Some notes/quotes from Dabo Swinney's news conference today
-- "Jamie Skalski is doing well. He's not ready this week. We are hopeful for him that he can maybe get back with us this week. Frank Ladson will be out. He had a spot in his foot that flared up at Notre Dame. We had just gotten him back with his hip and now his foot, so he is out this week. We are hopeful we will get him back next week. Everyone else I would say is day to day."
-- On Trevor Lawrence's return: "It has been great. He is chomping at the bit to play. He's Trevor. He is well-prepared and focused. He is really locked in to getting back out and leading the team. You know what you are going to get from No. 16."
-- For all of college football, your level of concern with Thanksgiving and how college football can finish: "I would probably have more concern if the schedule weren't set up the way it is. There won't be much of a break. I know for us we have been in the championship game and you have about a month. The team would be off a week and we would go on the road recruiting. That really isn't the case. The schedule gives us the best chance. It comes down to personal commitment and discipline and responsibility. That will vary from program to program and person to person. We have had our challenges but our guys have done a great job. The virus is out there, but for us I think things set up well for us to have the best chance. Our students are not coming back after Thanksgiving here. Our season will be finished with an empty campus. And nobody is ever here anyway during bowl prep."
-- In the handling of D.J. Uiagalelei in the last several weeks, given his (shoulder) soreness: "He got out there and had to miss the Georgia Tech game. He couldn't play in that game. He is a lot better, a lot better. I'd have a lot more confidence this week than we had the last two games. We had to pick our spots and hold our breath a couple of times. Fortunately, we got through it. Yes, we would have liked to have had more flexibility with some things, but it did not have anything to do with us losing to Notre Dame. I was concerned going into the BC game, his ability to be able to make the throws with his soreness. He just did an awesome job. Incredible. He's tough, gritty. I am super proud of him and what he did. I am proud of our receivers. We made some huge plays. We haven't had Frank and Joe, so it has been a challenge there. We have had to prove we could throw the ball. I want to run the ball better, but to win you need to throw the ball."
-- On Mason Trotter's grade at Notre Dame: "He did solid. He's tough. I love Mason. He's going to be a good player. He is a redshirt freshman. He did some redshirt freshman things and some good things. He's one of those guys we are gaining some confidence in."
-- Your thoughts on Will Muschamp, your reaction to his dismissal: "I feel for him and his family. I know people will say that he's getting money. Listen, this is his livelihood, his passion, he's got a wife and kids. He has a whole team that came to play for him. They're all affected by this. He has an entire staff. We all know that. We understand the profession. I hate it and wish him all the best for sure."
-- A sense of what it has been like to recruit this year: "We have been pretty fortunate that we have been able to commit most of our class before we have gotten into the season. The biggest challenge is that we would have had a lot of juniors on campus in the past. We would have been able to go out and see them. In a weird way things will slow down. I've always wanted it to slow down. You're evaluating seniors a bit more. I hate it, though, because a lot of schools out there are still recruiting heavily. We have made the best of it. We have done everything they have allowed us to do. We have spent a lot of time communicating virtually. You're watching the tape but don't get the personal part. You may have someone play for you who has never been to your campus. We are in a good place for this class. For 2022? It has slowed down. The process is slower. We typically do not offer a lot of guys anyway. It gives us more time to evaluate more tape."
-- Tony Elliott and Billy Napier are being kicked around for the South Carolina job. What do you ask of your assistants in terms of navigating the season and considering coaching opportunities? And your thoughts on the job Napier has done at Louisiana: "We're just getting ready for Florida State. That is our responsibility. As far as Billy, he has done an awesome job. He is a heck of a coach. I think the world of him."
-- Xavier Thomas' progress: "He has gotten better. Fortunately, he wasn't going to come back and play until the last few games. He wouldn't be playing right now had the rules not changed. He has worked himself back and has made improvement. Hopefully he's going to be the best version of himself this year toward the end."
-- How much do you know about Mike Norvell?: "I didn't know him at all prior to him getting the FSU job. We have met a lot since March virtually. I have gotten to know him that way. I don't believe I have ever met him. I think it has been a challenge for him. I can only imagine. You take over and you have to do all these things virtually. Watching them from beginning to now, they have improved. He has some really good young pieces. Schematically they know what they are doing. And they are competing."
-- Your overall assessment on how you have affected quarterbacks this year: "We have done OK. This past game he had his way. We did not affect him at all. He held the ball, ran around, scrambled and it was a problem. Overall, heck, we are still one of the best sack and TFL teams in the country and have been for a long time. We are 7-1 and lost in double overtime to a really good team at their place. We have done a pretty good job for the most part. They come out and scored within 15 seconds but didn't score a touchdown (on the defense) in the next 59 minutes. We had our worst game in third down offensively and defensively. Outside of that game, we have been pretty good. We have missed a bunch of missed tackles and opportunities missed to get guys on the ground, but those games were different. It'll be a challenge this week for sure with this guy."
-- On Cornell Powell's progress and evolution as a player: "He hung in there. He didn't run from the challenge. Cornell has been here. He was injured early. He was going to start his freshman year and got hurt. He missed some opportunities early and that set him back. And then to be honest with you he had to learn how to play fast. He has always been super talented but did not play fast. If you line him up and run him, he's as fast as anyone you got, but he did not play that way. He got beat out but it's not like he got beat out by scrubs. Everyone that beat him out is playing in the NFL. He could have packed up and left but he has taken coaching and has hung in there. He has gone to work on the things he needed to in order to improve. He had a desperation to him in camp we had not seen. He has been able to stay healthy. He is playing fast now. I'm just really proud of him. What everyone is seeing from him right now is what we saw from him in camp. He was awesome, he and Ngata. And Ngata has battled injuries, unfortunately. Now, Cornell's confidence is really high and that is so good to see."
-- On the possibility of the CFP being delayed: "I don't know if it will be. A lot of teams made the decision to not play. We have been going a long time. We shouldn't be penalized for going a long time. Anything is possible for sure but my focus is just on these next 18 days and having the best finish we can have. Nothing is off the table when it comes to 2020. I don't control any of that."
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE for more in-season DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear!
-- "Jamie Skalski is doing well. He's not ready this week. We are hopeful for him that he can maybe get back with us this week. Frank Ladson will be out. He had a spot in his foot that flared up at Notre Dame. We had just gotten him back with his hip and now his foot, so he is out this week. We are hopeful we will get him back next week. Everyone else I would say is day to day."
-- On Trevor Lawrence's return: "It has been great. He is chomping at the bit to play. He's Trevor. He is well-prepared and focused. He is really locked in to getting back out and leading the team. You know what you are going to get from No. 16."
-- For all of college football, your level of concern with Thanksgiving and how college football can finish: "I would probably have more concern if the schedule weren't set up the way it is. There won't be much of a break. I know for us we have been in the championship game and you have about a month. The team would be off a week and we would go on the road recruiting. That really isn't the case. The schedule gives us the best chance. It comes down to personal commitment and discipline and responsibility. That will vary from program to program and person to person. We have had our challenges but our guys have done a great job. The virus is out there, but for us I think things set up well for us to have the best chance. Our students are not coming back after Thanksgiving here. Our season will be finished with an empty campus. And nobody is ever here anyway during bowl prep."
-- In the handling of D.J. Uiagalelei in the last several weeks, given his (shoulder) soreness: "He got out there and had to miss the Georgia Tech game. He couldn't play in that game. He is a lot better, a lot better. I'd have a lot more confidence this week than we had the last two games. We had to pick our spots and hold our breath a couple of times. Fortunately, we got through it. Yes, we would have liked to have had more flexibility with some things, but it did not have anything to do with us losing to Notre Dame. I was concerned going into the BC game, his ability to be able to make the throws with his soreness. He just did an awesome job. Incredible. He's tough, gritty. I am super proud of him and what he did. I am proud of our receivers. We made some huge plays. We haven't had Frank and Joe, so it has been a challenge there. We have had to prove we could throw the ball. I want to run the ball better, but to win you need to throw the ball."
-- On Mason Trotter's grade at Notre Dame: "He did solid. He's tough. I love Mason. He's going to be a good player. He is a redshirt freshman. He did some redshirt freshman things and some good things. He's one of those guys we are gaining some confidence in."
-- Your thoughts on Will Muschamp, your reaction to his dismissal: "I feel for him and his family. I know people will say that he's getting money. Listen, this is his livelihood, his passion, he's got a wife and kids. He has a whole team that came to play for him. They're all affected by this. He has an entire staff. We all know that. We understand the profession. I hate it and wish him all the best for sure."
-- A sense of what it has been like to recruit this year: "We have been pretty fortunate that we have been able to commit most of our class before we have gotten into the season. The biggest challenge is that we would have had a lot of juniors on campus in the past. We would have been able to go out and see them. In a weird way things will slow down. I've always wanted it to slow down. You're evaluating seniors a bit more. I hate it, though, because a lot of schools out there are still recruiting heavily. We have made the best of it. We have done everything they have allowed us to do. We have spent a lot of time communicating virtually. You're watching the tape but don't get the personal part. You may have someone play for you who has never been to your campus. We are in a good place for this class. For 2022? It has slowed down. The process is slower. We typically do not offer a lot of guys anyway. It gives us more time to evaluate more tape."
-- Tony Elliott and Billy Napier are being kicked around for the South Carolina job. What do you ask of your assistants in terms of navigating the season and considering coaching opportunities? And your thoughts on the job Napier has done at Louisiana: "We're just getting ready for Florida State. That is our responsibility. As far as Billy, he has done an awesome job. He is a heck of a coach. I think the world of him."
-- Xavier Thomas' progress: "He has gotten better. Fortunately, he wasn't going to come back and play until the last few games. He wouldn't be playing right now had the rules not changed. He has worked himself back and has made improvement. Hopefully he's going to be the best version of himself this year toward the end."
-- How much do you know about Mike Norvell?: "I didn't know him at all prior to him getting the FSU job. We have met a lot since March virtually. I have gotten to know him that way. I don't believe I have ever met him. I think it has been a challenge for him. I can only imagine. You take over and you have to do all these things virtually. Watching them from beginning to now, they have improved. He has some really good young pieces. Schematically they know what they are doing. And they are competing."
-- Your overall assessment on how you have affected quarterbacks this year: "We have done OK. This past game he had his way. We did not affect him at all. He held the ball, ran around, scrambled and it was a problem. Overall, heck, we are still one of the best sack and TFL teams in the country and have been for a long time. We are 7-1 and lost in double overtime to a really good team at their place. We have done a pretty good job for the most part. They come out and scored within 15 seconds but didn't score a touchdown (on the defense) in the next 59 minutes. We had our worst game in third down offensively and defensively. Outside of that game, we have been pretty good. We have missed a bunch of missed tackles and opportunities missed to get guys on the ground, but those games were different. It'll be a challenge this week for sure with this guy."
-- On Cornell Powell's progress and evolution as a player: "He hung in there. He didn't run from the challenge. Cornell has been here. He was injured early. He was going to start his freshman year and got hurt. He missed some opportunities early and that set him back. And then to be honest with you he had to learn how to play fast. He has always been super talented but did not play fast. If you line him up and run him, he's as fast as anyone you got, but he did not play that way. He got beat out but it's not like he got beat out by scrubs. Everyone that beat him out is playing in the NFL. He could have packed up and left but he has taken coaching and has hung in there. He has gone to work on the things he needed to in order to improve. He had a desperation to him in camp we had not seen. He has been able to stay healthy. He is playing fast now. I'm just really proud of him. What everyone is seeing from him right now is what we saw from him in camp. He was awesome, he and Ngata. And Ngata has battled injuries, unfortunately. Now, Cornell's confidence is really high and that is so good to see."
-- On the possibility of the CFP being delayed: "I don't know if it will be. A lot of teams made the decision to not play. We have been going a long time. We shouldn't be penalized for going a long time. Anything is possible for sure but my focus is just on these next 18 days and having the best finish we can have. Nothing is off the table when it comes to 2020. I don't control any of that."
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE for more in-season DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear!
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