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CLEMSON | The following is an abbreviated version of quotes and notes from Dabo Swinney's Tuesday news conference with members of the media earlier today ahead of Saturday night's showdown in Death Valley with No. 7 Miami.
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The unedited video of today's news conference also is shown below.
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-- "This is the biggest challenge we have had all year for sure. This is a complete football team. They've got dudes everywhere. They're fast offensively. Their quarterback is a special player. They have speed and length outside. They have two tight ends who are first two round type of guys. They are incredibly fast with their tempo. And they are balanced in what they do. We have our hands full. There is nothing their quarterback cannot do. He's got a mindset of a running back. He's averaging 5.4 yards after contact, so he's very physical. He's averaging 15 yards a scramble and has made huge plays in the passing game. A big challenge for us.
"Defensively, they have a lot of special talent up front. They've got the player of the year from Temple and that No. 15, he is a long, physical, violent athlete coming off the edge. They have a bunch of guys who can run on the back end. A complete team. We have our hands full, but we are excited about it. It gets tougher as you go, which is the way it should be."
-- "The rest of this week, we have two more tests Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully we will get good results there."
-- "After three games, special teams has been the most pleasing part. It is a part of our plan to win ... to make a difference in the game with special teams. We have done that. Spiers has been really good for us. Potter, our whole battery, has been excellent there. Our return game ... we have had some explosives there."
-- (On Miami's front four): "That's where it starts for those guys to be disruptive and they are. They're very disruptive. They're off the ball, in-your-grits, quick guys. They're not sitting around waiting on anything. They bring a fair amount of pressure as well, whether it be zone pressures or blitzing more than you can block. They definitely are not afraid to bring pressure, whether it be corner blitzes, plugging backers or adding on. They're fast and physical up front."
-- (On Bryan Bresee): "We're getting more than we could have expected. He's a true freshman. He's got two or three sacks and that is with limited snaps. He has a bright, bright future. He'll be a freshman All-American type of guy. The game is natural to him. He's so physical and athletic. He will get better and better as he gets older. Bryan is a special talent but far from a complete player. I'm excited about him."
-- (Potential for explosive plays Saturday): "High probability. A bunch of guys on both sides who will be playing on Sundays. This will be a great game. That's why they made it gameday."
-- (Weather for the weekend): "I haven't looked at it one time. Not one second. What good would that do me? We've played in Hurricanes before. We've got double Hurricanes this week. Whatever the good Lord gives us, if it's the same weather for both teams, none of it matters."
-- (On possibilities of smack talk Saturday): "I like for guys to go play the game. You only have so much energy. And it is an emotional game for sure. I think there is a difference in being emotional and reactive. Just play the game. There is energy and competitiveness. We want to win on the scoreboard. To do that you have to focus on how you are playing, not who you are playing and what they may be saying."
-- (Andrew Booth's INT vs. UVA): "He wasn't really 100-percent last year but did get some experience. He got a chance to learn from a guy like A.J. Terrell last year. Derion Kendrick was a first-year guy and he too was trying to figure things out. Andrew has been awesome. I love our corners. We've got several guys who can play. You saw that the other night. To be honest, I don't care who runs out there first. I trust all of them. We can keep guys fresh and hopefully get better as the game goes. We can have the kind of depth that you need to have there. Booth has a very bright future."
-- (On the PAC 12 commissioner's proposal for an 8-team CFP): "I guess you're picking us to get beat this week, huh? I won't waste any brain cells on that. My focus is on what I can control. I want to get my team ready to play. I have no idea what they're going to do. I just want us to do a good job this week."
-- (Have you heard from Deshaun Watson since the shakeup in Houston and are you ready for your name to be floated around as a candidate): "I have not heard from Deshaun and that is not even anything that I want to think about. You would be the one to ask that question. You want to ask anything about Miami? Next question."
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