Dabo: No. 1 Clemson well-prepared to play opening game without fans in stands
The MOST DIGITAL CONTENT covering your CLEMSON TIGERS.
The Clemson Tigers are the top-ranked team in the country. They have appeared in four of the last five CFP National Championships, coming away victorious in two of them. They boast the most potent offensive attack in college football, spearheaded by Trevor Lawrence, the future number-one overall draft pick and superstar in his own right.
The perpetual hype train that is this Clemson squad marches in to Winston-Salem on Saturday to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. College Gameday will be on sight for the game, meaning the matchup will take place in the beloved nightcap slot on ABC.
The wait is nearly over. Fans across the country can almost taste it. College football is finally on its way back, and one can only imagine just how amped up the sold-out Wake Forest crowd will be come kickoff time.
No, seriously. One can, quite literally, only imagine.
When the clock hits 7:30 EST Saturday night, not a single fan will be seated in the bleachers at Truist Field. As a precautionary measure in the fight against COVID-19, all North Carolinian ACC schools will hold off on allowing fans to attend games to begin the season.
“It’s different, for sure,” explained Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. “I’ve never been a part of that. So it will be a unique experience for all of us.”
Coach Swinney is no stranger to scaling mountains throughout his tenure, but the idea of playing certain games with no fans in the stands serves to be one of the most unique challenges he’s ever faced.
The solution to this unprecedented predicament? According to tight end Braden Galloway, it’s quite simple, and can be abbreviated into four letters: B.Y.O.E.
“We have to bring our own energy,” said Galloway as he spoke to the media. “We actually just finished talking about that after practice. Everybody knows it’s going to be a different year. We’re definitely going to have to bring our own energy. And with the guys we have on this team, I don’t think it will be a problem because we play for each other.”
Defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney was asked a similar question regarding a lack of fans on opening night and showed no concern, noting the amount of energy the Tigers bring to the field everyday.
“It’s kind of like practice,” Pinckney stated. “When we’re at practice, we bring the energy. There’s no fans out here; it’s just us and our coaches. So that’s what it’s going to be. And we’re going to be hype. We’re going to turn up ourselves and keep it between us. Because at the end of the day, the fans aren’t going to play. We are.”
Coach Swinney echoed the sentiments of both Galloway and Pinckney, suggesting a key to finding a balance in the current differences surrounding the season was to seek out the few things that will remain the same as seasons prior.
“At the end of the day, man, it’s football,” explained Swinney. One thing that will be the same is that scoreboard will be lit up. And the other thing is that there’s still going to be millions watching on TV. So it will be different, but different has become our normal. And these guys have to be able to handle that.”
Heading into the 2020 college football season, the base-level definition of “normal” is yet to be determined. A number of different facets could factor into what the season looks like as a whole.
But as for the Clemson Tigers, the team looks to be prepared for the challenges that come with having fewer fans (or no fans at all) attending each game, along with anything else this extraordinary season may throw their way.