Dabo Swinney says 2021 team 'will be one of the better teams' at Clemson

Opening Statement:

"Really tough loss this past week, but really proud of the effort of our team-- proud of the grit, and the will to win that I saw in our guys. Then also how they've responded, that's been a real positive over the last couple of days. We've had wins around here in the past where I've not been real happy. We've had losses around here where I watched the tape, and I'm furious because I didn't see what you have to have in place to be able to win. That was not the case, Saturday night. Everything from an intangible standpoint that I think you got to have to win was on full display with our kids-- their fight their heart, their will to win, their expectation, man, was tremendous."

On the team he saw play:

"I think we got a chance to be one of the better teams we've had around here. This team has what it takes. If we make the improvement that we're capable of making, and we stay healthy, I think this when it's all said and done, this will be one of the better teams we've had since I've been the head coach. I love these guys. It's a really tough, hard-fought game and if we did 10-3, we'd had the same problems. We'd be sitting here today with the same issues and wouldn't be anything different. It's just better when you come out on top, but those types of games make you better."

On E.J. Williams trying to play instead of having surgery on his thumb:

"He's gonna have to have the surgery. It's a little ligament right in his thumb, but he thinks he can play, so we're going to try to tape him up, see how he does in practice today and tomorrow and we'll go from there. That's still gonna be kind of up in the air and, hopefully, he can play and we'll be able to do it when the season's over."

On celebrating C.J. Spiller this weekend in Death Valley:

"I'm really happy for C.J. Man, what an amazing opportunity. What a great year for C.J. He's got a baby on the way, married last year, coaching at his alma mater, and going into the College Football Hall of Fame, all in in a short amount of time. So it's really, really awesome to just be able to be a part of that and to see how far he's come on his journey. Really proud of him. I know that's gonna be a special moment for everyone. Clemson people, they've got long memories and they all love C.J. Spiller-- as they should and so do I."

On the loss to Georgia:

"We gave up three points and they scored three points. We gave up three, they gave up three. We scored three, they scored three, and outside of one critical play, it's a 3-3 overtime, and a 1970's classic. But it didn't happen. Critical, critical error, with 3:42 left in the half- CRITICAL. And it's a simple play if we don't make that critical mistake, it's first down on about the 20. You got momentum, you come away with points and it didn't happen."

On the errors the Tigers made:

"Young quarterback, first start in an environment like that-- with people-- and haven't played in a while. You got a freshman left guard. You got a first-year starter at right tackle-- and they're the right guys. You got no room for error. You don't have room for the type of mistakes that we made in the game. We just made too many, but it'll make us better-- for sure. It's good to get that exposed again, we could have played somebody and beat them 50-to-whatever and everybody's all happy. You're 1-0 and it's all good. I love those types of games. It's better when you win them. But I love it when I see our guys play the right way. Even though we made a lot of critical mistakes offensively, they played tough. They played with great effort. They played physical. They kept playing and we just couldn't quite put it together. So it's gonna be something that will help us improve for sure."