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WEDNESDAY CLEMSON FOOTBALL NUGGETS
By: Larry Williams & Michael Neal
*** We thank Michael Neal for working with us this fall!
-- More to come, so please check back in this thread as we load additional notable quotes/notes from today's interviews.
(UNEDITED due to time constraints)
WADE WOODAZ
-- Was asked if there was anything in film they saw to utilize in punt block in the future. Said there wasn't anything specific. Just saw an opportunity and took it.
-- "Our linebacker room is loaded." Said the linebackers in front of him help him progress. Said coming in, he wasn't confident in himself physically. Didn't think he was ready. The veteran linebackers helped instill confidence in him. Said there were moments in camp where he knew "I can play with these guys."
-- Barrett Carter and him are good friends. Said he looks up to Barrett and reps with him are helpful for him to learn in practice.
-- Coach Swinney compared him to Isaiah Simmons. Isaiah redshirted and Wade considered redshirting as well, but felt like he was mentally prepared. He feels like he is comparable to Isaiah in terms of body type.
-- Said plays on special teams make a huge difference. Said it sets them up well for a scoring opportunity.
-- Was asked how Brent Venables leaving affected his recruiting process. Venables leaving made him upset, but he knew he would stay at Clemson and knew Wes Goodwin from recruiting as well. Clemson was his dream school.
-- Was asked about Wes Goodwin as a coach. Said he has been a huge help. Biggest aspect of coaching is that he helps to simplify defense for him. -- Michael Neal
CADE KLUBNIK
-- Said he had so much fun on that last series. He'd been dreaming about that moment for a long time. His mentality was to just enjoy every moment and approach it with joy.
-- He said the coaching staff went into the game with some hypotheticals about when he might play, but you just have to trust the flow of the game.
-- This QB room is extremely tight and he doesn't think that's normal. No tension at all.
-- Loves it that DJ has his back. "Hopefully he knows I"ve had his through the whole process."
-- He thinks making throws on the run and outside the pocket forces defenses not to stay in the same position the whole time.
-- On the criticism DJ received last year: "Quarterbacks will always get way too much praise and way too much hate." He's been really impressed by what he's seen from the offseason to now. "He's a grinder. I'm very encouraged."
-- On the offensive sputters in the first quarter: "I don't think Georgia Tech was stopping us. I think Clemson was stopping us."
-- Brandon Streeter told the offense yesterday that there will be "exponential" improvement from Game 1 to Game 2.
-- He's really thankful he came in January instead of the summer. Said it's made a world of difference in his knowledge of the playbook, protections, etc.
-- On Antonio Williams: "He is a really good football player." What he likes most about Williams is the joy with which he approaches everything. Always has a smile on his face. Always happy. No other high-profile receiver out there is going to be as humble as he is. He's always wanting to learn more.
-- Said he feels no different with 20 more pounds of muscle, though he's glad he didn't add 30. He doesn't feel 20 pounds heavier, still has his speed, and he believes that's through doing in the right way through the strength-and-conditioning process.
-- On Robert Griffin III's prediction that Klubnik will guide Clemson to a national title over his college career:
"I don't think I really had anything to do with that. I don't know how to answer that."
He explained he's had a close relationship with RGIII in recent years. It includes spiritual guidance, advice on picking the right school, and even dates to his life now.
"He's always been good to me. ... He's done it all. It was definitely a nice comment. But I don't think it means anything."
-- On Adam Randall:
"He's going to bring some stuff."
Asked to elaborate, he said:
"It's not something you can describe. It's just going to happen." -- Larry Williams
ANTONIO WILLIAMS
-- Said the atmosphere Monday night was "like a video game."
-- Feels like his biggest skillset he brings to the offense is explosiveness .
-- Said he and Will Taylor have had a strong relationship since high school, and said Will has worked at receiver even back then. Mentioned they would run routes together.
-- Was asked what he thought about Will as a receiver. "Shifty, quick, fast. Can make people miss, punt return. He can do it all."
-- Said it's "a lot" to learn the playbook. Is focusing on the little details, and avoiding mental errors.
-- Was asked about the recruiting process, and when Clemson entered the picture. Clemson was his last offer. Knew he wanted to come to Clemson but also knew he couldn't wait on one school. Said Clemson's coaches were honest with him, told him they had another receiver they had offered, and would offer Antonio if that receiver didn't commit.
-- Said throughout that process, he was compared to other Clemson receivers with his skill set, most recently Amari Rodgers.
-- Said Cade Klubnik was a factor in his commitment decision.
-- Said he wants to get stronger. Coming in he was at 180 lbs, and is at 192 currently. Coaches have not told him they want him to put on weight. -- Michael Neal
BLAKE MILLER
-- Was asked about why he chose Clemson over closer schools like Ohio State. Said one of the biggest reasons why he came here was getting the opportunity to go up against Clemson's defensive line every day in practice. Said "it'd be very difficult not to get better."
-- Was asked how much he learned from watching film this week. Said he needs to trust himself more in pass protection. Said the number one thing he's focusing on is keeping his hips square and not opening up too early.
-- Was asked about his run blocking compared to his pass protection. Said "there's work to be done in both."
-- Was asked what it's like having Walker Parks as a mentor. Said Walker is a huge mentor to him. Said Walker teaches him a lot mentally and physically. Said Walker helps walk through film with him.
-- Said game speed was not a hindrance for him in the game. Said the way Coach Swinney emphasizes tempo in practice prepared him well for Monday's game.
-- Said in the past he's had the tendency to "linger" in blocking. Said he feels like he's gotten better at it over time, but something he continues to work on.
-- Said Coach Streeter does a great job of pushing tempo in practice. Said tempo is something they can use to their advantage to wear teams down in games.
-- Said the most important learning curve was learning the playbook. Said picking up calls to change plays at the line of scrimmage was something he had to learn quickly. -- Michael Neal
WILL TAYLOR
-- Said the hardest part of the recovery process was trusting it would work out in the end. Said he struggled with doubt. Said he talked with Amari Rodgers about what he did to come back quickly, and how to regain explosiveness.
-- Said he feels more explosive than ever.
-- Was asked what it's like to get to play with Antonio Williams. Said Antonio was the same player in high school as he is right now. Said he enjoys competing against him in practice.
-- Said Antonio teaches him a lot about route running and the way he moves his body. Said Antonio helps walk him through playing receiver in practice every day. Said he learns from the way Antonio influences defensive backs at the top of his routes.
-- Was asked what he thought about Cade Klubnik's performance. Said he thought both DJ and Cade had a "really good night". Said Cade's drive looked just like practice. Said Cade is a great leader, brings a lot of energy to the team on and off the field.
-- Was asked about Adam Randall and his recovery. Said Randall looks great in practice. Said he's not sure when Randall will be back. -- Michael Neal
CLEARANCE SALE TODAY on officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
WEDNESDAY CLEMSON FOOTBALL NUGGETS
By: Larry Williams & Michael Neal
*** We thank Michael Neal for working with us this fall!
-- More to come, so please check back in this thread as we load additional notable quotes/notes from today's interviews.
(UNEDITED due to time constraints)
WADE WOODAZ
-- Was asked if there was anything in film they saw to utilize in punt block in the future. Said there wasn't anything specific. Just saw an opportunity and took it.
-- "Our linebacker room is loaded." Said the linebackers in front of him help him progress. Said coming in, he wasn't confident in himself physically. Didn't think he was ready. The veteran linebackers helped instill confidence in him. Said there were moments in camp where he knew "I can play with these guys."
-- Barrett Carter and him are good friends. Said he looks up to Barrett and reps with him are helpful for him to learn in practice.
-- Coach Swinney compared him to Isaiah Simmons. Isaiah redshirted and Wade considered redshirting as well, but felt like he was mentally prepared. He feels like he is comparable to Isaiah in terms of body type.
-- Said plays on special teams make a huge difference. Said it sets them up well for a scoring opportunity.
-- Was asked how Brent Venables leaving affected his recruiting process. Venables leaving made him upset, but he knew he would stay at Clemson and knew Wes Goodwin from recruiting as well. Clemson was his dream school.
-- Was asked about Wes Goodwin as a coach. Said he has been a huge help. Biggest aspect of coaching is that he helps to simplify defense for him. -- Michael Neal
CADE KLUBNIK
-- Said he had so much fun on that last series. He'd been dreaming about that moment for a long time. His mentality was to just enjoy every moment and approach it with joy.
-- He said the coaching staff went into the game with some hypotheticals about when he might play, but you just have to trust the flow of the game.
-- This QB room is extremely tight and he doesn't think that's normal. No tension at all.
-- Loves it that DJ has his back. "Hopefully he knows I"ve had his through the whole process."
-- He thinks making throws on the run and outside the pocket forces defenses not to stay in the same position the whole time.
-- On the criticism DJ received last year: "Quarterbacks will always get way too much praise and way too much hate." He's been really impressed by what he's seen from the offseason to now. "He's a grinder. I'm very encouraged."
-- On the offensive sputters in the first quarter: "I don't think Georgia Tech was stopping us. I think Clemson was stopping us."
-- Brandon Streeter told the offense yesterday that there will be "exponential" improvement from Game 1 to Game 2.
-- He's really thankful he came in January instead of the summer. Said it's made a world of difference in his knowledge of the playbook, protections, etc.
-- On Antonio Williams: "He is a really good football player." What he likes most about Williams is the joy with which he approaches everything. Always has a smile on his face. Always happy. No other high-profile receiver out there is going to be as humble as he is. He's always wanting to learn more.
-- Said he feels no different with 20 more pounds of muscle, though he's glad he didn't add 30. He doesn't feel 20 pounds heavier, still has his speed, and he believes that's through doing in the right way through the strength-and-conditioning process.
-- On Robert Griffin III's prediction that Klubnik will guide Clemson to a national title over his college career:
"I don't think I really had anything to do with that. I don't know how to answer that."
He explained he's had a close relationship with RGIII in recent years. It includes spiritual guidance, advice on picking the right school, and even dates to his life now.
"He's always been good to me. ... He's done it all. It was definitely a nice comment. But I don't think it means anything."
-- On Adam Randall:
"He's going to bring some stuff."
Asked to elaborate, he said:
"It's not something you can describe. It's just going to happen." -- Larry Williams
ANTONIO WILLIAMS
-- Said the atmosphere Monday night was "like a video game."
-- Feels like his biggest skillset he brings to the offense is explosiveness .
-- Said he and Will Taylor have had a strong relationship since high school, and said Will has worked at receiver even back then. Mentioned they would run routes together.
-- Was asked what he thought about Will as a receiver. "Shifty, quick, fast. Can make people miss, punt return. He can do it all."
-- Said it's "a lot" to learn the playbook. Is focusing on the little details, and avoiding mental errors.
-- Was asked about the recruiting process, and when Clemson entered the picture. Clemson was his last offer. Knew he wanted to come to Clemson but also knew he couldn't wait on one school. Said Clemson's coaches were honest with him, told him they had another receiver they had offered, and would offer Antonio if that receiver didn't commit.
-- Said throughout that process, he was compared to other Clemson receivers with his skill set, most recently Amari Rodgers.
-- Said Cade Klubnik was a factor in his commitment decision.
-- Said he wants to get stronger. Coming in he was at 180 lbs, and is at 192 currently. Coaches have not told him they want him to put on weight. -- Michael Neal
BLAKE MILLER
-- Was asked about why he chose Clemson over closer schools like Ohio State. Said one of the biggest reasons why he came here was getting the opportunity to go up against Clemson's defensive line every day in practice. Said "it'd be very difficult not to get better."
-- Was asked how much he learned from watching film this week. Said he needs to trust himself more in pass protection. Said the number one thing he's focusing on is keeping his hips square and not opening up too early.
-- Was asked about his run blocking compared to his pass protection. Said "there's work to be done in both."
-- Was asked what it's like having Walker Parks as a mentor. Said Walker is a huge mentor to him. Said Walker teaches him a lot mentally and physically. Said Walker helps walk through film with him.
-- Said game speed was not a hindrance for him in the game. Said the way Coach Swinney emphasizes tempo in practice prepared him well for Monday's game.
-- Said in the past he's had the tendency to "linger" in blocking. Said he feels like he's gotten better at it over time, but something he continues to work on.
-- Said Coach Streeter does a great job of pushing tempo in practice. Said tempo is something they can use to their advantage to wear teams down in games.
-- Said the most important learning curve was learning the playbook. Said picking up calls to change plays at the line of scrimmage was something he had to learn quickly. -- Michael Neal
WILL TAYLOR
-- Said the hardest part of the recovery process was trusting it would work out in the end. Said he struggled with doubt. Said he talked with Amari Rodgers about what he did to come back quickly, and how to regain explosiveness.
-- Said he feels more explosive than ever.
-- Was asked what it's like to get to play with Antonio Williams. Said Antonio was the same player in high school as he is right now. Said he enjoys competing against him in practice.
-- Said Antonio teaches him a lot about route running and the way he moves his body. Said Antonio helps walk him through playing receiver in practice every day. Said he learns from the way Antonio influences defensive backs at the top of his routes.
-- Was asked what he thought about Cade Klubnik's performance. Said he thought both DJ and Cade had a "really good night". Said Cade's drive looked just like practice. Said Cade is a great leader, brings a lot of energy to the team on and off the field.
-- Was asked about Adam Randall and his recovery. Said Randall looks great in practice. Said he's not sure when Randall will be back. -- Michael Neal
CLEARANCE SALE TODAY on officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
