These are full quotes from today's media pool. They come in from Graham Ferrell, Michael Cavallaro and Patrick Chambrovich.
(UNEDITED due to time constraints)
TONY ELLIOTT (Michael)
On where the offense is now compared to where it was at the time of the quarterback change:
"I think that a lot of the younger guys have gotten some experience. So, I think it comes down to the cohesion and chemistry. Back then, you're playing a lot of guys and I was still feeling it out at running back. I think that now guys are more comfortable with the rotation and the communication level. They know what to expect out of each other. Overall, the chemistry and cohesion is consistent. Earlier in the season when you're playing a lot of guys, you're still trying to develop that. But, I think now everybody knows what it's going to look like for the most part, game in and game out. They know how to prepare and they're executing at a high level."
On not taking the ACC Championship Game for granted:
"No question. The way that Coach Swinney sets up our program, this is one of our goals on our board. The national championship is not a goal per se - it's a by-product of reaching the other goals that we have set. It's just like the state championship. The state championship is something that we have on our board, and something that we can control and achieve. It's hard to win a football game. Trust me that these guys aren't looking beyond this one.
"We know that we're going to get the best effort from Pitt. They're going to be a very confident team. These seniors and juniors actually lost to these guys - their only home loss. They're going to be excited to play and nobody is taking this for granted. I think that this team is very focused. They have some goals, and to achieve those overall goals they have to take it one game at a time. Nobody's looking past an ACC championship, and we're going to celebrate just like we did last week after we won the state championship."
On this year's Pitt team compared to Pitt's 2016 squad:
"Structurally, they're very similar. It starts with Coach Narduzzi and his philosophy on defense. You can see that they're going to have a seventh defender whether it's the nickel Sam folding in on the run scheme, you can see the safeties are going to fit aggressively. They're geared to stop the run. They're going to rely on their corners to play man coverage and make you throw and make contested plays. They're very similar. He's mixing up a little bit of coverage. He's bringing some pressures to stop the run. You can see they've got some experienced guys in the back that communicate well. They read their keys very quickly. They get to their spots.
"Our guys are going to have to do a good job of making sure that we understand the tendencies that they're looking at - try to disguise those and then win at the point of attack. They're long at defensive end, they do a good job with their inside guys holding the point of attack, their linebackers are downhill. It's going to be an aggressive defense that is going to challenge us."
On advantage of having experience in so many ACC Championship Games:
"I think the guys have confidence in the routine of preparing. Obviously, they have to go out and play four quarters and execute at a high level, but I think they understand what the week is going to look like. It's going to look like any other week when we approach it, the only difference might be when we get there we'll go walk around the stadium on Friday. The schedule is going to be the same here in terms of game prep. I think the guys have been there and know what to expect. They play in the greatest atmosphere in the country here at home, so they're not going to be intimidated by the size of the crowd or the size of the stadium. The biggest thing is that they don't deviate from the plan that has made us successful up to this point."
On if this advantage is noticeable while facing first-time ACC Championship opponents:
"It's hard to say because I'm not in their locker room and I don't know what their preparation process is. I just focus on Clemson and getting our guys ready to go. Obviously, they have done a good job over the past several years of getting ready and prepared and playing well in this game. Again, it's a by-product of the way we set up our season. We know that we're in the primetime championship phase and you work all year to play in November and December - and really people only remember what you do in November and December. We have that mindset and we're going to go out to work and come out on Saturday night - we have to go 1-0 this week, and put all our emphasis, and empty the tank to leave no doubt that we are what we've been able to accomplish so far."
On facing fourth different ACC Championship Game opponent in four years and how that underscores the consistency of Clemson's program:
"I think that at the end of the day, the numbers and records speak for themselves. I really can't say anything about the other side of the division. We just focus on winning our division and being the best version of ourselves. It doesn't matter who we play. We look forward to playing whoever has earned the right. You can't discredit Pitt and what they've done this season. They've earned the right to be in the ACC Championship - they have beaten the teams that they needed to win and now they're going to be there and they're going to be fired up and confident. We're just focused on having our best week of preparation and going out and playing whoever lines up across from us."
On Jackson Carman:
"Everyday you see a little more maturity out of him. Obviously, we know how physically talented he is, but also you see a lot more maturity - trying to take ownership of the little things. That's really what it takes. For him, coming in, there's a lot of expectations. You're playing behind Mitch (Hyatt) and what I've seen is that he really has absorbed the relationship and the information that Mitch is passing onto him and you're starting to see more consistency in his play. Whenever we can get him experience it's huge for him."
On Matt Bockhorst:
"As a guy coming off of injury, we knew that he had the demeanor and just the nastiness about him. Then, John (Simpson) goes down and he jumps in there and all those guys played physically up front. They had a point to prove and really wanted to own the line of scrimmage. He's a guy that with reps, he's going to get better. He had some reps early in the season, then he got banged up against Florida State and missed some time. Now, he's feeling good. He had to go in just like Gage (Cervenka) stepped in at center. Credit to all those guys for being ready to play. And just the mentality as a whole with the program of next man up. You're one play away from the team counting on you to win the game."
On Travis Etienne's occasional fiery personality on the sidelines:
"I don't get to see that much out of Travis because I'm up in the box. That's good to know because I'm trying to push those buttons to get him to be consistent and perform at the highest level possible week in and week out. I don't think he understands how much talent he actually has - he just goes out there and plays football. He's just a happy-go-lucky guy - really unassuming and humble. He just goes out there and does what he does.
"I'm trying to push him to be the best version of himself and he's making steps. He's still a young guy, just a sophomore. He's still making the transition, and to see and know that he cares - that's what you look for as a coach. I didn't get to see the actual reaction, but just to know that it's that important to him, I could see that I'm finally able to push the buttons and know that he's going to be the best version of himself. That's really what my job is - and whatever happens after that happens. Just knowing that he cares - I put a lot on him. He's the lead guy in that room. He's the first guy that runs out. I put a lot of stress on that guy because he has to set the tempo and set the example for all the guys in that room. And then all those guys have to follow and prepare themselves for when they have to run out there and have that same mentality."
On Adam Choice:
"I don't normally smile much after the game because I'm exhausted and put a lot into it. Really, my focus is not for me to smile but to see the players smile. I had a big smile on my face for Adam Choice. I said it after the game. I'm glad that his mom pointed this out after the game - Christy Fuller was there and I know how tight he and CJ were, and what this game meant to him, and what he has meant to me. He has just been a rock. We talk about Travis, we talk about Lyn-J (Dixon), we talk about Tavien (Feaster). Adam is sometimes the forgotten one, but really he's the rock of that room.
"I'm looking forward to him possibly being a team captain. That's something that I want out of my room. I was a team captain and that's probably one of the greatest accomplishments of my career is to be considered a team captain and he's that caliber of young men. Obviously, the team will vote on it and we don't know those results yet, but I see him as a possible team captain. For him to be able to finish in the Valley that way, and to have three touchdowns, and to see that smile on his face. It wasn't a smile because he had three touchdowns, but it was because, 'Man, how cool was that. I put an exclamation point on my career.' That's what made it so special for me with him."
On possibility of Clemson coaches winning three consecutive Broyles Awards:
"That would be awesome for Brent (Venables) to introduce me, and then for me to have the opportunity to introduce Jeff (Scott) would be so awesome. The relationship that Jeff and I have, starting off here as stretch partners and the run that we've been on together. I know what he stands for, and after learning what Coach Broyles stood for and what he embodied - hopefully he will be a finalist. I know I have to go back out there - as part of the ceremony they always bring back the previous year's winner - so, I'm hoping that he and Sara get to experience that. If it's the Lord's plan, we'll have a hat trick, but if he's there that's going to be an awesome experience for he and I to go through together and add to the other experiences that we have had together."
On Tavien Feaster's touchdown run:
"First of all, it was blocked beautifully. As I was going through my game breakdown in my notes, that's the only comment I had for the offense was, 'Man, that was beautiful.' They fit it up exactly how you would draw it up on the board - the back is untouched one-on-one to the safety. Tavien was patient and he found it. Something that I challenge to my guys every day in practice is don't go through the motions, finish every single run. He finished that run the way that I've been challenging in practice. It wasn't much, it was just a subtle little redirect of his body weight. He got his safety to lean and now he's in a position to be violent if he needed to be violent. I think it's just a function of now he's healthy and confident. He knows that he's the second one going into the game - he knows about when he's going to enter the game. He's feeling confident in his role, he understands his role, so when he gets out there he can go play."
On Trevor Lawrence running:
"I've said it all along - Trevor can run. A lot of people don't give him credit for his athleticism, but that's what he does. Really, you see the benefit of his legs in the pocket and how he extends plays. The touchdown he threw to Tee (Higgins) - he slid in the pocket and used his legs to throw a dart to Tee. So, as he continues to grow and get more confident, then he's going to find just like Deshaun (Watson) did as he got further in his career - 'Okay, that's not open downfield, let's extend the play, extend myself, and move onto the next one.' As we continue to go and he's more comfortable - then there's going to be some situations like on that third-and-three. It was an RPO and they took the pass away and he had to pull it down and did a good job and looked confident doing it. As we go forward, we're going to have to use every aspect of every guy as we get into the championship phase."
On opening up the offense:
"I think that each week poses a challenge in itself. Every defensive coordinator is going to have a plan of attack. They're going to want to take away an aspect of your game. As we go each week, we try to add a few things, but really we're at a point now where he have to be good at our base stuff. Our guys are a lot more confident with the base stuff and then we add the tweaks each week based off of the gameplan. We'll never try to add to much just for the sake of saying that we're great coaches and whatnot, but we're going to make sure that we have a plan that fits the scheme and also puts our players in a position to be successful."
On Lyn-J Dixon's fumble:
"I use the example all the time of Wayne Gallman in the national championship when we lost. The best block-run play he fumbled the mesh. I go back and tell these guys that every single rep that we take on this practice field - make sure that your steps are where they need to be, your aiming point is where it needs to be, because we have to be consistent on that.
"Really, Trevor did his job - it's just Lyn-J, he's a pleasure to be around and brings a smile to your face, and he was like, 'Coach, I saw the whole and I got excited.' And I said, 'I can't have you getting excited without the ball, you need to have the ball to hit the hole.' It's just the little things, and that's going to be a great learning point for him too - they got seven points off of that turnover. We were in a position where we had the opportunity to drive down and flip the field or even score points right there. It is tough because you have four backs trying to get reps with not just Trevor, but with Chase and you have to get him with Ben (Batson). And each one is a little bit different with their nuances - how they handle the mesh, each back step is different, their depths are different. It's my job to make sure that I point out every single day the importance of the little things. My job is to get them from seven yards deep to the line of scrimmage, then their talent takes over after that."
On what it would take to for a head coaching job to lure him away from Clemson:
"Man, to be honest - I don't know and I really haven't thought about it. I kind of hate this time of the year from the standpoint that I have an unbelievable group of seniors, I have an unbelievable group of running backs, we have an unbelievable group of guys on offense that have been extremely committed to this program. They've been unselfish, they've been loyal, they've been committed and I don't want to be a distraction in any sense of the matter to those guys. That stuff, as I have said before, that's the Lord's plan. All that stuff will have it's place, but right now we're in the middle of a championship run and my focus is on Clemson. I owe that to this program - to Coach Swinney, the staff, and the players - that they get my best. If y'all follow me on social media - I'm not on social media, so I really don't know what's going on out there, but you do get text messages and whatnot. For me, my focus is on Clemson football. I'm at home here. My boys were born here, I love it here. So, I really haven't given much thought as to what lies beyond next week."
On the luxury of having a coaching staff filled with former Clemson players and teammates:
"I think that really drives home the overall philosophy that Coach Swinney has for this program. It starts with him wanting to graduate players and equip them with tools for life. Not only is that something that's on a paper or on a wall somewhere, they see it every single day. They see myself. They see Coach Scott. They see Coach Pearman. They see Maverick Morris transition from a player last year to now a graduate assistant. It's a living breathing thing that reinforces the culture and environment that we have here.
"We know as well that they're going to be unselfish, they're going to be loyal, they're going to be committed to this program because they have blood, sweat, and tears on these practice fields and in Death Valley. So, when a recruit comes on campus, you're not fabricating anything - it's genuine, it's real. We're not perfect people - nobody's perfect and we're not the perfect place - but, we have really good people that are genuinely invested in this program and they want to see it be successful. They put their desires and their goals to the back burner so that the program excels, and in the end, everybody has an opportunity to be successful because of that."
TRAVIS ETIENNE (Graham)
How did it feel to have a rebound game against South Carolina after struggling the game before?
“It was a great feeling. We had a complete offensive game. Credit goes to the offensive line.”
How has Tony challenged you?
“Coach always gets on me. I’m always about talking about guys I like up to and now I am the guy that people look up to.”
Who are some of the guys you look up to?
“I watch a lot of Leonard Fournette, Zeke Elliot and old LeVeon Bell highlights. I just try to incorporate different things from each of their games. Leonard, I want to be physical like him. Zeke I want to have that I will run you over mentality and the patience of LeVeon.”
Do you watch football games more as a player now?
“It’s crazy because I see things now because I can see where they were supposed to hit the hole and criticize their technique at times. I watch it as a player more now.”
How does the running back room work together?
“Just the brotherhood that we have. The comradery that Coach Elliott preaches. The bonds that we have. We just forced each other together. They make me work.”
What was your reaction as a player after Dabos rant on Sunday?
“I really can’t speak on coach Dabo, I won’t put words into his mouth.”
Do you see the angry side of Dabo more often than other people?
“Sometimes you see it. He just wants us to be the best person we can be. It can be fun all the times.”
If he is yelling at you, do you kind of appreciate it more because he never really does it?
“Don’t hear the tone, hear the message.”
How do you feel physically after you get 28 carries in a game?
“I feel good, I got in rehab yesterday. I’m just trying to take care of my body throughout the season.”
Have you had a chance to experience the new treatment center yet?
“Yes sir, I’m just trying to take care of my body.”
What’s your favorite thing in there?
“The salt pod. That is the best.”
Is there a long line for the salt pod?
“Nah you just set up an appointment beforehand. They set it up great.”
What are some benefits of the salt pod?
“For me its just relaxation. Think to yourself and get rid of all distractions.”
What makes the group mentality work so well in the running back room, considering if you were to get 25 carries a game you would probably be invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
“I feel like I’m at my best when I share carries with those guys. They keep me fresh. We make the most out of our opportunities. We are just happy for each other, that is why we are so good.”
BRENT VENBALES (Patrick)
Q – What have you seen so far out of Pitt and their quarterback Kenny Pickett?
A – Pickett’s a good football player, he’s tough, he’s instinctive, throws a good ball, mobile guy, plays with a good edge, and you can tell all those things just from tape; he’s a baller. They have a very physical senior offensive line with a lot of experience, excellent receivers, and a couple good running backs that run the ball with power and speed. They had a setback down at Miami, but they’ve been playing some good football. They find ways to win and they win tight games; very aggressive and tough-minded team and that stems from who their head coach is.
Q – Can you talk a little bit more about their run game?
A – They run inside and outside zones, powers, counters, some option- oriented stuff, a lot of quarterback reads and designed runs, and again a good balance of speed and power. Few weeks ago, I think they ran for 500 yards against Virginia Tech, very good group of backs to go along with an experienced offensive line.
Q – How different is this group from the Matt Canada group a few years ago?
A – I think there’s more similarities then not, that’s just a bird’s eye view; they would know a lot more then me. They do a lot of the eye candy stuff and jet motions, they’re still doing a lot of those things we saw in 2016.
Q – Have you seen teams have success against them in these last two games by loading up the box?
A – Well I think football 101 is stopping the run. You have to be able to run the ball, win the turnover margin, and however many guys it takes to stop the run, you’re going to commit that.
Q – What frustrated you the most from Saturday?
A – Our alignments were off, whether we were too deep or too wide, we didn’t have the kind of leverage that we needed to. That happened enough early to get them in a rhythm and get them in scoring position. I think pre-snap we did some stuff that gave us no chance. We’ve got a guy covering their fastest guy and we get caught flat footed and we should never be caught flat footed. Some of our alignments were asinine; I wish I had a megaphone, or unlimited timeouts because those are the things you saw from the sidelines.
"We had a cover 2 call and we don’t run with the seam route and Bentley finds him across the middle. This is week 12, those are basic and fundamental things that for some reason some guys were forgetting. Some guys played well and for 70 plays it looked damn good, but it was an abomination on those other 10 – 12 plays. They made some good plays, I have to give them credit, but one of those late touchdowns was just busted coverage over their best guy. Apparently, our guy says he had a different signal then everybody else and that’s discouraging.
Q – Have you heard anything about Tre’s availability?
A – He’s supposed to be back today.
Q – Is it good to bring your guys down to earth and expose them to some fundamentals they might have forgotten?
A – Our guys have been humble, and they’ve worked hard. We didn’t play well, and we didn’t coach well either. We did enough good things to win and we’re not sitting here tooting our own horn about it, but you got to have perspective. Thank goodness our offense totally dominated the game from start to finish and we needed them. We weren’t executing our basic fundamentals. In particular, they had a little bunch set into the boundary and there’s no autonomy about whether you come under the block or do you go outside the block. Against every single team we play, every single practice we’re at, every drill we work, you’re outside your help is inside. We played so ignorant at times and it just made no sense. That’s ours and we have to own it and correct it.
Q - Who stood out as far as playing well?
A – Austin Bryant was our player of the game. If you look at grades and those types of things, #99 played well, #42, #90, and #67 graded pretty good. Can’t remember about Nyles but our corners Aj and Trayvon both played well. Kendall had a winning grade, but he turned a tight end loose on the first play of the second half and that’s 27 yards right down the middle of the field, can’t do that.
Q – For how good this defensive line is are you surprised that there’s only been four holding calls on them all year?
A – I don’t know. I’m not surprised with anything. I saw linemen downfield multiple times, way down the field when the ball was being thrown and it wasn’t called. Nothing surprises me. That’s a hard job calling a game. You think your job, or their job is harder? Both jobs are hard. It always looks easier on the outside looking in. I was an official for one game back in my freshman year of college. I was an umpire with no training and I was staying at my friends house the night before and I put my contacts in a couple glasses the night before and he threw them away the night before. So, I can’t see anything, I show up to this hazy night in Kansas where its about 100 degrees and it looks foggy. I can’t see anything, I’m totally guessing the whole game. I had no idea; thought it was going to be an easy $50 but it wasn’t, so I’ve always had great respect for officials.
Q – When you do your job as well as you do, your name comes up often during head coach searches. How do you handle that every year?
A – I’ve said many times that I’m very thankful and appreciative of what I have. I’ve never tried to leverage one situation for another ever, I would never try to prostitute myself that way. If I’m worthy of something, then let the powers that be decide. I want to be valued, I want to be appreciated, I get more out of that then anything. I have it all here at Clemson.
Q – A report came out today that you talked to Texas Tech. Is there any truth to that?
A – Kirby and I were college teammates, fellow linebackers, and are very good friends. I talked to Kirby a lot and I’ve talked to him recently but that’s all I'll say. But I have a great job and great loyalty for the people responsible for me being here. My son Jake is here and he’s chasing a dream and I sold this dream to him. My responsibility as a dad is to support for as long as he wants to chase it. I will never complicate the integrity of my job by looking for other opportunities, ever.
Q – How much of an issue was being set on Saturday?
A – There’s probably 4 or 5 plays in the second half where we're lined up late but for the most part it was good. There was a handful of plays where guys were running scot free but not being lined up didn’t have anything to do with those.
(UNEDITED due to time constraints)
TONY ELLIOTT (Michael)
On where the offense is now compared to where it was at the time of the quarterback change:
"I think that a lot of the younger guys have gotten some experience. So, I think it comes down to the cohesion and chemistry. Back then, you're playing a lot of guys and I was still feeling it out at running back. I think that now guys are more comfortable with the rotation and the communication level. They know what to expect out of each other. Overall, the chemistry and cohesion is consistent. Earlier in the season when you're playing a lot of guys, you're still trying to develop that. But, I think now everybody knows what it's going to look like for the most part, game in and game out. They know how to prepare and they're executing at a high level."
On not taking the ACC Championship Game for granted:
"No question. The way that Coach Swinney sets up our program, this is one of our goals on our board. The national championship is not a goal per se - it's a by-product of reaching the other goals that we have set. It's just like the state championship. The state championship is something that we have on our board, and something that we can control and achieve. It's hard to win a football game. Trust me that these guys aren't looking beyond this one.
"We know that we're going to get the best effort from Pitt. They're going to be a very confident team. These seniors and juniors actually lost to these guys - their only home loss. They're going to be excited to play and nobody is taking this for granted. I think that this team is very focused. They have some goals, and to achieve those overall goals they have to take it one game at a time. Nobody's looking past an ACC championship, and we're going to celebrate just like we did last week after we won the state championship."
On this year's Pitt team compared to Pitt's 2016 squad:
"Structurally, they're very similar. It starts with Coach Narduzzi and his philosophy on defense. You can see that they're going to have a seventh defender whether it's the nickel Sam folding in on the run scheme, you can see the safeties are going to fit aggressively. They're geared to stop the run. They're going to rely on their corners to play man coverage and make you throw and make contested plays. They're very similar. He's mixing up a little bit of coverage. He's bringing some pressures to stop the run. You can see they've got some experienced guys in the back that communicate well. They read their keys very quickly. They get to their spots.
"Our guys are going to have to do a good job of making sure that we understand the tendencies that they're looking at - try to disguise those and then win at the point of attack. They're long at defensive end, they do a good job with their inside guys holding the point of attack, their linebackers are downhill. It's going to be an aggressive defense that is going to challenge us."
On advantage of having experience in so many ACC Championship Games:
"I think the guys have confidence in the routine of preparing. Obviously, they have to go out and play four quarters and execute at a high level, but I think they understand what the week is going to look like. It's going to look like any other week when we approach it, the only difference might be when we get there we'll go walk around the stadium on Friday. The schedule is going to be the same here in terms of game prep. I think the guys have been there and know what to expect. They play in the greatest atmosphere in the country here at home, so they're not going to be intimidated by the size of the crowd or the size of the stadium. The biggest thing is that they don't deviate from the plan that has made us successful up to this point."
On if this advantage is noticeable while facing first-time ACC Championship opponents:
"It's hard to say because I'm not in their locker room and I don't know what their preparation process is. I just focus on Clemson and getting our guys ready to go. Obviously, they have done a good job over the past several years of getting ready and prepared and playing well in this game. Again, it's a by-product of the way we set up our season. We know that we're in the primetime championship phase and you work all year to play in November and December - and really people only remember what you do in November and December. We have that mindset and we're going to go out to work and come out on Saturday night - we have to go 1-0 this week, and put all our emphasis, and empty the tank to leave no doubt that we are what we've been able to accomplish so far."
On facing fourth different ACC Championship Game opponent in four years and how that underscores the consistency of Clemson's program:
"I think that at the end of the day, the numbers and records speak for themselves. I really can't say anything about the other side of the division. We just focus on winning our division and being the best version of ourselves. It doesn't matter who we play. We look forward to playing whoever has earned the right. You can't discredit Pitt and what they've done this season. They've earned the right to be in the ACC Championship - they have beaten the teams that they needed to win and now they're going to be there and they're going to be fired up and confident. We're just focused on having our best week of preparation and going out and playing whoever lines up across from us."
On Jackson Carman:
"Everyday you see a little more maturity out of him. Obviously, we know how physically talented he is, but also you see a lot more maturity - trying to take ownership of the little things. That's really what it takes. For him, coming in, there's a lot of expectations. You're playing behind Mitch (Hyatt) and what I've seen is that he really has absorbed the relationship and the information that Mitch is passing onto him and you're starting to see more consistency in his play. Whenever we can get him experience it's huge for him."
On Matt Bockhorst:
"As a guy coming off of injury, we knew that he had the demeanor and just the nastiness about him. Then, John (Simpson) goes down and he jumps in there and all those guys played physically up front. They had a point to prove and really wanted to own the line of scrimmage. He's a guy that with reps, he's going to get better. He had some reps early in the season, then he got banged up against Florida State and missed some time. Now, he's feeling good. He had to go in just like Gage (Cervenka) stepped in at center. Credit to all those guys for being ready to play. And just the mentality as a whole with the program of next man up. You're one play away from the team counting on you to win the game."
On Travis Etienne's occasional fiery personality on the sidelines:
"I don't get to see that much out of Travis because I'm up in the box. That's good to know because I'm trying to push those buttons to get him to be consistent and perform at the highest level possible week in and week out. I don't think he understands how much talent he actually has - he just goes out there and plays football. He's just a happy-go-lucky guy - really unassuming and humble. He just goes out there and does what he does.
"I'm trying to push him to be the best version of himself and he's making steps. He's still a young guy, just a sophomore. He's still making the transition, and to see and know that he cares - that's what you look for as a coach. I didn't get to see the actual reaction, but just to know that it's that important to him, I could see that I'm finally able to push the buttons and know that he's going to be the best version of himself. That's really what my job is - and whatever happens after that happens. Just knowing that he cares - I put a lot on him. He's the lead guy in that room. He's the first guy that runs out. I put a lot of stress on that guy because he has to set the tempo and set the example for all the guys in that room. And then all those guys have to follow and prepare themselves for when they have to run out there and have that same mentality."
On Adam Choice:
"I don't normally smile much after the game because I'm exhausted and put a lot into it. Really, my focus is not for me to smile but to see the players smile. I had a big smile on my face for Adam Choice. I said it after the game. I'm glad that his mom pointed this out after the game - Christy Fuller was there and I know how tight he and CJ were, and what this game meant to him, and what he has meant to me. He has just been a rock. We talk about Travis, we talk about Lyn-J (Dixon), we talk about Tavien (Feaster). Adam is sometimes the forgotten one, but really he's the rock of that room.
"I'm looking forward to him possibly being a team captain. That's something that I want out of my room. I was a team captain and that's probably one of the greatest accomplishments of my career is to be considered a team captain and he's that caliber of young men. Obviously, the team will vote on it and we don't know those results yet, but I see him as a possible team captain. For him to be able to finish in the Valley that way, and to have three touchdowns, and to see that smile on his face. It wasn't a smile because he had three touchdowns, but it was because, 'Man, how cool was that. I put an exclamation point on my career.' That's what made it so special for me with him."
On possibility of Clemson coaches winning three consecutive Broyles Awards:
"That would be awesome for Brent (Venables) to introduce me, and then for me to have the opportunity to introduce Jeff (Scott) would be so awesome. The relationship that Jeff and I have, starting off here as stretch partners and the run that we've been on together. I know what he stands for, and after learning what Coach Broyles stood for and what he embodied - hopefully he will be a finalist. I know I have to go back out there - as part of the ceremony they always bring back the previous year's winner - so, I'm hoping that he and Sara get to experience that. If it's the Lord's plan, we'll have a hat trick, but if he's there that's going to be an awesome experience for he and I to go through together and add to the other experiences that we have had together."
On Tavien Feaster's touchdown run:
"First of all, it was blocked beautifully. As I was going through my game breakdown in my notes, that's the only comment I had for the offense was, 'Man, that was beautiful.' They fit it up exactly how you would draw it up on the board - the back is untouched one-on-one to the safety. Tavien was patient and he found it. Something that I challenge to my guys every day in practice is don't go through the motions, finish every single run. He finished that run the way that I've been challenging in practice. It wasn't much, it was just a subtle little redirect of his body weight. He got his safety to lean and now he's in a position to be violent if he needed to be violent. I think it's just a function of now he's healthy and confident. He knows that he's the second one going into the game - he knows about when he's going to enter the game. He's feeling confident in his role, he understands his role, so when he gets out there he can go play."
On Trevor Lawrence running:
"I've said it all along - Trevor can run. A lot of people don't give him credit for his athleticism, but that's what he does. Really, you see the benefit of his legs in the pocket and how he extends plays. The touchdown he threw to Tee (Higgins) - he slid in the pocket and used his legs to throw a dart to Tee. So, as he continues to grow and get more confident, then he's going to find just like Deshaun (Watson) did as he got further in his career - 'Okay, that's not open downfield, let's extend the play, extend myself, and move onto the next one.' As we continue to go and he's more comfortable - then there's going to be some situations like on that third-and-three. It was an RPO and they took the pass away and he had to pull it down and did a good job and looked confident doing it. As we go forward, we're going to have to use every aspect of every guy as we get into the championship phase."
On opening up the offense:
"I think that each week poses a challenge in itself. Every defensive coordinator is going to have a plan of attack. They're going to want to take away an aspect of your game. As we go each week, we try to add a few things, but really we're at a point now where he have to be good at our base stuff. Our guys are a lot more confident with the base stuff and then we add the tweaks each week based off of the gameplan. We'll never try to add to much just for the sake of saying that we're great coaches and whatnot, but we're going to make sure that we have a plan that fits the scheme and also puts our players in a position to be successful."
On Lyn-J Dixon's fumble:
"I use the example all the time of Wayne Gallman in the national championship when we lost. The best block-run play he fumbled the mesh. I go back and tell these guys that every single rep that we take on this practice field - make sure that your steps are where they need to be, your aiming point is where it needs to be, because we have to be consistent on that.
"Really, Trevor did his job - it's just Lyn-J, he's a pleasure to be around and brings a smile to your face, and he was like, 'Coach, I saw the whole and I got excited.' And I said, 'I can't have you getting excited without the ball, you need to have the ball to hit the hole.' It's just the little things, and that's going to be a great learning point for him too - they got seven points off of that turnover. We were in a position where we had the opportunity to drive down and flip the field or even score points right there. It is tough because you have four backs trying to get reps with not just Trevor, but with Chase and you have to get him with Ben (Batson). And each one is a little bit different with their nuances - how they handle the mesh, each back step is different, their depths are different. It's my job to make sure that I point out every single day the importance of the little things. My job is to get them from seven yards deep to the line of scrimmage, then their talent takes over after that."
On what it would take to for a head coaching job to lure him away from Clemson:
"Man, to be honest - I don't know and I really haven't thought about it. I kind of hate this time of the year from the standpoint that I have an unbelievable group of seniors, I have an unbelievable group of running backs, we have an unbelievable group of guys on offense that have been extremely committed to this program. They've been unselfish, they've been loyal, they've been committed and I don't want to be a distraction in any sense of the matter to those guys. That stuff, as I have said before, that's the Lord's plan. All that stuff will have it's place, but right now we're in the middle of a championship run and my focus is on Clemson. I owe that to this program - to Coach Swinney, the staff, and the players - that they get my best. If y'all follow me on social media - I'm not on social media, so I really don't know what's going on out there, but you do get text messages and whatnot. For me, my focus is on Clemson football. I'm at home here. My boys were born here, I love it here. So, I really haven't given much thought as to what lies beyond next week."
On the luxury of having a coaching staff filled with former Clemson players and teammates:
"I think that really drives home the overall philosophy that Coach Swinney has for this program. It starts with him wanting to graduate players and equip them with tools for life. Not only is that something that's on a paper or on a wall somewhere, they see it every single day. They see myself. They see Coach Scott. They see Coach Pearman. They see Maverick Morris transition from a player last year to now a graduate assistant. It's a living breathing thing that reinforces the culture and environment that we have here.
"We know as well that they're going to be unselfish, they're going to be loyal, they're going to be committed to this program because they have blood, sweat, and tears on these practice fields and in Death Valley. So, when a recruit comes on campus, you're not fabricating anything - it's genuine, it's real. We're not perfect people - nobody's perfect and we're not the perfect place - but, we have really good people that are genuinely invested in this program and they want to see it be successful. They put their desires and their goals to the back burner so that the program excels, and in the end, everybody has an opportunity to be successful because of that."
TRAVIS ETIENNE (Graham)
How did it feel to have a rebound game against South Carolina after struggling the game before?
“It was a great feeling. We had a complete offensive game. Credit goes to the offensive line.”
How has Tony challenged you?
“Coach always gets on me. I’m always about talking about guys I like up to and now I am the guy that people look up to.”
Who are some of the guys you look up to?
“I watch a lot of Leonard Fournette, Zeke Elliot and old LeVeon Bell highlights. I just try to incorporate different things from each of their games. Leonard, I want to be physical like him. Zeke I want to have that I will run you over mentality and the patience of LeVeon.”
Do you watch football games more as a player now?
“It’s crazy because I see things now because I can see where they were supposed to hit the hole and criticize their technique at times. I watch it as a player more now.”
How does the running back room work together?
“Just the brotherhood that we have. The comradery that Coach Elliott preaches. The bonds that we have. We just forced each other together. They make me work.”
What was your reaction as a player after Dabos rant on Sunday?
“I really can’t speak on coach Dabo, I won’t put words into his mouth.”
Do you see the angry side of Dabo more often than other people?
“Sometimes you see it. He just wants us to be the best person we can be. It can be fun all the times.”
If he is yelling at you, do you kind of appreciate it more because he never really does it?
“Don’t hear the tone, hear the message.”
How do you feel physically after you get 28 carries in a game?
“I feel good, I got in rehab yesterday. I’m just trying to take care of my body throughout the season.”
Have you had a chance to experience the new treatment center yet?
“Yes sir, I’m just trying to take care of my body.”
What’s your favorite thing in there?
“The salt pod. That is the best.”
Is there a long line for the salt pod?
“Nah you just set up an appointment beforehand. They set it up great.”
What are some benefits of the salt pod?
“For me its just relaxation. Think to yourself and get rid of all distractions.”
What makes the group mentality work so well in the running back room, considering if you were to get 25 carries a game you would probably be invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
“I feel like I’m at my best when I share carries with those guys. They keep me fresh. We make the most out of our opportunities. We are just happy for each other, that is why we are so good.”
BRENT VENBALES (Patrick)
Q – What have you seen so far out of Pitt and their quarterback Kenny Pickett?
A – Pickett’s a good football player, he’s tough, he’s instinctive, throws a good ball, mobile guy, plays with a good edge, and you can tell all those things just from tape; he’s a baller. They have a very physical senior offensive line with a lot of experience, excellent receivers, and a couple good running backs that run the ball with power and speed. They had a setback down at Miami, but they’ve been playing some good football. They find ways to win and they win tight games; very aggressive and tough-minded team and that stems from who their head coach is.
Q – Can you talk a little bit more about their run game?
A – They run inside and outside zones, powers, counters, some option- oriented stuff, a lot of quarterback reads and designed runs, and again a good balance of speed and power. Few weeks ago, I think they ran for 500 yards against Virginia Tech, very good group of backs to go along with an experienced offensive line.
Q – How different is this group from the Matt Canada group a few years ago?
A – I think there’s more similarities then not, that’s just a bird’s eye view; they would know a lot more then me. They do a lot of the eye candy stuff and jet motions, they’re still doing a lot of those things we saw in 2016.
Q – Have you seen teams have success against them in these last two games by loading up the box?
A – Well I think football 101 is stopping the run. You have to be able to run the ball, win the turnover margin, and however many guys it takes to stop the run, you’re going to commit that.
Q – What frustrated you the most from Saturday?
A – Our alignments were off, whether we were too deep or too wide, we didn’t have the kind of leverage that we needed to. That happened enough early to get them in a rhythm and get them in scoring position. I think pre-snap we did some stuff that gave us no chance. We’ve got a guy covering their fastest guy and we get caught flat footed and we should never be caught flat footed. Some of our alignments were asinine; I wish I had a megaphone, or unlimited timeouts because those are the things you saw from the sidelines.
"We had a cover 2 call and we don’t run with the seam route and Bentley finds him across the middle. This is week 12, those are basic and fundamental things that for some reason some guys were forgetting. Some guys played well and for 70 plays it looked damn good, but it was an abomination on those other 10 – 12 plays. They made some good plays, I have to give them credit, but one of those late touchdowns was just busted coverage over their best guy. Apparently, our guy says he had a different signal then everybody else and that’s discouraging.
Q – Have you heard anything about Tre’s availability?
A – He’s supposed to be back today.
Q – Is it good to bring your guys down to earth and expose them to some fundamentals they might have forgotten?
A – Our guys have been humble, and they’ve worked hard. We didn’t play well, and we didn’t coach well either. We did enough good things to win and we’re not sitting here tooting our own horn about it, but you got to have perspective. Thank goodness our offense totally dominated the game from start to finish and we needed them. We weren’t executing our basic fundamentals. In particular, they had a little bunch set into the boundary and there’s no autonomy about whether you come under the block or do you go outside the block. Against every single team we play, every single practice we’re at, every drill we work, you’re outside your help is inside. We played so ignorant at times and it just made no sense. That’s ours and we have to own it and correct it.
Q - Who stood out as far as playing well?
A – Austin Bryant was our player of the game. If you look at grades and those types of things, #99 played well, #42, #90, and #67 graded pretty good. Can’t remember about Nyles but our corners Aj and Trayvon both played well. Kendall had a winning grade, but he turned a tight end loose on the first play of the second half and that’s 27 yards right down the middle of the field, can’t do that.
Q – For how good this defensive line is are you surprised that there’s only been four holding calls on them all year?
A – I don’t know. I’m not surprised with anything. I saw linemen downfield multiple times, way down the field when the ball was being thrown and it wasn’t called. Nothing surprises me. That’s a hard job calling a game. You think your job, or their job is harder? Both jobs are hard. It always looks easier on the outside looking in. I was an official for one game back in my freshman year of college. I was an umpire with no training and I was staying at my friends house the night before and I put my contacts in a couple glasses the night before and he threw them away the night before. So, I can’t see anything, I show up to this hazy night in Kansas where its about 100 degrees and it looks foggy. I can’t see anything, I’m totally guessing the whole game. I had no idea; thought it was going to be an easy $50 but it wasn’t, so I’ve always had great respect for officials.
Q – When you do your job as well as you do, your name comes up often during head coach searches. How do you handle that every year?
A – I’ve said many times that I’m very thankful and appreciative of what I have. I’ve never tried to leverage one situation for another ever, I would never try to prostitute myself that way. If I’m worthy of something, then let the powers that be decide. I want to be valued, I want to be appreciated, I get more out of that then anything. I have it all here at Clemson.
Q – A report came out today that you talked to Texas Tech. Is there any truth to that?
A – Kirby and I were college teammates, fellow linebackers, and are very good friends. I talked to Kirby a lot and I’ve talked to him recently but that’s all I'll say. But I have a great job and great loyalty for the people responsible for me being here. My son Jake is here and he’s chasing a dream and I sold this dream to him. My responsibility as a dad is to support for as long as he wants to chase it. I will never complicate the integrity of my job by looking for other opportunities, ever.
Q – How much of an issue was being set on Saturday?
A – There’s probably 4 or 5 plays in the second half where we're lined up late but for the most part it was good. There was a handful of plays where guys were running scot free but not being lined up didn’t have anything to do with those.
