Clemson's new defensive play-caller handled himself well today in front of the media.
Some of the more interesting parts:
-- Said Dabo was in Vegas at the Raiders game when he called Goodwin and told him the job was his. Said he and his wife were really excited.
-- Said he feels like he's been groomed for this, by Brent Venables and others. Said there were so many times over the years when it felt like he and BV were thinking the exact same thing in a game.
-- It meant everything to him that the players universally embraced his promotion. He said that was the most important thing to him. He also noted that there haven't been any opt-outs since, so that's a good sign of their support for the move.
-- He was asked about the difference in demeanor between himself and his predecessor.
"I'm not a rah-rah guy, but I'm going to get in their faces at times. I've got to be myself and do things how I do them."
-- Said the nickname "Weslichik" goes all the way back to his days as a student staffer at Mississippi State.
-- Said Clemson's defensive greatness has always been less about one person and more about players.
-- Said he needs to learn how to get in the flow of a game as a play-caller. But he did say he's prepared for this for more than a decade, putting himself in a play-caller mode each day and asking what he'd call in different situations. Said he's always thought big-picture in that way.
-- When asked about questions that might come from outside about his inexperience and obscurity, said: "My expectations for myself are good enough. I don't have to prove anything to anybody else."
-- He absolutely loves being in Clemson, and that's why he's turned down opportunities elsewhere. Loves the people, loves Dabo Swinney.
"I'm a small-town guy. The lakes, the mountains, college football -- it doesn't get any better than that for me."
-- Said he wants to be aggressive and take the fight to the offense. Said he'll take some concepts from the other places he's been.
He was asked: So that means a lot of blitzing?
"Yeah, definitely. No risk it, no biscuit. Right?
-- On recruiting: Said he's going to have a "nobody will out-work me" mentality.
-- Said he's spent more time around linebackers than DBs over his career.
-- Said no get-back coach will be needed for him. He'll go onto the field sometimes, but not enough to require someone to hold him back.
-- I asked him what position Venables had in mind for him at Oklahoma.
"It wasn't the defensive coordinator and linebacker job at Clemson, so...."
-- Said coaching the DBs in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl against LSU was huge for him because for the first time he felt like he could do this at a high level. Said it felt great that the DBs bought in to him in that game and in the practices leading up to it. Said he still has a picture of Chandler Catanzaro's game-winning field goal on his wall.
-- He said he fits in with the underdog thread that has weaved itself through Clemson football, and particularly Clemson football under Dabo. Said this program was built by people with chips on their shoulders, people that were considered risks, people with a lot to prove.
-- Said there's no one better than Mickey Conn. Said he's done it at a high level for a long time, and he's "like one of my best friends." The dynamic between them is unselfish and no egos.
Some of the more interesting parts:
-- Said Dabo was in Vegas at the Raiders game when he called Goodwin and told him the job was his. Said he and his wife were really excited.
-- Said he feels like he's been groomed for this, by Brent Venables and others. Said there were so many times over the years when it felt like he and BV were thinking the exact same thing in a game.
-- It meant everything to him that the players universally embraced his promotion. He said that was the most important thing to him. He also noted that there haven't been any opt-outs since, so that's a good sign of their support for the move.
-- He was asked about the difference in demeanor between himself and his predecessor.
"I'm not a rah-rah guy, but I'm going to get in their faces at times. I've got to be myself and do things how I do them."
-- Said the nickname "Weslichik" goes all the way back to his days as a student staffer at Mississippi State.
-- Said Clemson's defensive greatness has always been less about one person and more about players.
-- Said he needs to learn how to get in the flow of a game as a play-caller. But he did say he's prepared for this for more than a decade, putting himself in a play-caller mode each day and asking what he'd call in different situations. Said he's always thought big-picture in that way.
-- When asked about questions that might come from outside about his inexperience and obscurity, said: "My expectations for myself are good enough. I don't have to prove anything to anybody else."
-- He absolutely loves being in Clemson, and that's why he's turned down opportunities elsewhere. Loves the people, loves Dabo Swinney.
"I'm a small-town guy. The lakes, the mountains, college football -- it doesn't get any better than that for me."
-- Said he wants to be aggressive and take the fight to the offense. Said he'll take some concepts from the other places he's been.
He was asked: So that means a lot of blitzing?
"Yeah, definitely. No risk it, no biscuit. Right?
-- On recruiting: Said he's going to have a "nobody will out-work me" mentality.
-- Said he's spent more time around linebackers than DBs over his career.
-- Said no get-back coach will be needed for him. He'll go onto the field sometimes, but not enough to require someone to hold him back.
-- I asked him what position Venables had in mind for him at Oklahoma.
"It wasn't the defensive coordinator and linebacker job at Clemson, so...."
-- Said coaching the DBs in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl against LSU was huge for him because for the first time he felt like he could do this at a high level. Said it felt great that the DBs bought in to him in that game and in the practices leading up to it. Said he still has a picture of Chandler Catanzaro's game-winning field goal on his wall.
-- He said he fits in with the underdog thread that has weaved itself through Clemson football, and particularly Clemson football under Dabo. Said this program was built by people with chips on their shoulders, people that were considered risks, people with a lot to prove.
-- Said there's no one better than Mickey Conn. Said he's done it at a high level for a long time, and he's "like one of my best friends." The dynamic between them is unselfish and no egos.
