CLEMSON – Each week the media who cover the No. 17 Clemson Tigers get to hear from head coach Dabo Swinney and a few select players. The media also takes a look at what the opponent has to say about the upcoming match up.
This week’s top quotes previewing the ACC Championship come from Swinney, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee, and players from both teams.
Swinney on getting to play SMU in a championship game and what he expects from Charlotte:
“Very explosive players on both sides of the ball and a well-coached team but looking forward to competing against them and playing for a championship. It should be a great night, great venue and I’m sure we will have an awesome crowd…We look forward to competing and trying to do the very best we can to win it.”
Lashlee on the match up against the Clemson Tigers:
“It’s an exciting matchup. We’ve got a great opponent…complete football team. Starts with the quarterback on offense and really at every level on offense they’ve got good players.”
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik on keeping the dream alive for the Tigers:
“Just being able to bounce back and strive to finish. We’re one game away from achieving the dreams that we want to achieve and keeping our dreams right in front of us. We’re in full control of what we want.”
SMU linebacker Kobe Wilson said they need to take advantage of Clemson getting tired:
“This group doesn’t really mess up a lot, but they do have times where they get tired and their attention to detail may lack. So, we know that we have to take every advantage of that, especially on third down.”
Clemson offensive lineman Walker Parks on the discipline of SMU:
“The biggest thing that I have seen from SMU is they just have good players. They’ve got good players that are veteran guys that have played a lot of football…they’re extremely disciplined. That’s what you have to have for success as a football team and that’s why they’ve been so successful.”
SMU tight end Matthew Hibner treating the championship like he’s an underdog:
“I’m going to go walk in there like we’re an underdog. We’re going into Carolina, so it’ll be a big Clemson crowd, whatever. Feed off that energy. It’s going to be good, it’s exciting.”
–photo by Jerome Miron / Imagn Images