On Friday, Clemson will leave for Glendale, Arizona to compete against Alabama in the College Football Playoff’s National Championship Game. However, Tuesday was business as usual at the West Zone, as head coach Dabo Swinney held a press conference to preview the matchup against the Crimson Tide. After Swinney spoke, countless players came in for the media day interviews.
Here is what we heard:
Swinney just smiles when he thinks about his current position, preparing to coach against the school he played for a national title at in this year’s championship game.
“You know, to have the opportunity to be in my first National Championship game as a coach, and it comes against Alabama, I just have to smile at God on that one,” Swinney said. “It’s kind of cool. I mean, you know, I think it’s neat. I think God has got a sense of humor. I really do. I think it’s great.”
Swinney’s strong ties to the state of Alabama has created an interesting ticket situation within his extended family.
“There’s a lot of closet Clemson fans in Alabama,” Swinney joked. “
Swinney also updated the status of suspended player Deon Cain, saying that he would be back in class but not back on the team until he could prove that he has matured and learned from his mistake.
“If he does not want to grow up then he will not have an opportunity to be on this team again. But if he does the things he needs to then he’ll have a chance to come back. But that is all on him. I can’t do that for him,” Swinney said. “My job is to help him grow into a great person and a great man. That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s my number one job, to develop these guys into men. It does not matter to me what type of talent they have. I’m here to serve their heart, not their talent and that is what I’m trying to do with Deon.”
Swinney also mentioned that he is optimistic in defensive end Shaq Lawson’s return for the title game. Lawson said that he is still in a lot of pain, but that he believes he is getting better.
“It’s sore right now. Every time I get up, it’s sore. I just have to work it back out and get it back stronger,” Lawson said. “I did some movement and I felt pretty comfortable with it. Hopefully I’ll be playing . That is my goal to be playing.”
Lawson has already announced that he will be leaving Clemson early for the NFL Draft, so the National Championship game will be the last game he plays in as a Tiger if his knee holds up.
“To know you’re playing your last game in the national championship is a great feeling,” Lawson said. “A lot of people in the community are supporting you.”
The title game will also be the last time that veteran players like offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain and linebacker Travis Blanks will take the field as Clemson Tigers. Blanks announced at media day that he will forgoe his last year of eligibility to enter the draft as well.
“It’s surreal. You grow up watching the National Championship every year, now we’ve progressed to the College Football Playoff system. Just to think that my entire life I grew up watching the National Championship, and to be a part of it now is just crazy,” Blanks said.
For sophomore wide receiver Artavis Scott, the opportunity to play in this game is something that he has been dreaming about for a long time.
“You’ve got to dream big. It has been a dream of mine. I’m sure it has with the other players on our team. It’s just a great opportunity to go out there and show what we can do and know that we belong on that type of stage,” Scott said.