ACC Kickoff: Carter, Mickens, Klubnik, Mafah hit the stage
Barrett Carter
Q. You are playing Georgia in your home opener in Atlanta. Your hometown is only 40 minutes away, depending on traffic. Minus that, are you going to be able to bring any family to that matchup?
BARRETT CARTER: Yeah, I let my parents usually handle my tickets. They already told me they've got a lot of calls and texts about that game specifically.
I'm excited to have a lot of my family there. The more the merrier. That's how I see it. I always just let my parents handle that. I like to just focus on the game, focus on what's to come.
Q. What can you say about everything that's been asked of you from Coach Swinney as well as the staff, that extra that you give, so beyond the film, the practice? What is that extra that's made you the player that you are?
BARRETT CARTER: I think the staff and Coach Swinney, they've challenged me to become more of a leader. I've really taken that and tried to run with that ever since the season ended.
Clemson, we've had a bunch of great leaders in the past. I want to be the next in line with that. But they've challenged me to become more of a vocal leader. I've tried to do that every single day, try to preach to our guys to have the right mentality. No matter what our coaches throw at us, attack it head on, which will be good.
That's what they've asked me to do. Of course, I have a long way to go still, but I think I'm heading in the right direction.
Q. Can we talk about your relationship with Trotter and about how much he's affected your on and off the field decisions? How has he affected your life?
BARRETT CARTER: Yeah, just so thankful that God crossed Trotter and I's path. That was my roommate for two and a half years. I mean, regardless of what happened on the field with Trot, we're going to go home to the same place. We have no choice but to make up at the end of the night.
That's my brother for life. I was just chatting with him a couple weeks ago, seeing how he was doing. The thing I love about Trotter is he's all about his business. Me, I'm going to talk a lot of trash, whatever. Trot, he's going to kill you with silence. That's what I can respect the most about Trotter.
He really just taught me he's the definition of hard work and just being about your business. I've tried to really instill that into myself and how I attack every single day, my mindset towards things.
Trot is going to be my brother for life. He's probably going to be maybe my best man, I don't know, whenever that day comes. Trot, that's my dog, for sure.
Q. Sammy Brown lived up to the hype in the spring game. What are your first impressions of the freshmen?
BARRETT CARTER: First of all, he looks the part already. Physicality-wise, I would say he's probably stronger than all of us already. He's 18, 19 years old, whatever he is.
Sammy, he's wired differently, to say the least. He's come in just hungry and driven with no ego at all. He's tried to pick my brain as much as possible just to learn the playbook and learn the ins-and-outs of how to be successful at Clemson.
I'm glad that we have him in his program. I like to take credit that he committed because I hosted him on his OV.
I'm looking forward to him showing the world who Sammy Brown is, what he's all about.
R.J. Mickens
Q. When you walk into the locker room in the spring, you see Tyler Venables, the old guys, does it feel like this is kind of come full circle for you? Do you feel like the old heads in the room?
R.J. MICKENS: Coach always says the days are long, but the years are short. That's never been more true. Feels like I just got here yesterday. Five years, four years gone by, it's just been amazing, amazing.
Q. Clemson has always had such a stellar defense. This year is no different. What can you tell us about you and the players alongside?
R.J. MICKENS: Just the work we've been putting in. Me, Barrett, Tyler, we got a lot of great leaders. Young leaders, as well. Avieon Terrell, Shelton Lewis, guys just stepping up and grinding this whole off-season and summer. It's been amazing to see. We just have to be consistent.
Q. You steadily improved your starts each year. What is it about the evolution of your game that's translated to more starts in your career?
R.J. MICKENS: For me personally, it's just been being consistent, like I said. Every single play could be that play that could win or lose the game. Especially being a safety, you got to have that mindset every single play. You cannot take a play off.
I feel like I've really improved in that sense, just maturing and developing as a leader and as a man off the field.
Q. To come back here and to put the NFL dreams on hold for a minute, what is it about this season and Clemson that makes you believe the national stage is where you will be again?
R.J. MICKENS: Just having the people in that building, Coach Swinney, Coach Conn, Coach West, Coach Riley on the offensive side. Then the guys in locker room are really a special group of guys. Just seeing the work and the camaraderie. Those long days that I was talking about just grinding, early mornings, late nights, grinding in the facility and putting in work. I've just really got a lot of confidence in this bunch.
Cade Klubnik
Q. One of the themes with talking to Garrett last week was some of the lessons and takeaways he had in year one as the coordinator. What are some of your takeaways you're going to bring with you in year two?
CADE KLUBNIK: Honestly super excited to have Coach Riley as my quarterback coach, offensive coordinator for my third year, second year in a row.
Yeah, I mean, I would just say one of the biggest things is taking it one week at a time. I'm never looking to the next opponent, never looking to two weeks ahead, three weeks ahead. Truly just focusing on one day at a time. That's one thing we've talked about. Just being automatic in everything, every little play, automatic and efficient. Making the routine plays routine. Just sticking to the system.
Q. Where has that evolution come from for you that you've seen since you've been asked to be there as a signal caller, the leader of the offense? Where have you seen yourself evolve the most?
CADE KLUBNIK: I think just being able to manage the game. I look back at last season, throughout the year, being a full-time starter for a full year, I learned how to actually manage a game in a really efficient way. I think that's one thing I got better at throughout the season.
One thing I want to start off with really quickly in week one, just continue to get better at. That's been great.
Honestly just leading, just using my voice and pushing guys. Just building as great of a camaraderie as I can build with my teammates, with my O-line, receivers, running backs, tight ends. Just trying to be the best leader that I can be.
It's been great.
Q. Last year 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions. What have you been working on during the off-season to improve that ratio?
CADE KLUBNIK: Yeah, I think the first thing would be obviously getting to be in the same system again. I think being able to know the offense, I mean, it almost feels like the longer you're in a system, you know how to get through progressions faster, cancel out yes, no, pre-snap progressions, knowing when you're hot off of blitzes, knowing the protections better. That obviously comes with getting the ball out of my hand quicker. Less interceptions, less sacks, being able to make big-time plays with either my legs or throwing the ball downfield.
Q. Clemson comes from a long list of great quarterbacks. Have any of those previous ones reached out to you, offered to work out with you?
CADE KLUBNIK: Not as much like work out. I've talked to Deshaun and Trevor a little bit each. They're both chasing their NFL careers right now, so they don't have a lot of time to come back to Clemson and train with me.
I've definitely had some great mentors. Nick Foles is a guy that went to my high school. Got to spend a couple days with the Mannings, pick their brains. Learned a couple little cheat codes that I never even heard before. That was great. It's been awesome to have people like that that I can reach out to, that truly understand what I'm going through and what the game is.
Phil Mafah
Q. You had a standout bowl performance, set a school bowl record. How hungry does that make you for this season?
PHIL MAFAH: It definitely makes me look forward to the season, not only just individually but as a team, just seeing the way that we finished definitely gave us a lot of confidence for this year and going into the off-season and our preparation.
I definitely feel like that game has helped our team moral be boosted, allowed the guys to know we can win, we can be successful.
Q. You and Shipley were more of a running back by committee last year. Now that you're the main guy, what changes in your mindset?
PHIL MAFAH: Really nothing changes in my mindset. One thing I have been focusing on this season, this off-season, is my longevity, just to be able to play as many games as I can this year, taking care of my body, my nutrition, doing what I need to do on the daily in order to be successful.
Q. That relationship that you have with Cade and how that's evolved, having success on the offensive side.
PHIL MAFAH: My relationship with Cade has gotten great. We just took a trip down to Sea Island, spent a great time together, worshipping, fellowship. He's my brother in Christ. I love that dude. He cares about this team so much. He's taken a great step this off-season just to get closer to the guys, help to bring unity within the offense and defense.
He stepped up as a vocal leader, as a field general out there. I'm really proud of him. I can see the offense doing really well this year because of the guys that came back. We got a lot of guys back. Got a new center. It's his fourth year, so he knows what to do.
I'm pretty confident in our offense.
Q. On a lighter note, you're one for two in your passing. Do you like throwing the ball? Do you practice passing off the field?
PHIL MAFAH: Yeah, I really do like throwing the ball. But a lot of people really don't like to catch the ball from me since I'm left-handed. I mean, whenever coach needs me to throw the ball, I'm always willing because I think it's awesome.
