin and Austin and Christian. Until they told me different, that was my responsibility to them. Sometimes a guy will tell you early like Isaiah and that's fine. It's just what I believe in. I always try to save a couple for walk-ons. I'm not trying to win recruiting wars. My goal is to get the right people because people win."

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