CLEMSON — The Clemson defense delivered a promising outing in the first game, but one player in particular was very critical of himself.

Tigers linebacker Barrett Carter had six tackles, one for loss in the game but didn’t feel very optimistic about his performance. As a player with first-round aspirations, his talent is undoubted but he’s focused on the details and felt like he left some out there in the loss at Duke.

During his availability Wednesday, he talked about not “being in shape” and it’s something clearly frustrating him. Later in the day, head coach Dabo Swinney was asked about Carter’s concern and isn’t phased by it.

“I think that’s normal. You know, until, again you can be in the best shape, you can make every time. You can practice, you can do everything but until you go play the game, you’ve got to get back in that playing shape if you will. That comes from playing. That’s the reason why people have preseason games…it’s different,” Swinney said.

Swinney talked about how being in the best shape of your life doesn’t matter, and that mantra about preseason games is something he’s mentioned multiple times. It rings true here and rules in camp are another wrench thrown in the preparation.

”You only get two scrimmages and you have limitations in that, so there’s a lot of things that,  you get them as far as you can and then you’ve gotta go play and then you build from there,” Swinney said. “[Carter’s] in great shape but to go play a game with the intensity that comes with it, it just takes getting after it and he did some good things and did some things he needs to do better too but just part of it.”

Carter earned All-American honors last season, and many publications have him as a first-round pick as mentioned before. With that pedigree, Carter is critical of himself but it’s not something that worries Swinney at all.

He had 77 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2022. That player was still there at moments Monday night, but Carter wants it to be every play. When asked about conditioning, Swinney is confident in his preparation and delivered a quick answer as Saturday approaches.

”Yeah, absolutely.”