Dabo Swinney met with the media on Sunday to recap Clemson's 31-23 win over No. 15 Notre Dame.
"We were ready for the guys that kicked our teeth in last year," Swinney said. "We won the game because we won the field position and we won the turnover margin."
What We Heard
- "Notre Dame is a really good team. We weren't perfect but we did a lot of good things."
- "The difference in the game was red zone for us. The pick six was huge. Trotter was awesome We scored touchdowns in the red zone and held them to field goals."
- "Was good to see us get the run game going."
- "I thought we were physical and better fundamentally."
- Swinney said going on the long scoring drive after the critical interception and return was a sign of "growth" for the offense.
- On the blocking schemes being simplified: "We ran a little counter but not as much. But mostly we went with the zone. Mostly tried to cover them up and get Mafah to the second level. We ran mostly zone stuff yesterday. Those are things you make decisions on game-to-game. We felt like that was the best way to go this week. You don't get some of those big runs if guys aren't doing what they are supposed to do down the field. Can not say enough about Harris Sewell and Trent Howard."
- "I told Harris I don't have time to wait on you to be a junior."
- "Mafah is our best guy and we had to ride him."
- On doing anything different to address the fumbles: "These aren't middle-schoolers, they know. It has been a frustrating thing. I think sometimes it's mental or you go through some cycles."
- On the OL: "We challenged those guys to compete their tails off and there was a real close eye on them. We were going to use any and everybody we had. They answered the bell and really got after it."
- On Colin Sadler injury: "He was close, hopefully he will be able to go this week." Swinney noted that Sadler did play on the lone field goal attempt.
- On Avieon Terrell: "Played with a ton of confidence. Incredibly competitive and confident kid. He understands the nuances of the position. He is going to be a good one."
- The plan is still to redshirt DT Tre Williams. He has two more games he can play in plus the postseason.
- "It was a tough week. Tough practices and lot of guys getting hurt. A lot of things going on. But you kind of got what you got. But making them understand you still have enough. Our guys have competed. They have played hard. They have been in position to win."
- "You hate dealing with adversity but if you are made of the right stuff it will make you better."
- On Hamp Green: "He is a grinder, he is a tough kid. He has kind of always been our steady Eddie. We just trust him. And as you saw, he has some quickness and he will get the ball going north-south."
- On Tyler Brown: "It's just football. It is a hard game. And not everybody is built the same. Some guys can push through things. That guy is going to do everything he can to play. Not being able to take reps during practice just shows you how hard he is. I am glad we got him for three more years."
- Swinney said Tyler Venables is "on track" and they are just waiting on the medical people to clear him.
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