CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney just wrapped up his press conference to close Clemson’s annual summer on-campus preseason media day.
A few of the more notable items:
— Tait Reynolds is full go as a runner after they limited him some during the spring to protect his hamstring.
“He’s done everything,” Swinney said. “He’s full go. He’s run every hill, every sprint, every 40.”
Chad Morris believes heavily in his quarterback being a run threat, and Swinney said that element will be very much in play with Reynolds and Christopher Vizzina.
“Cade (Klubnik) can run, now. He was a fast dude,” Swinney said. “But Tait is different, and CV is different with their size in being able to run.”
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— He said secondary coaches Thomas Allen, Corico Wright and Nolan Turner have done a great job improving the communication on the back end.
“We gave up a lot of big plays, and they weren’t necessarily competitive plays.”
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He pointed out that this is Year 2 under Tom Allen and they should be better from the knowledge base and experience alone there.
— He said it’s been “a hard summer” under new strength coach Dennis Love, an observation also shared with us by other coaches.
He said the players “love D-Love.”
He also said he really likes what Love has incorporated in the area of speed work.
“We’re a fast team — we’re a faster team, let me say it that way, than we were last year at every position.”
— Swinney said Chris Denson tweaked a hamstring recently.
“Hopefully he won’t be too limited.”
Swinney said they’re still figuring out where Denson will end up position-wise. He’s been moving around among quarterback, receiver and running back thus far.
“We’ll figure it out,” Swinney said. “He’s open to figuring it out. We haven’t been able to be on the field with him to give him any type of evaluation.”
— Swinney was asked what his biggest objective is this season.
“Get the arrow pointed back where it needs to be.”
He said they might not make it to the very top, but his job is to get the arrow pointed back in that direction.
Swinney will be in Charlotte, North Carolina later this week for the annual ACC (Media) Football Kickoff. – Tigerillustrated.com
He also wants to see a tougher team.
— I asked Swinney how much of an unknown defensive tackle is right now.
“I’d say it’s a big unknown. A huge unknown,” he said.
“Those guys have a lot to prove. Every one of them.”
He said Amare Adams is “as talented as any guy we’ve ever signed.” But he didn’t play a lot last year, is coming off surgery, and “has got to go prove it.”
And then there are some guys, it’s now or never. He didn’t mention Vic Burley and Champ Thompson, but he didn’t have to.
He said he can’t wait to see Andy Burburija.
“We haven’t seen him yet. I think he’s going to be a guy.”
Markus Strong, same thing. Very hopeful about him.
He recently visited with Todd Bates and Marion Hobby at Austin Bryant’s wedding Sunday night in Nashville, and they talked about Strong.
“He’s eager,” Swinney said. “I really like him. But the whole group’s got a lot to prove.”
— He’s happy for Tristan Smith getting his eligibility back.
He said Smith would’ve stuck around regardless because he was going to be a graduate student coach.
“We were going to develop him,” Swinney said. “But this is just a game-changer for him to be able to put some good play on tape. Really happy for him. It certainly doesn’t hurt the receiver room. That’s for sure.”
— As we shared earlier on the message board, Swinney indicated Kourtney Kelly could return this season. Kelly suffered a torn ACL during spring practice.
Swinney said Kelly “is headed in the right direction.”
— He expects Vizzina and Reynolds to have mastered a lot of the operational stuff by the time the team begins camp.
“That’s what the summer is for. Your eyes, and not being distracted by all the operational stuff. Now that’s something you have to get through, but we have to get beyond it.”
— Funny take on Rich Bisaccia when Swinney was asked about the presence of former head coaches on this staff:
“Bisaccia likes to say he’s in a state of rage at all times.”
— He said Chris Johnson Jr. “has been awesome” and his current weight is in a good spot.
Also, Swinney has seen him smile on occasion.
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee told Swinney that Johnson never smiles.
“I told CJ: ‘You come to Clemson, I’m going to get some smiles out of you.”
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— One more thing from Love that Swinney really liked hearing:
“He told me all he’s seen is a bunch of multipliers and he hasn’t seen any dividers.”
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— The team reports for camp on Aug. 4 and then goes through a couple days of orientation, weigh-in, etc. They’re on the field officially for the first time on Aug. 6.
They’re allowed 25 days of practice but Swinney said they’ll use 21.
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