Although the Tigers lost the likes of Sammy Watkins, Tajh Boyd, Martavis Bryant and others coach Swinney believes the 2014 Tigers can compete for a championship.

“In 2011 we had 42 freshmen.  42 freshmen and redshirt freshmen and we won the league.  We had all of these questions everywhere.  We got the team ready to play.  We made a few mistakes along the way but it was the beginning of where we are today.”

“Where we are with this team.  Yes we lost some good players, but we do have good experience coming back.  We have recruited well in my opinion.  We have to develop them and coach them up.  We have to come out of the gates ready to go.  We have to play to our strengths and I think we will have a chance to have another very successful season,” said Swinney.

Coach Swinney doesn’t accept that this will be a “defensive team”.

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“Last year I didn’t think we were an offensive team.  We were a team.  You win as a team.  You lose as a team.  From year to year you have different strengths within that team.  Maybe it’s offense and some years you have a Sammy Watkins or you have a C.J. Spiller.  Some years you have a really young offensive line and some years you are very experienced there.  The same thing on the defensive side, but at the end of the day it is about winning as a team.  At the end of the day it is about finding a way, whether it is 69-68 or 3-0,” said Swinney.

Dabo did go on to say that this team has a chance to be the best all-around defense he has had at Clemson.

“On paper we have a chance to be really, really good.  I stood here last year in front of you and you all almost turned your cameras off because you asked me what the strength of our team was.  Ya’ll were all waiting for me to talk about Sammy and Tajh and I said I really feel like the strength of our team, especially by the end of the season will be our front seven and that is really the way it worked out.  We led the nation in tackles for loss.  We were top 25 in just about everything defensively with a bunch of sacks.  It was exciting to see that play although we still had some flaws.  I think this year defensively we have a chance to be the most complete group I have had since I have been the head coach,” said Swinney.

Dabo pointed to the depth in the secondary as the reason this  will be a more complete defense.

“We have seven corners that can play and win.  We have six safeties that can play and win.  We just haven’t had that.  And we have the competition to go with that,” said Swinney.

Clemson’s head coach will be very disappointed if this is not a great defense.

“Nobody is underestimating Clemson.  It doesn’t matter we led the nation in tackles for loss and did all of these great things.  What are we going to do now.  How do we get better.  Everybody has to get better.  If our guys will continue to stay committed like they have in the past I think we have a chance to be outstanding, but we have to go do it.  All it is right now is a bunch of talk and all of those things on paper.  I know this.  I will be very disappointed if at the end of the season we are not a great defense,” said Swinney.