Wednesday Notebook: Dabo Swinney Provides Latest Injury Updates On Simpson, Collins

Clemson welcomes Miami to town looking to extend its ACC record winning streak at home to 40 games.

The Hurricanes (5-5, 3-3), led by first-year head coach Mario Cristobal, come in fresh off a 35-14 road win over Georgia Tech, improving their record away from home to 3-1 on the season.

The ninth-ranked Tigers (9-1, 7-0) are also looking to extend the program's streak of 10-win seasons to 12, the second-longest active streak in the country.

Head coach Dabo Swinney met with the media one final time ahead of the weekend matchup and discussed a number of topics, including whether WR Beaux Collins and LB Trenton Simpson might return against the Hurricanes.

"I think (Simpson) and Beaux are both, as we said the other day, kind of day-to-day, working back into practice," Swinney said. "And I think both those guys have a chance, so we're hopeful."

Swinney then went on to confirm that OL Will Putnam would be back this weekend, but also shared the news that OL Mason Trotter would not return to the field after back surgery earlier in the fall. Trotter had not appeared in any games for the Tigers this season.

"Back in September, late September, they had to do back surgery on (Trotter), and he's done," Swinney said. "They're not going to let him play anymore, which is very disappointing because he was a guy that we were anticipating getting back."

Wednesday Notebook

On the Return of Former Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele

"He's a great coach. He's always been a great coach. Usually, four down. That's typically kind of how he's played but a lot of man coverage. Multiple with his coverages, aggressive attack type of defense. That's kind of how he's always done it. Then I think he's been able to adapt wherever he's been in the personnel that he has. Obviously, this is his first year down there and they're still trying to all get on the same page and all that type of stuff, but the basics of who he is still in play."

Taking Pride In Current Streak of 10 Win Seasons

"It means a lot. Right now there's only two teams in the history of football that have 12 10-plus win seasons and that's Bobby Bowden's Florida State and then this current Alabama group. Nick Saban. So we have a chance to be the third this weekend to ever do that in the history. So it's something that we all take a lot of pride in."

"I'm just appreciative of all the teams that have battled to keep the streak like that alive. It's just amazing. It really is and especially when you think about you had to overcome COVID. How many teams won 10 games during COVID. And then last year, beginning 4-3 and winning six in a row to finish the year was amazing. So it's special, and it's the type of consistency that leads to championships. You're not going to win a championship every year but when you can have that type of consistency, competitively you put yourself in position, and you'll have your fair share of those opportunities."

On Freshman WR Cole Turner and If His Size Is a Shortcoming

"His size is a blessing. He's long, man. He's really a long, strong kid. I mean, obviously, he's gonna continue to fill out but he's put together pretty good. He's worked hard since he got here. I think the biggest shortcoming is just experience. Hasn't played a ton of football. But he's a very natural guy. And the biggest challenge has been just kind of not playing him. And I'm excited that we can, this last part of the season here, be able to start getting him some experience on special teams and just try to get him in some games."

On Defining the "Die" In Do or Die Situation DJ Uiagalelei Faced Against Louisville

"I don't know. We just had to deal with it. But bottom line is you got to play better, or you got to do something different. So what's that look like? No set.... You could put somebody (else) in there, they may not do well. But he said he knew. So he played well and he's played well in eight games. Eight of our 10 game he's played good."

"He's had two he didn't play well and they were in a row. So to have three bad ones in a row would have been, you know, just something you got to give someone else an opportunity. But I'm proud of him. He responded and we won the game but that's kind of where we are. We got to all coach well, we got to play well. This is the fourth quarter of our season and it's on all of us to be at our best right now."

On Whether Staff Will Look to Portal to Replace Mason Trotter

"We feel really good about our depth. I mean, who knows. As I say every year I mean, for us the portal is about responding strategically if you have gaps. But we feel really good about it. We only got one senior in J-Mac (Jordan McFadden) and everybody else is back."

On Miami TE Will Mallory

"He's a good player. I mean, I think the biggest thing is they've had to play three quarterbacks. But he's a good player. They got some long dudes around him. And I'm not sure who's gonna play quarterback for them, but he's definitely a guy who regardless of who's in there, you know can make plays."

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