CLEMSON — Clemson wide receiver Tyler Brown spoke to the media ahead of the 12th-ranked Tigers’ first ACC game of the season at Georgia Tech.
Below is What We Heard:
Question: What did you learn about yourself while you had your injury last year? How has that translated in starting this season?
Brown: “Just being able to lead in different ways, being more vocal to my younger guys and some of my older guys too. I’ve become more of that vocal leader in the wide receiver room and taking on that role very well.”
Question: Coach Dabo Swinney has talked about y’all making plays in practice, but it is not translating in games. How surprising is it for you guys playing the way you are in practice and it not showing up?
Brown: “We’re just as surprised as everyone else is. We’ve been killing it all camp, all practice, and we’re still killing it in practice. So, I don’t know. We just have to make that translation. We’re going to fix it in the film room and we’re going to come together. We’re going to get it fixed.”
Question: You talked about leadership. How do you keep staying calm when you’re down 16 points to Troy?
Brown: “We have great leadership. Great group honestly. We bond really well together. We lean on each other when we most need it. In times like that no one shines away from stepping up.”
Question: You and Cade’s [Klubnik] chemistry. What do you feel like that’s at and do you feel like you’ve been able to pick it up since you’re freshman year?
Brown: “Definitely still growing. Definitely still got room to grow. We’re making plays in practice with each other, getting more throws in practice, getting more routes, stuff like that. We’re just growing. Same way as freshman year.
Question: How’s that receiver challenge of not having Antonio [Williams] for the last game and most of the LSU game?
Brown: “I feel like it’s having that next man up mindset. Of course we miss my brother. He’s one of the best in the nation. I still believe that. I still stand on that. We definitely feel that. But at the end of the day, nobody feels sorry for us. We have to have the next man up (mentality). Everyone’s preparing like they’re ready to run out there first. That’s how we go about things.”
Question: Dabo Swinney said every conference game is a playoff game. With that next man up mentality, how does that get integrated into this game?
Brown: “Conference play is a different deal. It means something now. That first loss, was not in our conference. (Swinney) likes to say ‘Games will give us wind in our back or wind in our face when we’re going up that hill.’ (Georgia Tech) will definitely put wind in our face if we don’t come out on top.”