ACC Teleconference Week 5 - Sept 26

[OrangeXtreme]

Atlantic Coast Conference Football Media Conference
Wednesday September 26, 2018
Dabo Swinney
Clemson

DABO SWINNEY: Good morning. First of all, just proud of our team. Coming off our best game against Georgia Tech. Really just love how we performed, and the momentum that we, I think, created coming out of that game. We've got another huge challenge this week. We're excited to be back at home playing a really good Syracuse team. They're 4-0. It's a division game, so this is a huge game for both sides, and obviously they beat us last year, and they'll be confident that they can do that.

But for us, it's just about, again, trying to build a little momentum from last week, continue to play clean and efficient, and see if we can get off to a good start within the division.

Looking forward to that, and then quickly want to address the Kelly Bryant situation. I know we've got a lot of people probably on here that want a comment from that, and obviously saddened and disappointed that he's chosen to leave the team, but I really have absolutely nothing bad that I can say about Kelly Bryant. He's one of the best young people I've ever been around, and even though I don't think this is a great decision, I certainly respect it, and it doesn't change anything that I feel for Kelly. I love him, care about him. I wish him nothing but the best, and, again, sad that he has made this decision.

All I can say is another program, wherever he decides to go, is going to get a quality quarterback and a very quality young man. We appreciate everything that Kelly gave to this program while he was here. He's a graduate, and like I said, he's one of the best young people you could ever be around. It's disappointing, but that's where we are, and something he decided that he felt like was best for him, so you have to respect that.

As far as the decision, it's just -- you know, as a coach, sometimes you have to make tough decisions that are in the best interest of the team, and this is one of those decisions. And I would make it all over again because I believe that it's what's right for our team, and I feel like Kelly would have continued to help us win and play a lot, but it's not what he wanted to do. I certainly could have started him this week, which would have limited his options, but that's not how we operate here. That's not who we are.

So at the end of the day, it is what it is. I love Kelly. I wish him all the best. Again, I appreciate everything he's done for this University, this team, and respect his decision and wish him all the best.

As far as us and our team, we'll take what we've got and get back to work and see if we can play our best game against Syracuse.

That's where we are. Any questions?

Q. Dabo, Kelly was quoted in the Grandville News as saying it was a slap in the face and that he didn't get a fair shake. What's your response to that?

DABO SWINNEY: Well, again, you know, he's totally entitled to his opinion. But absolutely I think we've given him a fair shot. I mean, I've always tried to be as open and honest and transparent as possible with Kelly throughout the process, as we are with all of our players. He won the job after Deshaun Watson, and he beat out the No. 1 quarterback in the country to do that in Hunter Johnson and another highly recruited quarterback in Jarrett Cooper, both of who have gone on to play elsewhere.

He won the job, and he was the starter for us all last year and did a great job, and then he came out of camp slightly ahead, and so he continued to start these first four games.

But like I said, I definitely feel like he's been given a fair shot. I don't think there's any question about that. But at the end of the day, this is not middle school. There's tough decisions that have to be made at this level, and you've got to do what's best for the team. I've had many, many players that have beaten out veterans over the years. Nuk Hopkins, when he came here in '09, after a couple games he was the best receiver and he beat out several veterans.

Sammy Watkins, I mean, he beat out seniors as a true freshman. Dexter Lawrence, you know, we had a bunch of veteran D tackles when Dexter Lawrence got here, but he won the job. He was the best player.

Christian Wilkins, the day he got here was just the best player, and we had several veterans on the team.

At the end of the day -- Deshaun Watson, a couple games in, he wins the job. He's the best player. You know, my job is to do what's best for our program and for -- I have to be responsible to everybody on this team. Mitch Hyatt. Mitch Hyatt comes in here and he wins the starting left tackle job as a true freshman, and there was a lot of veterans on the team. So it just kind of comes with the territory. Again, it's unfortunate, but you know, he's entitled to his opinion and how he feels. You just have to respect that.

You know, I'm sure there may be more that's coming down the road for other programs. Whatever. And I hope that the coaches don't say, well, you know what, I'm going to play them five games so they don't have any options.

I don't think that's right, either. I think at the end of the day, you just do what's right or what you believe is right, and then y'all live with it, and time will tell how it all plays out.

When you're in a leadership role, sometimes you have to make very tough decisions, and there's always going to be people that are going to criticize the decision because maybe it didn't go the way they wanted it to go or whatever, and that just comes with the territory. At the end of the day, you can't worry about that stuff. You've got to make decisions based on what you think is right and what your convictions are and you keep moving forward.

But there's no question he had a very fair shot here. And again, I've been honest and open and transparent as possible. But he's entitled to feel however he wants to feel, and nothing, again, changes how I feel about him. I think he's one of the -- he's one of the best young people I've ever been around. I mean, it's impossible for me to say anything bad about him, and I hope nobody else does, either.

Just wish him well, support him, even though he may not like this decision or whatever, and we've got to move on. That's just the way we are, where it is today.

Q. Do you feel like you could have done anything differently in the way the whole situation was handled that would have allowed you guys to keep both Trevor and Kelly on the roster and happy?

DABO SWINNEY: I don't know what else we could have done. I mean, I guess -- I could have started him this week or said, Hey, you're going to run out there first every week, but that's not what's -- if that's not where you are, that's not fair to everybody on the roster. But I don't really know what we could have done, to answer that question, to be honest with you, other than what we've already done.

I mean, personnel decisions are made all the time. You just have to respect his decision, and this is what he feels is best for him. And even though you don't agree with it, I don't really know what else -- I did tell him if he wanted to go somewhere else and play next year, he was welcome to -- I would agree to not play him the rest of the year but continue to stay and be a part of it. If that's what he wanted to do, I would support him in that, but that's not what he wanted to do.

At the end of the day, he made a decision that he felt was best for him, and you have to respect that and move on. He has to move on. We've got to move on and get ready to go play Syracuse.

Q. How do you feel Kelly's decision will affect the team just inside the locker room, morale, that type of thing, moving forward?

DABO SWINNEY: I don't think it'll affect us at all. I mean, everybody is disappointed. Everybody -- these players understand competition. This is just -- players play, coaches coach. You don't always agree with decisions and things like that, but you get back to work. You take who you've got and you make the best of it, and that's exactly what we'll do.

At the end of the day, again, everybody is making a big deal out of this because it's the quarterback. Like I said, this happens every year. I mean, there's a sophomore that beats out a senior or there's a freshman, an unbelievable rare freshman like a Nuk, a Sammy a Christian and Deshaun, a Mitch Hyatt, whatever, that walks in here and beats out a veteran guy. That happens every year, so this is not something that never happens. It just so happens that it's a quarterback this year.

But that's just where we are. I mean, I don't know what else to say. My job is to do what's best for the team, and it's not always easy, but that's my job, and I try to do it to the very best of my ability and do what's right.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

"This is a huge game for both sides. Obviously, they beat us last year and they'll be confident that they can do that." Clemson trying to build on its momentum in important divisional opener.

Swinney on Bryant transfer: "Obviously saddened and disappointed that he's chosen to leave the team, but I really have nothing bad that I can say about Kelly Bryant." Said he doesn't think it's a good decision, but respects it, loves him and wishes him "nothing but the best."

Swinney says he stands by decision to name freshman Trevor Lawrence the starter. "I would make it all over again because I believe it's what's right for the team." Said he easily could've gone longer w/ 2 QBs but "that's not who we are." Bryant can transfer because of that.

Swinney on Bryant getting "fair shake": "He's entitled to his opinion, but absolutely I think we've given him a fair shot." Said Clemson tried to be transparent with Bryant throughout QB battles, including Hunter Johnson and Zerrick Cooper before Trevor Lawrence.

Swinney: "This is not middle school." Said he has to do what's best for the team, whether that's starting a freshman or senior. Referencing Sammy Watkins, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins as guys who were clearly the best at thier position as frosh.

Swinney said he doesn't think it's right for coaches to let battles go beyond four weeks and take away that transfer opportunity.

Swinney: "I don't know what else we could've done." Reiterated that it was a necessary personnel decision. "I did tell him that if he wanted to go somewhere else next year, I'd agree to not play him. He could continue to stay and be a part of it if that's what he wanted to do."

"I don't think it'll affect us at all. Everybody's disapoointed." Said players understand competition, though. "You take who you've got, you make the best of it and that's exactly what we'll do." Believes situation is more prominent because it's happening at QB.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Babers on Bryant's transfer: "When you stop and look at it, you can understand the reason why. ... But this is a little bit of a surprise to me. I haven't really digested the whole thing yet."

Babers downplayed the notion that staying in a different hotel before Clemson last year was intentional and meant to motivate. Said it just played out that way.

Babers talked about adjusting and improvising. Sean Lewis at Kent State just had to do meetings at an airport after a flat tire delayed the team's flight. Said the two had a funny conversation about that.

Babers spoke highly of Clemson's offensive line. Was quick to note that Bryant stepped up and ran on the play SU knocked him out last year.

Babers: "There's no doubt Trevor Lawrence is going to be a star in this game (CFB, not just Saturday). ... After two years of putting muscle and weight on this guy, he's going to be unbelievable. He's as talented as everyone thinks he is."

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Atlantic Coast Conference Football Media Conference
Wednesday September 26, 2018
Dino Babers
Syracuse


DINO BABERS: Well, we're just really excited to be 4-0 at this stage of the game and going down to play a fine Clemson football team down in Death Valley. We know we've got a big task in front of us, but we're looking forward to the challenge.

Q. Just speak on the elevated play of the defense in the last two games for you. I know that you've spoken on the praises of the defensive coordinator Brian Ward and the staff and what you can say you've seen in the last two games specifically.

DINO BABERS: Well, I think we've been extremely fundamentally sound, and we've really done some nice things. We're winning our one-on-one battles up front with the defensive line. We're being opportunistic in the back end with our DB's get an opportunity to touch a football for an interception, their catching percentage is through the roof right now, which we're really excited about.

And then our linebackers, although they're the youth of our defense, they've been coming along and playing steady for us. That combination of the guys up front really setting the pace has really been effective for us.

Q. And then as far as running the ball and Joe Morris had come back in to be honored, he said he spoke with you about the future and the guys on the ground and respecting Eric Dungey's ability to run. But when you look at the true running backs Jarveon Howard as well as Moe Neal and Dontae Strickland, what you've seen from them as a group moving forward?

DINO BABERS: I think as a group, we have a good solid running crew. I think everybody kind of brings their own dimension back there, everybody has their own special talents. I don't think that one guy has stood out. If one guy stood out he'd be the guy back there most of the time, and until someone separates themselves from the group, I think those guys have been very unselfish the way they work together.

Q. I'm sure you learned today about Kelly Bryant transferring, just like the rest of us. How does that affect the way you guys are game planning this week? Obviously you knocked Kelly out last year. Is there anything that kind of gets the D-line kind of fired up knowing their backups aren't as ready as Kelly would have been?

DINO BABERS: No, I don't know about that. First of all, they've got -- their offensive line, they've got some guys that are really good; three really, really good guys up there, not to take away from the other two. Getting to him is one thing. That's a hard thing to do, even last year when we had the one hit where he happened to leave the game. It wasn't because we got to him in a pass rush, it was because we took off and we kind of caught him at the line of scrimmage when he was about to bust off a big run.

I think the offensive line is really good. I think they'll do a good job protecting the young freshman, and obviously if Dabo made that call, the guy is going to be outstanding, and you can see it on tape. He's a really exceptional player, aged beyond his years, and he's behind a fabulous offensive line and a really good football team that's ranked in the top four in the country. So he's not going to do it all by himself, and I don't think he has to. That's a good football team.

Q. Just kind of related, it seems like guys deciding to transfer after week 4 is going to be something that happens just with this new redshirt rule. I'm curious, is that something that you've seen at all in your locker room in deciding who are we going to play, who are we not going to play? Is that something you guys have had come on your radar?

DINO BABERS: You know, this thing that's happened, it's kind of new to me. It surprises me that someone that would be with their senior class would do that. Now, when you stop at look at it, you can understand the reason why, and he needs to take care of himself in that situation and that's acceptable.

But this was a little bit of a surprise to me. I really anticipated playing against both quarterbacks. So I really haven't digested the whole thing yet.

Q. I've heard you talk in the past about Sean Riley and his unique size. In what ways do you think that almost gives him an edge out there on the field?

DINO BABERS: As long as he doesn't get hit, he's got a huge edge. When you've got something that small squirting around through everybody, sometimes it's tough to get down that low to put a good whack on him. But when something really, really big hits something really, really small, normally really, really small doesn't feel too well.

Q. I know with the whole hotel situation we found out you guys were staying at the Double Tree last year instead of the Crown Plaza, but I heard from the players that you didn't say why, you just sort of went to a different hotel. Was there a specific reason behind that or did you just not think to tell the players?

DINO BABERS: You know, it had nothing to do -- we're sleeping in a different bed in the same town. It just didn't seem like a big deal at the time.

Q. Did you notice anything through that hotel trip, anything different, or did players just kind of ride with it and get a good night's sleep?

DINO BABERS: You know, one of the things that we like to do is we like to have that philosophy of Heartbreak Ridge, that movie, adjust and improvise. We constantly -- throughout camp we change things up, we change schedules because when you go on away trips, you never know what's going to happen.

I was talking to Sean Lewis, one of our ex-offensive coordinators from last year. They were taking a trip last week, and their airplane had a flat tire and they couldn't take off. So somebody had to come and lift the plane up and change the tire, and they ended up doing their meetings in an airplane jet hangar up on a wall. And he said, you'd be proud of us right now, adjusting and improvising, and he showed me the video, and it made me proud.

You've got to be ready to just adjust. You never know what's going to happen on an away trip, and sometimes things are totally out of your control, but you still need to be able to get your job done. We kind of look at it as no big deal. We'll go somewhere else, we'll sleep somewhere else, and we'll still try to go out and do the best job we can do.

Q. As you look back at last year's match-up with Clemson, what did Eric and your ground game, what did you do particularly well that you kind of want to recapture that formula this week?

DINO BABERS: Well, I don't know what we did particularly well. I thought we mixed up our formations, we mixed up our shifts, and we did some things at tempo that I thought gave us some advantages. But I'd be very surprised. That defensive coordinator, Coach Venables is a fantastic coach. He gets paid a bunch of money, more than a bunch of Power Five coaches, that's for sure. I'm sure that stuff is not going to work this year, so we're going to have to come up with something new, and I don't know what we're going to come up with, and it's already Wednesday.

Q. As you look at Trevor Lawrence on film in preparation, what about him kind of catches your eye, what's your impressions of the concerns he poses for you?

DINO BABERS: Well, first of all, I thought Kelly was a fantastic player, but there's no doubt Trevor Lawrence is going to be a star in this game. He's got an outstanding arm. The ball jumps out of his hand. He's a tall guy. His body hasn't filled out yet, but after two years of putting some muscle and some weight on this guy, he's going to be absolutely unbelievable. He's as talented as everybody thinks he is.

Q. Talk about Clemson's defense, how great is that defense from Clemson?

DINO BABERS: Wow, where do you want to start? I mean, they've got four first-round draft picks. I mean, 99 is built like a tree. He came to Media Day and he just blocked out the sun. I could have walked around him on the beach all day long and never got a tan.

Between him, Austin and Christian Wilkins and Dexter, they're fabulous players, and that's not even counting the guys they've got behind them. So you've got that group, which is probably the best D-line in college football; the linebackers are outstanding. They've got cover corners. They've got a safety, No. 19, I'm for getting his name, but I think he scored two touchdowns on us in two games. So he's averaging a touchdown a game every time we play him.

So I don't know where you start attacking those guys at. I think they're really, really good, and it's going to be a really, really hard challenge for us to go down there in Death Valley.

Q. Coming into Syracuse you took some of the players that were there before and then have brought in and recruited players that are under obviously your system and your coaches. With that balance, just what can you say about growing this team and being successful with a team that partially had been there before you, and then the other part had come obviously during that because I don't think there's a lot of respect from the outside looking in how hard it is to balance that together and find success.

DINO BABERS: Well, first of all, that's a fantastic question. Here at Syracuse, we really don't just kick kids to the side. We really want young men to be able to graduate and graduate with their degrees. It's really the mission statement of this University and something that as an employee of this University that I take great pride in. You're right, we try to jigsaw puzzle this thing together, we try to take what we can from the old team and then recruit what we can from outside and try to put something together that's respectable on the football field that people would enjoy looking at and gives us an opportunity to win.

And it's a slow process. It's a lot slower than other processes, but we do feel like it's the proper way to go about it.

Q. Going through this process, what you can say on the recruiting trail from the day that you got into Syracuse to where you stand right now, how the response has been or if there has been an uptick or more appreciation for the program as you continue to build?

DINO BABERS: Well, I think there's no doubt that the win over Virginia Tech, our first year with them winning the other side of the conference and then playing a close game against Clemson in the championship, ACC Championship game, obviously helped us. The win last year against Clemson actually helped us, as well.

We haven't had the blessing of being able to go to a bowl game in our first two years, which is obviously a negative. But to have two wins like that and have something to point to to tell young men that if you come here, we're doing it the right way, you can have an opportunity to play early and you're going to play big-time football, especially when you play in the ACC Atlantic, has definitely helped. And now we've got to see how far we can take this thing. It's one game at a time for us. We are not looking ahead. We have a huge task this Saturday versus a championship football team, a top-4 caliber football team, and we're going to go out there and give it our best.

Q. Playing in the ACC, what's the biggest challenge that you have that other Power Five conferences don't have to deal with?

DINO BABERS: You know, I don't know about just playing in the ACC, but I can talk about the ACC Atlantic. I really think that our side of the conference has got to be one of the top two sides of conferences in the Power Five. When you talk about the Clemsons, the Florida States, the Louisvilles, the NC States, and you talk about the job that Wake Forest, Boston College, and hopefully people mentioning Syracuse is doing, that I think in our side of the conference, it's drastic. The styles are different, but the coaches know exactly what they're trying to do with their offenses and their defenses, and I think it makes for a very, very competitive side.

ACC Football Media Conference

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Swinney said Bryant and the four-game redshirt rule situation is “totally coincidental” but he’s glad it worked out that way for Bryant. Swinney said he tried to discourage the transfer and reiterated that he gave KB a chance to stay and sit to preserve that year of eligibility.

Swinney said Renfrow started repping at QB yesterday. He’s not the only player who volunteered this week. “I’ve never had so many people come up to me and say what a great quarterback they were in high school or middle school.”

Swinney said he had confidence in backup Chase Brice. “We’ve got two guys I know we can win with.”

Swinney views Renfrow as an emergency QB who could execute a base package. “Hopefully we don’t ever have to talk about that again after this day.”

That’s it. Really hard not to be impressed with Dabo’s composure throughout today. Not that this is some scandal, but it’s unfortunately become common for a coach to just shut down about a tough topic. The transparency is extremely refreshing.

 

[rocfan44]

Swinney said Bryant and the four-game redshirt rule situation is “totally coincidental” but he’s glad it worked out that way for Bryant. Swinney said he tried to discourage the transfer and reiterated that he gave KB a chance to stay and sit to preserve that year of eligibility.

Swinney said Renfrow started repping at QB yesterday. He’s not the only player who volunteered this week. “I’ve never had so many people come up to me and say what a great quarterback they were in high school or middle school.”

Swinney said he had confidence in backup Chase Brice. “We’ve got two guys I know we can win with.”

Swinney views Renfrow as an emergency QB who could execute a base package. “Hopefully we don’t ever have to talk about that again after this day.”

That’s it. Really hard not to be impressed with Dabo’s composure throughout today. Not that this is some scandal, but it’s unfortunately become common for a coach to just shut down about a tough topic. The transparency is extremely refreshing.

Like others have said, it’s hard not to root for them except when they play Syracuse. He really does seem like a class act.