The Challenge of Being a Clemson Tiger
CLEMSON — One might think that coaching some of the most talented players in the country is an easy task. You just throw them on the football field, tell them to go do what they do and then win games.
If only it were that easy.
In fact, the challenge of coaching a group of players that have never lost a college game may be lost on the average fan.
Which is why last week, the coaching staff spent some time reminding the players why the program has been so successful.
"Well you've got a lot of guys too that just got here," co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. "Since Trevor was a star, I think he's won every game by like 14 points. Every game that he's finished, he's won by 14 points, so he hadn't had much adversity other than a little bit of adversity at Syracuse when he got hurt last year. A lot of guys just haven't been in that situation. Until you win 20 games in a row, sometimes the older guys, they just, "Hey, this is what we do." Well, this is what we do, but it's got to be mental Monday. It can't just be well this is what we do on Monday, man this is 'Mental Monday', this is 'TANOGA (which stands for Take Aways, No Giveaways) Tuesday.'"
“At the beginning of our team meeting every Tuesday, coach Swinney has a video put together for our defense of any turnovers that they caused in the last game and then also other turnovers maybe in some of the NFL games or the opponent we’re getting ready to play,” fellow offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “Then you turn around, and (Swinney will) also show a bunch of pictures of great ball security. We’re just trying to get those guys a visual picture of that (as we are) coaching it. Really, that’s what we do. We coach it.”
Not only do the Tigers' have 'Mental Monday' and 'TANOGA Tuesday', they also have 'Working Man Wednesday', 'Team Thursday', "Focus Friday' and 'Successful Saturday',
All of the named days have a singular focus: to ensure that all of the Tigers, coaches and players, understand what it takes to maintain the level of success that they have experienced.
"Really just reemphasizing those core values," Elliott said. "Then the one game a season mentality too, that windshield mentality. It's always good for all of us, even adults, as coaches, to make sure that we're reminded of having that intense focus every single day, and one of the hardest things to do in life, for any of us, is to handle success. I think when you're chasing success, that's the easy part, because you're driven, and you're focused, and your mind is always set on it, but when you've had success, sometimes it's easy to just, "OK, it's just going to happen."
"That's why it's a good reminder for them to be up in North Carolina and then be reminded that, hey, we got what it takes to win. A lot of teams will probably lose in that situation, but we found a way to win, and then now this is really what we are. If we respect the process and handle it the right way, this is what we're capable of."
