Jason Priester All Clemson
Sunday Notebook: Swinney Updates Injuries, Says Win Over Louisville Just What Tigers Needed
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With his team facing the prospect of losing back-to-back games in the same season for the first time since 2011, Dabo Swinney wanted to see his team respond after its uncharacteristic performance in South Bend.
The Tigers did just that, as No. 10 Clemson knocked off a red-hot Louisville team 31-16, extending the nation's longest home winning streak to 39 games. After starting the season 1-2, the Cardinals came in winners of four straight and five out of the past six.
The Clemson offense totaled more than 400 yards of offense for the fourth time this season, while the defense did enough to hold the dynamic Louisville offense in check. The win gave the Tigers the Atlantic Division title outright.
"Just what we needed a great response," Swinney told the media on Sunday. "Far from perfect, but we played tough and we played physical. That's just the basic things you got to do to have a chance to win a football game. So it was good to see us really show up with the right mindset and mentality. Proud of the guys again for how they responded and to win the division outright."
Outside of Tyler Venables, who left after injuring a hamstring, Swinney said the Tigers came out of the game relatively healthy.
"The main guy is Venables, he pulled his hamstring pretty good so he's gonna be out for a little while," Swinney said. "And I hate that for him because he really just kind of got himself back rolling after several injuries.
"Other than that, I think we're in a good spot. Hopefully get the guys that were out, get them maybe back this week. And Beaux (Collins), we'll see where he's at. We're going to work him back into practice but we'll see where he's at as we go."
Sunday Notebook
On Barrett Carter Possibly Moving to WILL and Trenton Simpson back to SAM
"I think that's what we do as coaches is always evaluate. I'd say it gives us a lot of flexibility for sure, with how we can use our personnel. Trenton can play anywhere. He's a special player. But I think certainly, that's Barrett's, where he's going to be long-term and gives us a little flexibility coming off a game like that. But Trenton, he played great last year (at SAM). And his knowledge of the game has grown so much to get nine games playing inside. So he's had two years playing a little bit on the edge and doing some multiple things. So again, we've got a little bit more flexibility within our personnel that we necessarily didn't have going into that game. So I think that's a blessing."
On Mitchell Mayes Filling In for Walker Parks
"He did pretty good. I was proud of him. I mean, he had a few plays here or there where he didn't cover a guy up or got on the edge of a guy but overall a very good first start for him and so proud of him. We ran the ball very well. And again, he had some minuses here or there but it was a good start for him and I think a big confidence builder."
Looking Ahead to ACCCG Against North Carolina
"We haven't had a lot of crossover games with them with the teams that we have been playing and that team has played them. I want to say maybe it was one game but not a lot as far as that. But I've been able to watch them a good bit and see them and they've just gotten better and better and better as the year has gone. Offensively, they've been incredibly explosive all year. And it looks like defensively they've gotten better and better as the year has gone. That's why they won the division. And, It'll be a great matchup here in a few weeks but both of us got we got work to do before we get to that."
On Freshman LB Wade Woodaz Stepping Up Against Cardinals
"He's a baller. He's very similar to Barrett. He's very similar to Isaiah (Simmons). He's just, he's more like Barrett than Isaiah. And what I mean by that is just Isaiah, he wasn't a great player when he got here. He had a lot to learn. Whereas Barrett and Woodaz were ready the day they got here. I mean, they were like veterans the time they showed up. They really understand football at a very high level."
"Woodaz played quarterback most of his career and he played all safety. So I mean, the game comes easy to him. Then he's just got great attributes. He's long, he's tough. He's smart. He can really run. He's a physical kid by nature. So I mean, he's one of those guys like Barrett that can play a lot of positions. He could play anywhere. I mean, he really could go play safety for us and be excellent. So it's great that he's been able to, and that's why we played him this year."
Assessing the Play Of the Corners
"I think Sheridan (Jones) has done a nice job. He's been very steady. He's been around a while and played a lot of ball. Smart kid. He's really a student of the game and he's been a very steady and calming presence out there.
"Nate (Wiggins) is, he's a little inconsistent at times on some things that we need, but you saw some physicality yesterday. He makes a lot of plays on the ball. I was obviously really disappointed with the double move big play and that's more to me, that's a young player that really isn't processing the situation of the game, and what's happening. That's just an area he's got to continue to improve.
"Both of those guys have really given us some continuity and stability at the corner position. And I think that Nate's just gonna get better and better and better. Again, is a first-year starter, still a young player. I think it's important to him. And I think he's got he's got an incredibly high upside
On R.J. Mickens' Play of Late
"He's a very good football player, plays a lot of positions for us. Incredibly smart, instinctive to the game. Sees things before they happen. Incredibly coachable, tough, physical guy. His father played a long time in the NFL and I mean, he's grown up around ball his whole life and just really gets it on a lot of levels that a lot of kids don't. Really proud of him. You saw him play multiple positions yesterday and you'll continue to see that but he's really, really grown into a very good and dependable player for us."
On What's Led to Success On Opening Drives
"Everybody scripts plays but it's rare that you stay on script as you go through your opening drive. Because you don't know when a second-and-long is gonna come up, a third down or a third-and-long.
"But I just think great preparation. I believe seven out of our 10 games we've scored on the opening drive. And one of those that we didn't, we scored on the second drive against Florida State. Obviously, the past two weeks weren't very good, but we've started pretty fast. We just got to be a little more consistent in between. And a lot of it is turnovers and penalties. We continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. Jumping offsides on first down, I don't know how many times we've done that. It just puts you in a hole and then you miss plays. We had three trips in plus territory yesterday that we got zero points. So again, not perfect yesterday but again, we played tough. We played physical. The quarterback played well. We made some big plays. But I do like how we started for sure."
On Getting DJ Uiagalelei Involved In Run Game Early
"We felt like, especially with their style of play, that was gonna be important, to run DJ. Just kind of coming off two really just not so great weeks, wanted to try to just see if we could just get him involved early with the run game and kind of settle him in. And he did a great job for us. It was a great touchdown run that he made, really well blocked and well set up and we did a great job of finishing it. Did a good job on several plays throughout the game. So proud of him. He's at his best when he's really involved in all aspects of the game and he gets some rhythm and it was definitely a focus for us just trying to get him going early."
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