By Will Vandervort.
Swinney defends Georgia head coach Mark Richt
With the song “Battle Hymn Republic” or as Georgia fans know as “Glory, Glory, to Ole Georgia” blaring through the loud speakers Wednesday, Dabo Swinney hopes it prepares his players for the atmosphere they will experience this Saturday afternoon at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.
“It’s a little crowd noise. We ought to have the tune down anyway,” the Clemson coach said. “We should not be surprised by that, it’s just part of getting them ready from a concentration standpoint with cadence, motions – it’s really not a factor for our defense. When you are at home is when you have to work the crowd noise for your defense, communication wise.”
Clemson’s offense, however, will have to get ready for the raucous atmosphere it will see from the fans of No. 12 Georgia by 5:30 p.m. this Saturday. The 93,000 fans packed into Sanford Stadium are looking forward to breaking in new Clemson quarterback Cole Stoudt with his three freshmen wide receivers and two new starters on the offensive line.
“When our offense is out there, it will be rockin’,” Swinney said. “We are just trying to make sure our guys are dialed in and ready for it. It has been a while since our guys played a game.”
Swinney says the 16th-ranked Tigers had a good practice Wednesday and have been pretty workman like and business like all week.
“You kind of get the sense that they know they are going to play,” he said.
Thursday will be a big day for Clemson as far as getting the rest of the game plan down from an assignment standpoint.
“We will focus it all up on Friday and then we will get ready to roll,” Swinney said.
Richt = John Wooden. The last couple of years, Georgia head coach Mark Richt has faced scrutiny at times from the Georgia fan base, especially after a slow start to the 2012 season and then last year’s 8-5 campaign which was littered with injuries to key players.
Swinney said those that criticize the Bulldogs’ longtime head coach don’t know how hard it is to win.
“And not just win, but win consistently,” Swinney said. “Mark Richt, first of all, he is a heck of man and secondly, he is a great football coach. He has been incredibly consistent.”
Richt is 126-45 heading into his 14th season at Georgia. His Georgia teams are 36-1 in non-conference home games. He has also won two SEC Championships.
“You know John Wooden coached seventeen years before he won a (national) championship,” Swinney said. “I’m sure there where people saying, ‘This guy has been coaching sixteen years and he can’t get them over the hump’ or whatever. I think we know the rest of that story.
“I think Mark Richt is a great coach and he is one of the guys I have admired for a long time since I was an assistant coach. I think he does it as well as anyone out there.”
Injuries. Clemson reserve offensive lineman Oliver Jones tore his ACL in Tuesday’s practice – his second of his career. It was the same one he tore in high school. He will be out for the season. Jones, a redshirt sophomore, has appeared in two games – S.C. State and Wake Forest where he played a combined 24 snaps.
“My heart breaks for O.J.,” Swinney said. “One thing I can say about O.J. is that he is a guy that has persevered and has continued to chase his dream. He has overcome several things.”
Zac Brooks, who suffered a foot injury last week, had surgery on Wednesday. The running back who caught a touchdown pass against Georgia last year is out for the season as was previously announced.
Captains named. Swinney announced defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, tight end Sam Cooper, quarterback Cole Stoudt, defensive end Vic Beasley and wide receiver Adam Humphries will be the captains for Saturday’s Georgia game.