Clemson hits the stage at the ACC Kickoff
THE MODERATOR: We welcome you back inside the grand ballroom here on the second floor of the Westin in Uptown Charlotte. The Clemson Tigers have entered the room, and they'll be with us until 11:30. Coach and his student-athletes are entering the stage.
Dabo Swinney
Q. I don't know if you saw this yesterday or not, but Duke's Mike Elko made a comment yesterday and said Clemson is the golden standard. I'm from Greenville, South Carolina, and a popular topic of conversation last November was the South Carolina-Clemson game which, unfortunately, didn't end in your favor. Therefore, lots of eyes are going to be on y'all as you y'all head into Williams Brice Stadium this November. With the high expectations that are around you and placed upon you and terms such as "golden standard" describing you, what's the mindset you have to come into these games with?
DABO SWINNEY: No different. Every year we start over. Man, we're just trying to win the opener, honestly. That's really -- that's the same mindset.
If your mindset is any different than that this time of year, you're probably not in the right head space. Man, you got to take it one at a time. You can't win two games until you win one. You certainly can't win ten until you win nine. It just all builds.
So we're not locked in on whatever being a gold standard or what other people say or label us outside of expectations. We're just locked in on what we focus on every day, what we control. That is just trying to win the day, us have a great camp, and we got a tough opener and try to win the opener. Then we'll go from there.
Q. Looking at NIL, transfer portal, realignment, reclassification with some schools, there's all of these things that are going on outside of what you typically have to do in your day-to-day, which is enough for a coach. How do you see us stepping forward in this conference of the ACC and in general as we try to tackle some of these big issues that obviously affect you and re-recruiting your players every year?
DABO SWINNEY: Just got to win. Just got to win. All that stuff is a lot to talk about, but it still comes down to what you do on the field.
We got to win on the field. We got to continue to produce great teams year in and year out. I think we've been able to do that. We've had -- there's a lot of really good coaches and really good players in this league. You can go all the way back to '05 and go back to '13. This league has produced the second most draft picks.
So the NFL is the best of the best, and they've been coming to the ACC at a high rate to take these players here.
Great coaches, great players. You know, but at the end of the day we got to win football games. So my focus is on what we do at Clemson. I think we got a lot of really, really good teams in this league. Again, as I said, great coaches. Just continuing to compete at the highest level.
Obviously we step out of conference, and you get matchups, and we've got to continue to win our fair share of those.
Q. The dialogue surrounding the ACC is that it is largely dominated and elevated by Clemson, rightfully so after winning championships in seven of the last eight years. How do you feel about the conference today, and how do you believe the Clemson brand itself benefits from the ACC?
DABO SWINNEY: Well, I mean, I think our conference has, again, done a lot of great things. I can only speak from Clemson, but we're part of this conference. Just like some of these other schools that have done well, they're a part of their conference.
But I think we're second in playoff wins since this thing came about and appearances. We've won on the biggest stage. Certainly not perfect, but as far as the brand, I mean, the ACC does a tremendous job in promoting our teams.
Again, we've had a lot of consistency, and that's a result of our brand because we got kids coming from all over the country. We got kids from California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, and everywhere in between.
That doesn't happen if you don't have a great brand. We're certainly proud of the paw and what we've been able to do at Clemson. Also, all that the league has been able to do to promote us as well.
Q. Do you feel like there's a distinct advantage for you opening up on a Monday night, having that the program did that in 2022?
DABO SWINNEY: Not really. It kind of helps with your prep, I guess, just because we did it last year. Because it is a little different. You have to take a couple of days for your camp and prepare for the next opponent because we're going to get back at 5:00 in the morning, and it's Tuesday, and you play again on Saturday.
It doesn't matter who you play, you have to play the game, and you want to be prepared. The last thing you want to do is put your team in a situation where they're not prepared, and the team we're playing I think plays on Thursday night. They got a lot of time to get ready for us. You have to take a little time in camp to get ready for that opponent. Then it's a little different, again, being a Monday night, but that's probably it.
It's two good football teams. Man, Duke is coming off a great year. I think Coach Elko is one of the best coaches in the country. I can't get away from the guy. He is always showing up. Wake, thank God he left Wake. Now we have to play Notre Dame. We're playing them in the playoffs. All right, he is gone from there. Now I look up, and we somehow got Texas A&M on our schedule two years in a row. Now they go away, and now he is at Duke. He is a great coach.
Man, what an unbelievable job he did last year, he and his staff. They got about everybody back. So it's going to be a heck of a game, heck of a matchup, and national stage to go compete.
Q. You've been record multiple times of saying that sometimes Clemson is an outsider or doesn't get the same love or recognition. After so much dominance and six years straight of CFP appearances, after two years of not being there, it does seem like there's a little bit of a rush to say Clemson has lost that national relevancy. Do you use that as motivation and a chip on your shoulder, or is it block out the outside noise, none of that matters to me?
DABO SWINNEY: Listen, people talk about Clemson. We've had 12 really, really good years in a row. Some great years in there.
It's hard to get to a final four when there's 133 teams trying to do it. We've been there as much as anybody. If not going eight years in a row means we stink, well, I guess we stink, but maybe we can get back there this year and be able to say we went seven out of the last nine years. That would be a pretty cool accomplishment.
That's not going to happen if we don't win the opener and win the state championship and win this league and win the closer. That's all we're focused on. None of the rest of that stuff really just -- what we can control, and that's our prep, our mindset, how we attack each day.
Q. We've met a lot of transfers here at ACC Kickoff. You have kind of the old-school approach where you have two fifth-year guys, and they're all high school signees. I've read that you may lose a dozen outgoing transfers, but not sign many incoming transfers, and that seems to be different than most approach. Why is that your philosophy?
DABO SWINNEY: Well, it's just where we are kind of state of the program. You know, if I was taking a new job, then we would have no -- it would just be what you have to do because you're going to have a mass exodus of players, and you got to -- obviously it's probably not a good job, so you have to turn the roster. There's a lot of things that go into it.
But, you know, I'm going in year 15, and there's just a lot of continuity had. We've got a 98% graduation rate. We had seven guys that could have gone in the draft. I think three of them have masters degrees that I didn't think would be back here. I had no intention of them being back, but they're all back.
Will Putnam is back for a COVID year. Tyler Davis, Ruke, Sheridan, JP, XT, Justin Mascoll. These are all guys that are all graduates, that all could have headed off to the draft, but that's what excites me about this team is you have a group like that that came back to Clemson, and they didn't come back to just hang out in Tiger Town for another year. They came back with focus. They came back with a very clear purpose and vision of what they want to do in this one last shot for them. That is exciting to me.
So we've gone to the portal where we've needed it. We've signed a couple of quarterbacks where we felt like we needed a bridge guy, and an older backup veteran that would give us some depth. We've been able to do that, but we've not had a single starter leave Clemson. Not one. The kids that have left -- even the majority of the guys that have left Clemson have been graduates. That's number one.
Number two, we've had only two kids leave Clemson post-spring in the last two years, and they were both graduates. One was a sixth corner, and the other was a sixth defensive end, and they just wanted to go play.
Now, if you had a mass exodus after spring, you had 10, 12 -- you got to go, so we have not had that. We're still signing the best high school players in the country. I mean, listen, I would go sign Tyler Davis and Will Putnam and Cade Klubnik over anybody right now. These are great, great players.
So we're fortunate that way because we've been able to -- I mean, we're second winningest team in the country the last 12 years. We've never had a number one recruiting class. I don't think we've ever been close. I think we've had 13 top-15 classes in a row. Evaluation and development and retention has been how we've won at Clemson.
Again, you see it this year. Seven guys that all could have entered the draft, all came back. The infusion of another great signing class, 15 midyears, I mean, you know, we got -- we can go sign Peter Woods. I mean, I'm sure there were some good guys in the portal at D-line, but I like Peter Woods. I kind of like the guys we sign, and I like the guys that are on our team that are developing.
At some point we'll have some gap that we have to address. We've used it as we've needed.
Q. Can you touch on what makes Cade such a special player entering his first year as the starter?
DABO SWINNEY: Well, he is a winner, first of all. The kid has won his entire life. When you have somebody that's consistently won for a long, long time, there are certain characteristics that drive that, and he embodies all those characteristics.
He is an unbelievable competitor. He loves to prepare. He is passionate about it. He is a leader. He has a great football IQ, and he has an amazing skill set.
I mean, there's a lot to -- there's really not much to not like about Cade Klubnik. That's why he won the elite 11 and was the top quarterback in the country coming out of high school. He didn't look up and do that. He has put a lot of work in.
And then everything he has done at Clemson, he came in here a little behind physically, honestly, but he is in a really good spot. He is about probably by the time we get to weigh-in next week, he is probably 25 pounds heavier than when he showed up.
This time last year he didn't know what he didn't know, and now he knows what he didn't know. That's the great thing. There's no greater teacher than experience. There's no greater teacher than a little bit disappointment along the way too.
So he had has had a lot of success. He's had a little bit of disappointment. He has a year under his belt. He understands what we got to do to prepare week in and week out. He's built for it.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you. If you want to hand the microphone off to Tyler Davis, we can have you switch positions. Tyler will be with us for five minutes.
Tyler Davis
Q. You were given nicknames based on some absolutely phenomenal defensive tackles in the program's history and Baby Dex And Mini-Fridge and all those things. Yet, you've set multiple records for interior defensive linemen there and on pace to become the first defensive lineman ever to I believe make All-ACC four times. With that being said, how does it feel to kind of surpass those guys and kind of be your own man out of nicknames that, again, come from legends in the program?
TYLER DAVIS: It feels great just to be even considered with those guys in the same breath. They did legendary things there, but it feels amazing. It definitely feels amazing.
Q. What made you want to come back to Clemson?
TYLER DAVIS: Me, just knowing I can maximize myself here. I got guys, me and Ruke talked about it. We know that we got Coach Eason just got there, and we feel like we had one of our best years just being over here for one year.
Then we got our strength coach, Coach Batson, Coach Dennis Love, he prepared me. My body never felt the way it felt ever since I've been there.
Just knowing all those and knowing all that, I said, why not? Why not have this chance to go win a natty, knowing I got the best linebacker duo and got guys like JP, Sheridan, Nate, Wiggins, RJ Mickens, Andrew Mukuba back there in the secondary, why not just go and have one of the best defense and go win a natty?
Q. Kind of going off of that, coming back for this season and having one more run with this team, just what can you say about the team over self at Clemson and how that's emphasized by the coaching staff?
TYLER DAVIS: The team, I say one thing about our team: We are very accountable. We are competitive and accountable, and we hold each other to that, and we try to compete every day against each other and try to just hold ourselves to our standard.
Q. One of the things that I saw utilized a lot was a lot more dropping eight into coverage last year, and you all still found ways to get home. I remember multiple times, at least two sacks against NC State, with just rushing three. What does your ability to generate pressure without additional guys adding in mean for this defense and this team overall?
TYLER DAVIS: It means a lot. We're just dropping three. That shows how much effort that we put into our rush and showing that we're trying to get after the quarterback no matter what. No matter if it's three, four, five, we are really hungry to get a sack. It's a race to the quarterback.
I say that is just showing how much effort that we care for each other.
THE MODERATOR: From the podium, I want to follow up on your natty comment. It's a popular question we like to ask here: Do you have to win a championship in order to call it a successful season?
TYLER DAVIS: I would say in my book, yes. I mean, we come here. That's one of our goals. We come here to graduate and win a championship and to leave better prepared as a man. I would say yes, to have a successful season, you have to win a championship of some sort.
THE MODERATOR: That's a good note to end on. How about you hand the microphone off to Cade, and we'll spend about five minutes with Cade.
Cade Klubnik
Q. Coach said when you got here you didn't know what you didn't know. Now you know what you didn't know. What is an example of something that you've kind of learned along the way that will make you a better quarterback this year?
CADE KLUBNIK: I would start with just reading defenses. Up front I feel like we've had a great QB room since I've been here and just kind of Hunter Helms, DJ, Hunter Johnson last year, Paul Tyson. Just guys that I get to look up to.
They've kind of helped me. Just a young guy in the program that I'm getting to learn what a box really looks like, how to read blitzes, how to pick up protections, stuff like that. I didn't know that, and I feel like I've really gotten to step into that role, and that really started going into the last few games last year really starting to pick that up.
That's been a big thing for me this offseason. That's been big for me.
Q. How much pressure do you put on yourself to come out the gates guns blazing enduring the highs and lows of the season?
CADE KLUBNIK: I would say just take it one day at a time. I know I say that a lot, but that's really what it comes down to.
Right now I'm focused on today. I'm present where I am. We got workouts tomorrow morning, and I'm going to be there, and I'm going to be locked in where I am.
Right now just heading into fall camp we're focused on the first game, and that's it. We're focused on week one at Raleigh versus Duke, and we're getting ready for that.
What ends up happening, ends up happening, but we're ready to attack whatever comes at us.
Q. After the spring game you had mentioned one of the big things you wanted to improve on was your pocket presence. What kind of drills have helped you with that, and do you feel like you've taken as big a stride in that area as you would like to?
CADE KLUBNIK: Yeah, definitely. I feel like that's been something that me and the other QBs, I've been putting an emphasis on this offseason in the last probably three months especially.
Just lots of cone work, lots of pocket presence, even getting with other offensive linemen and D-linemen and literally getting fake reps almost of just them blitzing, having to throw off of different movements and stuff like that, but just feeling it out.
At that point it becomes a muscle memory type of thing where you're not even thinking about it. I really feel like I'm getting back to that point again, so...
Q. When you look at the history of quarterbacks, guys that have been under center as signal callers for Clemson and everything that they've done not only at Clemson, but evolving into the NFL, what does it mean to you to step into the role that you have evolved into now and to take on that opportunity that so many have brought forward successfully before?
CADE KLUBNIK: Yeah, definitely a huge honor. I mean, obviously big shoes to fill. Just looking at the guys that have been here before me and just definitely guys that I look up to a ton.
But we've got the same -- I've got the same head coach that they got. I'm really thankful for that. I'm excited for Coach Riley. I feel like the guys that I'm going to be surrounded by this season, I wouldn't replace them with anybody else.
Just so excited for the playmakers that I'm getting to be around every single day and really, really excited.
Q. Coach Swinney alluded to learning from disappointments along the way. I want to ask about the Orange Bowl in particular last year and that game against Tennessee, which you know, it was a bit of a tough game, but you were QB1 going into bowl preparation and all that good stuff. What is it that you took away from that game, from that disappointment that you can say, I'm a better quarterback in these ways because of that game going down the way it did?
CADE KLUBNIK: Yeah. I mean, specifically talking about that game, we needed to finish drives. I think that's what it started with, but I think honestly I'm just so proud of those guys for that game.
I think it's -- I think that's going to push -- that game is going to push us to the places we want to be this year. It's putting a little bit of a bad feeling in our stomach all year. Obviously we had a very successful year if you look at the overall picture of it - ACC Champions and 11-3 finish. That's an amazing year, but to finish with a loss, it's always going to leave something a little dirty in your soul.
Going into this offseason it's been great. I think it's been helping us and a little bit more of a grittiness to us than I've seen before. It's going to be fun.
Q. To piggyback what my man said about the last game of the Orange Bowl you didn't do so good, but the ACC title game you did do good. You have two full games what we saw you. It's a small sample size. Clemson fans don't just want ACC title. They want to get back to that national title, top of the college football mountain. What do you say to the people who feel like you might not be the guy to get them there?
CADE KLUBNIK: Yeah, the reason I came to Clemson was for two things: It was for the culture and to win a national championship. I believe that we're going to be able to do that while I'm here, so...
Will Putnam
Q. Transitioning from guard to center and earning All-ACC honors in your first year at the position is pretty impressive. How did you prepare for this new role, and what adjustments did you have to make to excel as a center in Clemson's offense?
WILL PUTNAM: I think it was an easier transition than most people would realize because I had experience playing guard. I've been in this system for a couple of years. Really it was understanding that the team needed me.
My team needed me to play center, and that would help our team and put ourselves in the best opportunity to win games. I'm a team player through and through, so whatever it takes to win, I'll do it.
Then Coach Swinney, Coach Austin, like, he came to the conclusion that that's what needed to be done. I'm all in with it. I think it would be great.
Then from a personal level I think it's good for me to get some versatility as well playing both guard and center. So I think it was a win-win for everybody. I think it was great.
Like, if this year, for example, I need to play guard, I would do it again too. Where I play doesn't really matter for me as much. It's more so what I can do to help our team win, and I'm glad it worked out that way, though.
Q. There used to be a really proud tradition of beautiful bearded men along the offensive line. Can you confirm or deny that's coming back?
WILL PUTNAM: It needs to come back. Not as much as it used to because I know Matt Bockhorst has always had one. Very crispy, very clean. Hunter Rayburn had one. He let it go a little bit.
No, it's going to come back a little bit. Maybe not for me. Mine might be kind of eh, but Collin Sadler, he is a young one coming up. He can grow a pretty mean Viking beard. I'll try to convince him.
Q. Will, just what can you say about your new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and what he has done to invigorate this offense and what can we expect as we step into the season?
WILL PUTNAM: Coach Riley has been great. Everyone is on board. I think one of the great things about Coach Riley coming to Clemson is just the excitement, right. Enthusiasm is very contagious, and it's been very positive.
I mean, our offense is very player-friendly. I guess the goal is to try to put our best playmakers in positions to make plays. Putting guys in those positions, those opportunities to win the game for us, I think that's really good.
I think it's given some guys a little bit of autonomy to make certain decisions that's best for our team, best for our offense.
Then off the field Coach Riley is just a great person, great coach. Like the other week, he had the entire offense over to his house for food and fellowship and stuff like that. He didn't have to do that, but he did.
So it's been a great transition so far.
THE MODERATOR: Your last question from the podium. Wondering what lessons you have taken and applied from your dad Neil, a 30-year Army veteran who spent 24 years in the Green Beret.
WILL PUTNAM: I've learned a lot from my father. Many, many things. I think one, taking initiative from yourself is really big. Then I think too, which I think is important, it can go for a lot of things is greatness is opinionated. Other people decide who is great, who is not, but excellence is self-driven, and that's something as a man, as a person, that's something that you can decide, you can drive how you want to live your life, how you want to be remembered. I would say that is one thing that has always stuck with me.
THE MODERATOR: Will, thank you. Clemson, good luck this season.