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Published Oct 22, 2019
Swinney previews Boston College at Tuesday news conference
Tigerillustrated.com
Tigerillustrated.com

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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 look ahead to the Tigers' Saturday opponent, Boston College.

Clemson (7-0, 5-0) will host the Eagles (4-3, 2-2) in a game slated to kick off at 7:30 p.m. The matchup will be televised by The ACC Network. The Tigers are a 34.5-point favorite.

ALSO SEE: Tuesday Insider Notes | Polls and pundits | 4-star Uiagalelei teammate has Clemson in top two | Clemson's verbal commitments | Clemson's junior commitments

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

OPENING STATEMENTS: "We are pumped to be back in Death Valley. We've got just three home games left. Hard to believe. These opportunities are special. It's Homecoming. I always enjoy getting out with the students this week and watching their progress on the floats. I know it's raining but it's never slowed anything down around here.

"Boston College is 4-3. They have had two last-minute losses to Louisville and Wake Forest. They didn't play well against Kansas. They're very competitive. Their quarterback, Anthony Brown, got hurt. I've been impressed with what they have done. That game last week, it's like watching 1990 all over again when you watch the tape. No tricking anyone. It's just downhill football. This is old school. There is a certain physicality that you have to have in a game like this. I'm anxious to see how our guys respond to the challenge that BC will present. They're sixth in the nation in rushing offense. We're 10th in total offense and they're 11th in total offense. They're No. 1 in fewest sacks allowed. They run the ball a lot, plus their passing game is play action, boots and screens.

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"They have great tempo, which is unusual with them. Mostly they are a 12-personnel team. They do a nice job. Their two backs, 240 and 250, they're big, big backs. They like contact, they move the pile and they have a lot of pride in what they do. They're well-coached and well-coordinated. They're going to line up and run the ball. They're going to keep handing it off. They just wore N.C. State down last week. They rushed for 429 yards on N.C. State and N.C. State had been giving up just 67 yards rushing going in.

"Defensively, they're man-coverage, they don't have great depth up front but have created some pressure with their blitz schemes. They've tried to stay out of third and long and have done a great job there with their coverage and double-rat stuff. We have to be efficient on offense. We have to stay on schedule. A lot of man coverage. They will line up and challenge you. Richard Yeargin is a player we coached. What a great story he is. I texted with him last week. It was inspiring to see him play. I know he has worked really hard and started against N.C. State. I look forward to seeing him. Also, No. 99, his dad and I played together at Alabama. He's from Alabaster. His dad, Thomas, was a great player at Alabama. They are plus seven in the turnover margin."

Q: How is A.J. Dillon compared to some of the great backs you have faced?

SWINNEY: "He's a very different guy. He's 250 pounds. He's going to go through you. He'll drag you. You see guys like that in the NFL every week. It's a challenge, especially for our back-seven guys. Get those big boy pads out."

Q: What specifically did you take away from their offense in what you saw last week (against NCSU)?

SWINNEY: "They will do some shotgun, but just the physicality ... they're coming right at you. They just keep doing it. It's hard. You have to fit everything right. You have to win some one-on-one matchups and then they have these big, bruising backs. They just keep coming. Then it's play action. They're built to do that."

Q: What are you seeing from their tight ends and how they're used at this point?

SWINNEY: "They're trying to create extra gaps. It's hat-on-hat, a lot of close alignments. They're making big plays off the play action."

Q: How has Braden Galloway done this fall, considering his circumstances?

SWINNEY: "He has been good. He's practicing everyday. He's got a great attitude. I've been very pleased with him and how he has handled his situation. He's got a smile on his face. He's on our scout team."

Q: About 20 snaps a game for Jordan McFadden right now. Can you talk about where he is now, his progression?

SWINNEY: "I think he will probably be our right tackle next year. He could go inside and play, but he's probably that guy that will be that right tackle for us going into the spring. He's doing a good job ... just getting better and better. Very excited about his potential."

Q: You said in August you felt this would be your best back seven and now that has materialized. What has impressed you most with them to this point?

SWINNEY: "No question. We are deep and smart. Guys have played a lot. They care and they prepare. I walked in yesterday and four or five of them were in there watching tape. They're a very mature group. Last year we had our hands on a lot of balls. This year we're finishing a lot of plays. I think we're ninth in the country in takeaways. Hopefully we can do a better job of taking care of it on offense."

Q: Last year's defense had more great defensive players, individually, but collectively is this group better?

SWINNEY: "The statistics say they are better, but we have a long way to go. We're giving up about 12 points a game, so we're a little ahead of where we were this time last year. On paper we're better. That bunch last year ... they were pretty special and they got better and better. Are we going to improve like last year's team? We won by a lot last Saturday, but we also made a lot of mistakes, so there is a lot of work to do. Our effort has overcome some things, but make no mistake we have to get better."

Q: Will Xavier Thomas be back this weekend?

SWINNEY: "I don't know right now. We'll see today. Today is the first day of full pads. It's day to day."

Q: K'Von Wallace told us about Andrew Booth's mistake yesterday and he put that on himself. What does that say about his leadership?

SWINNEY: "He is a great leader. Those comments don't surprise me. He tried to deflect some things to him. He is a captain for us this week, as a matter of fact. He has matured and grown and he works really hard. He takes care of his body and studies the game. He has grown into a heck of a player and has become a great leader. I thought the team did a great job of handling Andrew. And Andrew is embarrassed. That is unacceptable. He's a great kid and had a bad moment.

"He'll sit for a half but he'll be ready to go in the second half and will play. He wore his suit and tie on the bus ride back home. Andrew is one of the best kids we have on the team. Never had a problem with him. He suffered the consequences and we will move on."

Q: Does it make it easier or more difficult to police things with so much youth on this team?

SWINNEY: "I don't really have any data but when you have a really young team and not as many veterans, it's more of a challenge but this team has been great. They've gone about their business. The seniors and juniors we have are committed and come to work every day. They show up and prepare well. Our effort has been really good all year long. It's just a daily challenge to teach. We have a lot of guys that we have to reinstall the program with. Our job as coaches are to meet players where they are. The older group knows Calculus but the younger group is still learning Algebra. Might be some private tutoring going on from time to time because there is a gap from an experience and knowledge standpoint."

Q: Is there anyone that Isaiah Simmons reminds you off from the past, your past players? When did you know he could be special?

SWINNEY: "No. He's a unique talent. Watching him on tape in high school, I thought he had a good chance to be really good. Pretty early on when he came in here, he was like a young giraffe running around. It was elbows and knees. He was just excited to go to college. But what showed up early was his physicality. He likes it. His pure athleticism showed up, but he needed to learn a lot of football and needed to get into the weight room. A lot of development needed to take place. We redshirted him and he matured and got more serious about things. Last year he got his first chance to start. He was a little shaky early. He's just gotten better and better. The game has slowed down for him. It was down to Nebraska and Michigan when we were recruiting him."

Q: Isaiah has told us he is often too hard on himself. Have you seen that?

SWINNEY: "He's kind of the same guy. Early on he was a guy who didn't really know how to prepare. He's a very smart guy. I just think he handles himself like a pro. He's going to be a great pro ... something special. He's what everyone is looking for. He's that hybrid guy who can cover and play first, second and third down. He could legitimately play safety. He could make all conference for us at three different positions. I'm sure he's tough on himself. He's always got a great spirit about him. The team loves him. I don't ever see him down or mad. He's just a happy kid. He takes his job seriously. He's always trying to please Brent. He's not the easiest guy to play for."

Q: You said Nyles played his best game Saturday. Where has he made a lot of progress?

SWINNEY: "He definitely played his best game. Protection recognition, he did a great job with his eyes, improved his pass rush and he's staying on his feet. He's a physical kid, naturally. That stretch scheme that they ran - which can split you in a heartbeat - he handled that very well. He defeated those blocks and kept our defense intact. He has grown up. He has been through a lot. I just think he has settled in and is playing with a lot of confidence."

Q: How odd is it to see a player you have coached playing for another team (Richard Yeargin)?

SWINNEY: "It's different, but I love Richard. He's one of my favorite people. He was a great, great kid. He's got a great family. He's a model student. It was unfortunate for him going into his fourth year. He was primed to be a big factor for us and then he had a car accident. He's lucky to be alive and he knows that. It's amazing from where he was to where he is now. He was done. He was a student-coach for us in his last year, but the NCAA allowed him a sixth year. A kid like Blake Vinson can technically get this year back. I think that's a good rule that the NCAA has put in place.

"I am super proud of Richard. I've talked to Addazio about him. He's gotten better as the season has gone on. He's playing well for them. I'm just happy for him. I know what he went through for two years. I was surprised when he called me in May and told me he was thinking about trying to play again. We talked through it and the rest is history."

Q: Levon Kirkland will be inducted into the Ring Of Honor this weekend. How well have you gotten to know him through the years?

SWINNEY: "Pretty well. He has been around a lot. He has worked for the university. I was a fan of his before I came to Clemson. He's a great man and a great father. He lost his wife to cancer a few years ago. He has coached and has done a little bit of everything. He is very deserving of his honor and a great representative of Clemson football. A great gentleman."

Q: With what you lost from your front seven last year, has your defense exceeded your expectations?

SWINNEY: "I don't go into the year thinking we need to be ranked here or there. I think they've done a great job. I didn't have any numerical expectations. They've probably exceeded everyone else's expectations. I felt we would be a good defense. We've got more sacks than we had this time last year. We're doing a good job and have more turnovers. We've used our personnel very well. We've started to develop some good depth. A guy like Tyler Davis has come in and has stepped up and you have to have that. It's been a huge benefit for us. Not a lot of superstars up front ... yet, but collectively we have gotten the job done."

Q: Trevor Lawrence talked yesterday about the pressure that the team is under nationally. How often do you talk to them about pressure, outside pressure?

SWINNEY: "Everyday. A good coach has to talk about all aspects of the game. We touch on all aspects because you have to develop a mindset to be successful. That's a huge part of coaching. You have to get your plan down but you have to get things down mentally. That's critical. We connect with them emotionally everyday.

"We've actually done very well on offense. Trevor came back and finished great the other day but all you see on ESPN is that he threw two interceptions. No one talked about 20-for-29 and three touchdowns. But oh well ... we'll just keep plugging away. It's like everybody expects us to score every time we get the ball and make every catch and every block. But that's not reality."

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