Swinney's Tuesday Press Conference

Here are some notable quotes from Dabo Swinney's Tuesday press conference before Virginia Tech:

On Virginia Tech:

• Excited about great opportunity this week at Virginia Tech.
• Play with great physicality and play well on both sides of the ball.
• Very impressed with their quarterback and their receiver #5 is leading our league.
• We played them last year in the ACC championship and it was a down to the wire team.
• Bud Foster does a great job on that defense. They are a handful.
• They don’t use their quarterback any differently this year than they did last year. He is a very efficient thrower.

On Injuries:

• Edmond is probably still not going to be able to go.
• Mullen is in the protocol. It’s a day-by-day type of thing.
• Mark Fields will be practicing today.

On this Team:

• Any time you can draw from experience, you know what to expect. Louisville on the road was a really good experience. Early in the season, you are leaning on your veteran guys to set the mindset.
• We’re battle tested. We’ve played two top-15 teams, one of them away from home. We got our noses bloody against Boston College, a tough and physical team.
• Playing on the road isn’t any different than playing at home. If you are a good player, you are a good player wherever. It shouldn’t matter what the weather is, where you are or what color jersey you wear.
• There is a certain mindset you have to have when there is a lot of energy against you. You have to be mentally tough.
• From day one, you have to be able to run the football and you have to be able to stop the run. If you can’t, it’s going to be a long season.
• Lack of identity on defense comes from not playing enough games. The identity is to show up and be ready.

On Bud Foster:

• Bud Foster has always been a little bit ahead of the game. He recruits athletic guys and guys that can play in space. Very impressed with their back seven guys.
• Foster and Brent Venables are certainly two of if not the best defensive coaches in the country.
• We have to be good decision makers against this defense.

On Justen Fuente:

• Justin Fuente is a really good coach with a really good team about to play a really good team. I think the same applies for us. You can’t get caught up in distractions.

On Alex Spence:

• Alex Spence has made a 53-yard field goal in practice and has plenty of leg.

On the Boston College game:

• Wasn’t surprised there were boos from the crowd. ‘They’re booing us, boys.’ I’m never going to not appreciate a win. That's why we celebrate after every win.
• To see Kelly Bryant manage the game was great to see. You got to go through that. It was a good game for him from a teaching standpoint. I thought he responded really well.
• Every single week, we are going to play good people. Today’s practice is going to be a tough practice. When you are battle-tested, you are a better team. This group has responded well. We’ve seen a lot in four games.
• We’ve been a target for a long time. We know we are going to get everybody’s best here. We don’t spend a lot of time on the opponent because we know we are getting the best of that opponent every week.
• Jabril Robinson played his worst game against Louisville, but his best game against Boston College.

On the 2011 game in Blacksburg:

• I remember not many people gave us a chance. We played our third-straight ranked opponent. We made enough plays offensively. It was a hard-fought and dreary evening. I looked back on the bus and the whole team was asleep.

On the Running Backs:

• Jokes with the media that Travis Etienne looked slower on film.
• Tavien Feaster and Travis have separated themselves.