Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday last weekend’s open date could not have come at a better time for his team. The extra time gave the Tigers’ bruised bones and bruised feelings coming off the Notre Dame loss some time to heal. With the exceptions of linebacker James Skalski and and receiver Frank Ladson, Swinney said the rest of his walking wounded will have a chance to play at Florida State Saturday, and that includes quarterback Trevor Lawrence who is coming off a bout with Covid. Clemson is a 33 point favorite.
Some key comments from Swinney’s press conference:
- Excited to get back at it this week, a much needed off week, took advantage of it to study themselves and get back to basics, getting some guys healthy.
- Florida State is a team that’s improving despite what the record says, improving greatly from the beginning of the year to where they are now.
- Florida State is playing a lot of young guys and they are competing, even in big loss to NC State last weekend the young players continued to compete.
- The Florida State quarterback is a problem, as good as you’ll see at making plays and scrambling, and they haven’t done a good job recently in getting a mobile quarterback on the ground.
- Impressive running backs, typically a two back set, good tight ends, schematically they know what they are doing and they are going to have to do better with basic things like tackling and fitting the gaps.
- FSU has two of the best looking defensive ends you’ll see, big and thick guys inside, FSU has improved and that’s what they need to do, get better coming out of open date.
- He’s looking for them to play their best football at FSU, it’s about them making those improvements that show progress coming out of an open date.
- Glad they didn’t play last week and they are in a better place with injuries, Skalski is still out but getting better, may be back next week, Ladson is out with a foot issue, hopeful for next week, everyone else is day to day.
- Lawrence has been great, ready to play, focused and well prepared, looking forward to getting back out there and leading the team. He has no lingering issues from the Covid.
- Lot more confidence with Uiagalelei being able to run without risking further injury to his shoulder if he plays at Florida State.
- Asked about Tony Elliott and Billy Napier being mentioned for USC job, he said Elliott, like all his coaches, are focused on Florida State, And he said Napier has done an awesome job at Louisiana, impressed with what he’s developed there.
Dabo Swinney press conference
