Swinney 'Proud' of Effort Against Georgia; Updates Injuries and SC State
Clemson will return to Death Valley for its 2021 home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 when the Tigers welcome the South Carolina State Bulldogs. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET
Swinney and his squad will look to rebound from a hard-fought 10-3 defeat at the hands of No. 5 Georgia in last week's season opener. Clemson's experienced defense kept the Tigers in the game, holding the Bulldogs to 256 total yards and only three offensive points. Seven years earlier, Clemson dropped a season opener at Georgia in 2014 in which the Tiger defense surrendered 459 yards, including 328 yards on the ground. Despite that performance, Clemson's 2014 defense would rebound to lead the nation in total defense that year, averaging only 260.8 yards per game.
"Really tough loss, obviously, this past week but really proud of the efforts of our team proud of the grit, and the will to win that I saw in our guys and then also how they responded, that's been a, that's been a real positive over the last couple of days," Swinney said. "So we've had wind around here in the past where I've not been real happy, and we've had losses around here, watch the tape...because I didn't see what I want, I didn't see what you have to have in place to be able to win. And that was not the case, Saturday night, everything, you know, from an intangible standpoint that I think you got to have to win was on full display with our kids, their fight their heart, their will to win their expectation, man was tremendous, that toughness, all of those things.
"We certainly got a lot to learn from that game...We got to improve on our details our fundamentals, and we got to eliminate critical mistakes. That's, that's what football is all about I think football punishes you for mistakes. It rewards precision and details. And that's, that's the difference in the game was Saturday night, it's just, just the stakes and just details and fundamentals offensive because played well enough to win, and the other two phases so. But I will say this I think we got a chance to be one of the better teams... I think this is all said and done, as we have one of the better teams we've had since I've been a coach"
This week, South Carolina State enters the game following a tough loss of its own, dropping its opener at Alabama A&M, 42- 41. Clemson enters Saturday's cross-subdivision game 35-0 against Football Championship Subdivision teams since the NCAA formed the division prior to the 1978 season.
Even though this week's Bulldog team is from the FCS, Swinney still believes that his team will be challenged.
"These kids will be excited to play, and we're looking forward to compete against these guys," Swinney said. "But for us, just, again, improving our team, proven out improving our details or chemistry or fundamentals, eliminating those critical mistakes. Building upon the good things that we did in the game because there were a lot of good things in the game.
"This past week, it just, you know, continue to move forward, and then get back in the valley. This is, this is something we've been looking forward to for a long time. I'm happy for our fans. I know it's gonna be a great environment. Our players are super excited."
Injury Update:
E.J. Williams: "EJ (Williams) really wants to try to play and see if he can do it. He is going to have surgery (ligament). He thinks he can play. We will see how he practices today and tomorrow...They have a plan on how they will tape him up."
Nolan Turner: "Nolan's great. He's not going to play this week, but he's really close. Excited about where he is and when we get him back."
