Dabo Swinney 2024 Clemson football season preview, pt. 2

Leed holding on to that ball yeah that's interesting it's I still don't know how he made that catch but I was going to ask about the expanded playoff um does that change the mindset here that maybe I don't know maybe there's a cushion if if a if a game you know doesn't go your way I I don't think it changes the mindset for us as coaches is what I mean you know I think as coaches you you try to have always have good perspective I mean it's hard to win maybe it changes the perspective for the fan base or something and you know I mean you know and we get away from if you lose a game the world is over and you know fire every player and every coach and you know that you see in all over college football um it's really hard to win you see that in the in it's it's more of I think an NL mindset there's there's very few NFL teams that I think you know realistically say we're probably not going to lose a game all season you know but it's about making the playoffs you know that's really what everybody's goal is and I think that is what will change gradually um within the psyche of college football as as it expands and probably will expand more is it's going to become all about the playoffs which is fine uh but I think there's probably unintended consequences for that too you know just like everything uh in that um you know probably probably as we've see guys opting out of bowl games and things like that you'll probably see some guys if if you're four and four and probably out of the play play offs probably see some guys head off to Arizona and train you know uh it's probably an unintended consequence you'll probably see some situations where like you see in the NFL you know you know I mean I mean the Ravens are in the playoffs they got it locked up right they got the buy or whatever and well they got one more game that really means nothing right because it's all about the playoffs so did you play Lamar in that game uh you know and that's probably an unintended consequence in college you know from a tradition standpoint is you know maybe you're 11 and0 and you got that rivalry game but oh you play your biggest foe next week in the conference Championship and if you win that game you're going to get a buy you know so those are things that are probably decisions you'll see play out all throughout college football and which will probably you know affect traditions and things like that but you know you got decision to make um if it's all about the playoffs you know and that's one change as as we've expanded the playoffs from two to four it becomes more about the playoffs as opposed to the regular season U regular season still obviously is matter because that's going to impact the playoffs but I'm just talking about the some of those unintended consequences but from our standpoint the psyche hadn't changed in that you know I mean we're all in trying to win every single game but we also as coaches is having done this for a long time you you you have perspective I mean again this is my 35th college football season I I've I've I've got 13 years at Alabama and going on 22 here uh so you know I try not to get too high or too low with a win or a loss uh you know try to have good healthy perspective and I think most coaches are that way you got to move on Big Win tough loss you got to move on you know because you want to have a great season and um so you you know that that part will probably change and I think maybe how people schedule will probably change you know in this era because I do think strength of schedule will probably become a a big factor even more so as the as the playoff expands um sort of along those lines I talking to a few people about the the over against Georgia obviously it's going to be a big National with a lot of eyeballs on it it probably does not end your playoff hopes or anything if if lose that game but it certainly as you alluded tells you a lot about who you are right off the bat how important is it for you to make a statement in that game do you think Beyond just you know hey we're still in it win or lose yeah if you win it it doesn't tell you much either you still got to go win the next game you know I I think that's just that's just honestly the way it what it is I mean I I I I just don't look at it that way I think it's a huge game I mean this is the best team in the country to me the last three years in totality in Georgia I don't think there's any question about that I mean they've been I mean you're and you're coming right out of the gate playing a team like that um I mean uh yeah you you you find out where you are in that moment uh for sure but you can't let that moment Define the rest of the season if you even if you win it if that's all about that well you get beat against app the next week quick and and and if you you know it doesn't go your way and and you you know just wall around in that then hey it's going to it's going to beat you two more times you know so hey man it's it's it's an opener and uh regardless of who we play you you want to you want to come out of camp and put your best foot forward and and this is just a situation where you got to be play off ready game one play one you know so uh it is what it is but it's exciting you know yeah it's a great opportunity for for both teams you know this is this this this is Big Time football out of the gate with two two really really good programs and again a team that I think has has you know in totality been clearly the best football you know program in the country the last three years one other thing sry pck back on that you talk about certain schedule potentially coming into even a bigger part of the conversation I am certain that there will be a point uh in the future where SEC or Big 10 is arguing hey our uh 9 and three is better than your 10 and two or something along those lines how how do you weigh strength the schedule versus in your games well I mean I I don't I mean we've always played a tough schedule here I mean we've kind of had that I mean all the way you can go all the way back forever with us I mean we've been a pretty much a 10 power I don't what are we now what we've been a a power five t uh deal ever since I got this job I it was something that I really pushed for uh and you know it's different was different then than it is now you know at the time my my push on that with Terry Don was the only way I can really build this program and teach and and you know change some narratives if you will was we need to go play people and like let's play anybody and and so we've done that and if you check our record against um you know the the the best of the best we've been pretty good you know when you play the best of the best you're not going to just walk in and win every time uh you know doesn't that's not the re Real World um you know look at the Chiefs last year how they didn't start off very well did they but nobody you know what's wrong with the Chiefs well they went on to win the Super Bowl uh you know so I think but when you're playing the best of the best it it's a few plays and so I think we've grown our program by playing a schedule the way we've played we know we're going to get everybody's Best Shot uh you know we we we wanted to get to we've never been to a champ championship game we went my very first year in ' 09 we didn't win the game but you know we got exposed to that and and that's kind of how we've you know built our program all the way through and we we've stepped out of conference and we've played a bunch of SEC teams we we certainly play South Carolina every year we we played Notre Dame um and um you know being able to play a team like Georgia I think is is another opportunity you know for that but the the now in today's world um that will matter for sure you know when whatever the committee looks like two years from now three years from now four years from now uh just like you see in basketball right you you see some some teams that maybe have great records but versus some teams that maybe don't have as good a record but they they give more weight to this team because you know they lost to this team and okay you beat this team uh different deal so I think that's something that everybody will have to to weigh on as they as they move forward speaking scheduling Clemson turned down the ACC and ESPN's request to play South Carolina on Friday night did Graham ask you if you had an opinion on that do you ever foresee where you would want to play a game on Friday night in De Valley yeah I yeah he did ask my opinion on that and and I just I was against it you know uh for several reasons um I I I said we'll do it I'm happy to go do it in Colombia if that's what they want to do but I was against it uh because I don't think it's what's best for Clemson you know you know I think sometimes we forget to do what's best for Clemson you know and and and I think it's not what's best for this town it's not what's best for this community this is not some big city you know uh the people in this town they I mean they they make their hay off of um those Saturdays and I think our students you know uh for them you know coming back here you know because they're off and for them come being able to come back on Friday after Thanksgiving with their family and be able to be here and create the type of atmosphere that we want um um you know that's that's kind of and again I've been here 22 going on 22 year so that's my perspective um you know and what's best for our students what's best for this town you know what's best for uh our fans and what's best for recruiting because now trying that's a big usually a big official visit weekend for us and to be enable in a big recruiting weekend and now you're trying to get recruits here to leave their homes on Thanksgiving that's hard to do um and and some of them are playing you know on on on Fridays and so that's just my that was my thoughts on it um I I didn't just my opinion and Graham IE I'm thankful that he supported that and um I'm glad it it is where it is uh but if they want us to go down there and play on Friday night next year we'll we'll we'll we'll do it but you know these Saturdays in the valley are special and they mean a lot to the to the fan base here and again if if it was a normal week and we're in school and things like that maybe it could have been a little bit of a different conversation but um you know I that wasn't something that that I was for Coach you talk about this being your 35th season in the game um obviously that game has changed over the 35 years that you've been a part of it college football how do you how do you not allow the added elements of portal and nil and now lawsuit for the ACC how do you not allow those to become a distraction to what you're building here and continuing building just focus on what matters every day what we control and and just our daily process that we have I mean that's the main thing there's always things that are completely outside of your control um but we just try to keep the main thing the main thing I mean you know lawsuits and all that stuff that's other people deal with all that um you know the the other changes in college football just it's just integrated into what you do every single day so um no different than any other change that happens from year to year uh but it's not a distraction it's just part of what we do coach at this point in the summer I'm wondering what youve seen out of your defensive front seven got a lot of dudes at linebacker coming back Barett Carter Wade woodz another year older then on the defensive line you got Pete Woods TJ Parker just how good can that group of linebackers and defensive line and be this year well we're going to find out I mean we got a lot of guys on that side of the ball that's got a little bit on their resume uh but you know it's it's to be determined um you know I think they got a lot to prove I mean we had two freshman all-americans last year and TJ and and and Peter um but you know can they go build on that you know that neither one of them were uh Elite last year uh they have the ability to be great great players but they got to take they got to take another step this year you know um you know they there's a lot of things that they needed to improve upon and they've worked really hard and Coach een and Coach rump are pushing those guys I mean we got guys you know Kart y'all saw him come on last year pton Paige I'm proud of those guys and where they are and how they worked U but you know there's a lot of guys that that have a lot to prove I think up front that are eager to get the opportunity a guy like Trey Williams who's been kind of up and down throughout his career really just injuries and you know for him to be able to have a full spring and now a full summer you know I think he's a guy that could could make some noise we got some Dynamic young players that you know like a Steph Allen Green a big b who haven't played as much that I think can can come along and add the type of depth Jahim um Arman Hoffler I mean we got we got a lot of guys but you know I think a bunch of them a bunch of them are are still a work in progress and certainly we know what we got in Barrett and wood as I mean those are two big- time leaders for us unbelievably committed guys um Barrett came back you know to to finish and uh you know we expect him to finish very well and to lead this group same thing with RJ you know we've got a good little veteran group and RJ and venables and Koval coming back he's a going to be a third year guy to to go along with some some really young talented guys got like khil and kylin you know and then we got some guys like Robert Billings and Colin Griffin I mean um kin Webb that um you know didn't play as much last year they're coming off of red shirts to mix in with that group you had some freshman receivers have success here the last couple of years traditionally going back a decade You' had that what do Wesco and Moore bring to this offense can they bring an different level of explosiveness yeah well I haven't been on the field with TJ yet so I can't I can't really answer that uh obviously we know what he did in high school um but haven't coached him yet I mean just you know what we loved about him in high school is easy to see I mean he's a big body uh big bodied receiver he's got good good um you know Collision balance and body control and and and he's got Elite ball skills that's what we've seen on tape um you know we'll see what happens in Camp Wesco I got a different answer because I've I've seen him since January and I've had a chance to be on the field with him and Coach him and you know he's he's a kid that that you know just took to it right away I mean he's a natural uh was not overwhelmed you know needed to really develop he he needed a big January to August and he's not going to be a finished product this year but but he's he's made the strides that he needed to make to enhance his his ability to compete um but you know the biggest thing is he wasn't overwhelmed from the speed of the game he was not overwhelmed I thought early on in the spring game which was the first time he was kind of out there I I saw that was the first time I saw he kind of looked like a freshman early uh but then he kind of settled in U to what I'd seen all spring but the main thing with him is he just mentally took to it you know like a fish the water I mean it was just natural and that's what I'm excited about with him uh so uh can't wait to get on the field with TJ and and be able to kind of value where he is but you know it's a it's a it's a deep room it's going to be a ton of competition we're really excited about it and uh man just just thankful that that we that we've got the type of talent in that room and more importantly the health I mean we got 10 guys uh to go to tile with and two or three good walk- on guys that that really give us some good depth but um should be fun to watch you think there'll be any kinde of learning curve for wood as moving some life full time um I mean yeah I mean there's always a learning curve anytime you're like doing something full-time for the first time um but I think he's a natural I mean I think he's played enough football he's got enough experience he's he's he's guy's a worker man I mean whatever he's needed to do to get himself ready to go have a great year he's done that and uh so I I don't I don't have any concerns about him not that he's going to be perfect not and make every play and never bust an assignment but um I I've got I got a ton of confidence in Wai yeah you talked about how excited you are about that running back room how has Jarvis Green come along what have you seen from him in the spring leading up into Camp yeah had a good spring I mean he he's he's in natural Runner he's got good Vision you know comes from a great program uh it was well coached in high school he really understands you know our schemes and and how to how to how to run the football I mean he just he's he's uh uh good in the passing game I think the biggest surprise to me was his how he picked things up in the protection uh so just a you know he's a guy that just need to see more of need to see more scrimmage reps uh I think you know get into some some game situations because he didn't get a lot of opportunity last year so a lot of competition this spring I thought he took advantage of it uh e coming in a lot to learn game was kind of fast for him this spring uh big body really fast explosive kid uh you know I hopefully I'll see a little more confidence in him when we get on the field uh Jay Haynes I mean you know I mean he he's he's he's like we I mean we we've seen flag es of him uh but every time we've gotten excited about him he's been unavailable uh he was literally getting ready to play last year and pull a hamstring and then later part of the year we were bringing him back so you know I just CAU I'm cautious about him uh I'm excited because I know what we've seen but we just need to have him available and if he is I think he can compete um and then you throw in you know um hammerhead I mean Kei is Kei kind of his own deal I mean he's a he's he's different from everybody uh when it comes to his style of play and and he definitely can help our football team but um you know Jarvis and and E and Jay that'll be a I think that'll be a great battle but Jarvis is he's he's just a natural instinctive football player knows how to play the game knows how to use what he has he's not as big as you'd like but he plays big you know he's not as fast as maybe you'd like but he plays fast you know he's just a really really good football player you haven't had a running back 15s game do you anticipate MAA sort of being in more of that Wayne Gman type of role or do you see one of those guys or maybe multiple of those guys you just mentioned getting a pretty hefty share of the I I would I would say certainly early part of the year I would I would expect that you know I think it'll all start with mafa I mean there's there's a it's just you know it's been a while since we've had you know that type of Separation you know not necessarily from talent but just everything else you know experience knowledge you know really just totality of understanding and ownership of of what you're doing so uh I would definitely think you know at least early part of the year you're going to see you know us us probably hopefully hit more than that uh with mafa but you know we'll see we'll see how it all all plays out this morning was actually likening Bill's experience journey to his own Sharon ball J Davis for years and then his last season it was you was the alpha guy how do you how do you see Phil kind of taking on that taken to that role of being the alpha yeah same thing you know Phil had a decision to make you know he certainly could have gotten drafted and and gone pro um but I think he came back you know for that I mean he he needed he needed he wants to he really wants to be the guy and and man he has asserted himself that way it's been fun to watch him because as y'all know Phil's kind of a quiet kid it's been fun to watch him kind of find his voice you know with this team um I would say the same thing about Phil that I said about Barrett I mean he came back here to finish and he's been Relentless toward that that Pursuit ever since and he's done a great job you know leading his room he knows that that he's we got some talented guys but they're just not where he is you know from a from a u experience standpoint and so he's done a great job of really I think shortening the learning curve for those guys and really bringing those guys along getting them ready helping create confidence uh in them uh we were smart with his reps this spring just simply because we wanted to force the issue with those other guys and obviously we didn't have Jay out there so he'll be in the mix come fall camp but I'm proud of mafa I mean I really am he's uh he's going to be representing you know one of our represent is at the media day next week and um it's it's again that's that's what I love about my job is is you know seeing this quiet not real confident kid coming out of high school to now who he is U and seeing that transformation you know that's that's the best part of what I get to do and seeing that in these young people you mentioned Place kicking