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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 22, 2011Dabo SwinneyDABO SWINNEY: Well, another really big challenge for us this week. It's an exciting week here in our state. We kind of battle it out for the state championship, and it should be a great game down there, two good football teams that both are going to want to get this tenth win. Should be a classic game in Columbia. This is as good a defense as there is in the country, really in every area, and offensively their quarterback has gained confidence every week, they're running the ball effectively and doing a really good job of finding ways to win. This is a big challenge for us, especially going down there on the road. But really excited about having an opportunity to hopefully go play better. We did not play well at all this past weekend, and it's going to take a much, much better performance on our part to even have a chance to win this game. Really looking forward to the opportunity. With that, I'll take your questions. Q. You've obviously got this game, then you've got a big ACC title game next week. How concerned are you about the play of late by your team, and are you kind of worried that you're not peaking at the right time, so to speak? DABO SWINNEY: Well, I'm real concerned, but it's not anything that we certainly can't fix. I mean, we've just been a team that has kind of self‑imploded. It's just hard to‑‑ I mean, there's always things to get better at and to improve upon. When you win, even when you play great. But for us, it's very simple: We've had 11 turnovers in three games. We probably lead the nation. I don't know that. If we don't lead the nation, we've got to be in the top three in the last three games, and we haven't forced many turnovers. Really, none of the rest of it really matters a whole lot until you give yourself a chance to win. So we've got to get back to just taking care of the football. The first eight games we only had six and the whole deal, and we won. So we've proven that when we're a good ball security team, we've got a really good chance to win. That's my biggest concern is just how we have‑‑ the critical mistakes that we've made in the last few games, penalties, turnovers, you know, given up a couple plays on punt‑‑ with our punt team. That's not winning football. But you know, we've had a good season, and the good news is we've played way more good football than we have bad football, and that's what we've got to get back to this week to have a chance to finish this season the way we want to and have a great championship run. Q. Anything on the defensive side of the ball that concerns you or you kind of figure once the turnovers stop the field position will be different? DABO SWINNEY: Well, again, it's‑‑ there's certainly things that, yeah, we've got to improve in every area, but until you give yourself a chance, I mean, it's hard to go play defense when you get the ball on the 6, the 11, the 15, the 16, whatever it was, back to back to back, and those are things that you just can't do and beat good, solid football teams, especially on the road. Two of our losses, both of our losses have been on the road, and we had four turnovers in both of those games. Defensively the other night, shoot, we played as good a first quarter, probably quarter and a half to be honest with you, as we've played all year. But we just could not put it together as a team. You know, it's a team game, and we've got to get back to playing Clemson football. That's the bottom line. It's about execution and guys playing within the system and doing their job. Q. Obviously this is the way it's always going to be when you're playing for the Conference Championship, that you play South Carolina immediately before that. But in theory would you rather have immediately before a championship game a game without such high stakes as this one, whereby you could rest players, etcetera? Does this sort of complicate the situation to have a game that's of such importance to your populous in advance of one that's so important to your team, as well? DABO SWINNEY: Yeah, I've never bought into that. I know there's a lot of coaches out there who do, and listen, they're all big. Every game is critical. Every game is critical. I mean, every one of them. They've got 12 of them on the schedule, and you're expected to win all 12. However they shake them up, line them up, it don't matter. But I love the rivalry week. I've always loved that. This is my favorite time of year. I mean, I just think it's a great experience for your players to be a part of, same thing as coaches, and your fans and all that kind of stuff. You know, this is a game that impacts every house in this state, and I think it's great that it's only the fifth time that both of these teams have been ranked, and I think the first time that both teams have come in with at least nine wins. This is a huge game. And next week will take care of itself. This is a separate championship, and I think this game in my opinion even further prepares you for next week. If you're going to be a champion, you've got to win regardless of when you play the games. But I've always been a little more traditional, and I like letting it all sort out all year long and then line up and play each other at the end. Q. You just used the phrase "separate championship." Is that something that you've specifically trademarked, for lack of a better word, or specifically used with your team this week? DABO SWINNEY: Yeah, I mean, it's our next goal. We've hit every goal on our board to this point. We haven't missed one as far as winning the opener and our next goal is to win our division and our third goal is to win the state championship. We want to be the best team in this state, and that's the next goal for us, and that's our focus. And then our next goal is to win the ACC Championship. We'll have an opportunity to do that, and then we want to win our Bowl game, and if we're doing those things consistently, then we're going to have an outstanding program, and that's why they're set that way. Q. What is Sammy Watkins' status? DABO SWINNEY: We expect him to play. Q. Okay, so he's been able to practice? DABO SWINNEY: Yep. We'll go out there again today, but he's set, practiced last night, going to practice today, and we're‑‑ I don't know what the official term is, but he's probable. In my mind he's definitely going to play, but I think the proper term is probable. Q. Can you just sort of sum up the impact that he's had on your team this year and sort of‑‑ I know you need about 30 minutes. DABO SWINNEY: You got enough time? Listen, he's rewritten the books. You just pull out the media guide, and you just look up every receiver statistic that there is and he's rewritten the books as a true freshman. I think he only needs like‑‑ I may be wrong, 50 yards or 70 yards or something like that to set the single season record, I think break Rod Gardner's record. I think ‑‑ he's been pretty special. The guy has been on every award list out there. He's had a huge impact on our team, and that's what great players do. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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