This is courtesy of TI correspondent Zach Hanby and the one and only 'Aunt Liz.'
(edited transcript)
"Awesome win for our guys, a complete performance. Really proud of them. One of those games where it just all went our way. Our guys were ready to play. A lot of big plays. I'll have to go back and look. I don't think I've ever been a part of a game where we rushed for over 400 yards. We wanted to start fast and get control of the game and that's what happened. Just a tremendous performance by our defense. Hats off to them. Offensively we hit on all cylinders. Special teams was very sound all day. Just a complete game. We just wanted to play better on the road than we did last time and we did.
"I know some of y'all will ask about Deon Cain. I sat him today. He could have played today. I sat him. Sometimes it's good for these young guys ... sometimes they need an attitude adjustment every now and then. Sometimes it's good to have them sit over there and see that you can win without them. But I'll tell you, he's a good kid. I like the way he's responded. I don't think I'll have to deal with him anymore. He'll be dialed in and be back Monday ready to go. Just my decision not to play him.
"Injury-wise, I think everyone is good to go."
-- What was the halftime speech all about?
"This is one of those places where you have both teams crossing. It's not a good setup to be honest with you. I had been in the locker room and supposedly we had some chippiness earlier in the game. Seemed like we were losing our focus a little bit. It's one thing to play with emotion but it's not okay to be emotional. We have to channel that the right way. I just felt like we needed to get refocused on who we are and the way we do things at Clemson. I'm not about all that stuff.
"In the second half, I knew we'd get some guys in the game. So my message to them was prove to us that we can trust you. Some of those backups like Van Smith, man, knowing what to do, that bodes well for us going forward."
-- First four possessions, is that about as perfect as you can be?
"Yes. Pretty flawless roll of drives there. The guys executed. We didn't have any penalties. You don't get to be a part of many of those. You're always trying to coach a perfect game. Really proud of our guys because it's a game of execution and they were pretty precise today."
-- You have to be extremely pleased with no letdowns and distractions not getting to your team in a situation like this.
"We say it every week; it's a one-game season. It's about what is directly in front of us. When you have that mentality, you are more consistent. It's who we are and what we do. We don't spend a lot of time talking about the opponent with a very systematic approach to it. Guys believe in what we do. They bought in. We have a group of veteran guys who are serious about being the best they can be, whatever it is. Right now we could be 12-0 but you can't be 12-0 until you win 8. So that's what we're going for. We have 35 days left in the regular season, so man, let's put everything we have into every game. It's easy to get distracted especially in today's world but our leadership has done a great job."
-- Has Kelly Bryant come closer to taking over that No. 2 spot at QB?
"I think he made a move today. He really did. It's been good. It's been a healthy situation being able to bring him along at a healthy pace. There are some guys you haven't seen play a whole lot but we see them at practice everyday and they improve everyday, whether it's Bryant, Fuller, Smith, Baker, Fruhmorgen, on and on and on. Kelly has been steadily grasping things. I love how Streeter has handled him. He's done a great job in how he has managed him. He had a lot to learn. It's been fun to watch his confidence and watch his demeanor grow. Tremendous job today. That will definitely continue to spur his growth. We know he can win for us."
-- Artavis okay?
"He's alright."
-- Anything else with Deon?
"No. Just an attitude adjustment. I just needed to get his attention. We could have played him. Just told Jeff Scott, 'I ain't playing him.' Just my decision. He handled it the right way. Sometimes it's good for those guys to stand over there and realize you can win without them. We're serious about guys doing the right things in our program."
-- Any doubt in your mind today that 7-0 and coming off 58-0, you're one of the top four teams in the country?
"It doesn't mater. That's for other people to figure out. All that matters is that we need to be better than N.C. State. I know we're one of the best teams, I don't think there's any question. One of the best four right now? Doesn't matter to me at all. After we play all of our 12 games, then it'll matter. Then we'll have a slate of games where we can make a decision then. We state our case by how we play. That's determined by how we prepare and the commitment and focus we have."
-- D.J. Reader looked like the player we thought he would be today.
"How about that guy making that play over there on the sideline. Good to see him back. Happy for him. Good to see him back out there. It worked out we could get him in there and play him a good bit. That'll really help us as we go forward."
(edited transcript)
"Awesome win for our guys, a complete performance. Really proud of them. One of those games where it just all went our way. Our guys were ready to play. A lot of big plays. I'll have to go back and look. I don't think I've ever been a part of a game where we rushed for over 400 yards. We wanted to start fast and get control of the game and that's what happened. Just a tremendous performance by our defense. Hats off to them. Offensively we hit on all cylinders. Special teams was very sound all day. Just a complete game. We just wanted to play better on the road than we did last time and we did.
"I know some of y'all will ask about Deon Cain. I sat him today. He could have played today. I sat him. Sometimes it's good for these young guys ... sometimes they need an attitude adjustment every now and then. Sometimes it's good to have them sit over there and see that you can win without them. But I'll tell you, he's a good kid. I like the way he's responded. I don't think I'll have to deal with him anymore. He'll be dialed in and be back Monday ready to go. Just my decision not to play him.
"Injury-wise, I think everyone is good to go."
-- What was the halftime speech all about?
"This is one of those places where you have both teams crossing. It's not a good setup to be honest with you. I had been in the locker room and supposedly we had some chippiness earlier in the game. Seemed like we were losing our focus a little bit. It's one thing to play with emotion but it's not okay to be emotional. We have to channel that the right way. I just felt like we needed to get refocused on who we are and the way we do things at Clemson. I'm not about all that stuff.
"In the second half, I knew we'd get some guys in the game. So my message to them was prove to us that we can trust you. Some of those backups like Van Smith, man, knowing what to do, that bodes well for us going forward."
-- First four possessions, is that about as perfect as you can be?
"Yes. Pretty flawless roll of drives there. The guys executed. We didn't have any penalties. You don't get to be a part of many of those. You're always trying to coach a perfect game. Really proud of our guys because it's a game of execution and they were pretty precise today."
-- You have to be extremely pleased with no letdowns and distractions not getting to your team in a situation like this.
"We say it every week; it's a one-game season. It's about what is directly in front of us. When you have that mentality, you are more consistent. It's who we are and what we do. We don't spend a lot of time talking about the opponent with a very systematic approach to it. Guys believe in what we do. They bought in. We have a group of veteran guys who are serious about being the best they can be, whatever it is. Right now we could be 12-0 but you can't be 12-0 until you win 8. So that's what we're going for. We have 35 days left in the regular season, so man, let's put everything we have into every game. It's easy to get distracted especially in today's world but our leadership has done a great job."
-- Has Kelly Bryant come closer to taking over that No. 2 spot at QB?
"I think he made a move today. He really did. It's been good. It's been a healthy situation being able to bring him along at a healthy pace. There are some guys you haven't seen play a whole lot but we see them at practice everyday and they improve everyday, whether it's Bryant, Fuller, Smith, Baker, Fruhmorgen, on and on and on. Kelly has been steadily grasping things. I love how Streeter has handled him. He's done a great job in how he has managed him. He had a lot to learn. It's been fun to watch his confidence and watch his demeanor grow. Tremendous job today. That will definitely continue to spur his growth. We know he can win for us."
-- Artavis okay?
"He's alright."
-- Anything else with Deon?
"No. Just an attitude adjustment. I just needed to get his attention. We could have played him. Just told Jeff Scott, 'I ain't playing him.' Just my decision. He handled it the right way. Sometimes it's good for those guys to stand over there and realize you can win without them. We're serious about guys doing the right things in our program."
-- Any doubt in your mind today that 7-0 and coming off 58-0, you're one of the top four teams in the country?
"It doesn't mater. That's for other people to figure out. All that matters is that we need to be better than N.C. State. I know we're one of the best teams, I don't think there's any question. One of the best four right now? Doesn't matter to me at all. After we play all of our 12 games, then it'll matter. Then we'll have a slate of games where we can make a decision then. We state our case by how we play. That's determined by how we prepare and the commitment and focus we have."
-- D.J. Reader looked like the player we thought he would be today.
"How about that guy making that play over there on the sideline. Good to see him back. Happy for him. Good to see him back out there. It worked out we could get him in there and play him a good bit. That'll really help us as we go forward."
