Swinney remains optimisticBy Larry Williams (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, November 10, 2008
CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney is nothing if not an eternal optimist. That unbridled optimism is keeping him confident his Clemson football team will not implode despite the reality that there's very little left for the Tigers to achieve. 
Swinney "That's just my nature," Swinney said Sunday, a day after the Tigers' 41-27 loss at Florida State. "I've never been a half-empty kind of guy. Ever. Never will be. My nature is to fight to the very end, and I think we have a lot of football players on this team that have that same mindset." Swinney's belief will be tested in the final three games of the regular season. Needing to beat Duke, Virginia and South Carolina simply to secure bowl eligibility, the Tigers (4-5, 2-4 ACC) find their preseason goals flushed and their confidence shaken. And what unfolded Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla., didn't present compelling evidence that this team will serve up the fight that will be necessary to avoid being ineligible for a bowl for the first time since 1998. Swinney, who's served as the Tigers' interim coach since Tommy Bowden's Oct. 13 departure, could not explain why the defense lacked the intensity that the setting and opponent demanded. "The only thing I can say is I did a poor job of having them ready," he said. Clemson wilted from the end of the first half on and ended up yielding 419 yards and four touchdowns after allowing seven touchdowns in the previous five ACC games. The Seminoles rushed for 266 yards, the second-highest total against the Tigers under fourth-year coordinator Vic Koenning. The Tigers play host to Duke on Saturday at noon. NEXT GAMEWHO: Duke (4-5, 1-4) at Clemson (4-5, 2-4) WHEN: Saturday, noon WHERE: Clemson TV: WCBD (NBC) LINE: Clemson by 11 1/2 "They just outplayed us," Swinney said. "They were more physical. They played harder. We had way too many missed assignments. We did not match their energy, and that's what was most disappointing. We had several opportunities to make plays that we've been making on defense." Swinney, who's fighting to remove the interim tag from his title, said he's not concerned about this team fracturing. The leadership was lacking two years ago when the Tigers suffered a late-season meltdown after starting 7-1, but he said things are different this time. He's confident that veterans like Cullen Harper, James Davis, Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons won't let it happen. The Tigers haven't suffered a losing season since 1998. They follow Saturday's game with a trip to Charlottesville, Va., then the finale at home against the Gamecocks. Clemson began the season ranked No. 9 nationally and a landslide favorite to claim its first ACC title since 1991. Now, seven wins is the best the Tigers can do in the regular season. "I have not seen (quit) at all from these guys," he said. "In fact, the seniors have been really, really good. ... I have no concerns at all about our seniors." Clemson's offense struggled Saturday thanks largely to an injury-battered offensive line, totaling 212 yards before a 97-yard touchdown drive late. Yet Swinney is encouraged because his offense kept battling back against a good defense. Clemson's past three opponents rank 16th or better nationally in total defense — Florida State at No. 5, Boston College at No. 9, and Georgia Tech at No. 16. "I sure hope Duke's not in the Top 10," he said. Swinney is in luck; the Blue Devils (4-5, 1-4) rank 52nd in total defense, giving up 346 yards per game. --Senior defensive tackle Dorell Scott suffered a knee injury at Florida State, and Swinney was still awaiting the MRI results late Sunday afternoon. Left tackle Chris Hairston (concussion) is expected to sit out today's practice, but Swinney said he should be fine for Saturday's game. He also said tight end Michael Palmer (shoulder injury) should be OK. |
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Comments
This article has 19 comment(s)
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Posted by sloantap on November 10, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LW, I agree the defense showed decresed effort in the second half? Any ideas why? We were still in the game. I do not get it.
Posted by Whopper on November 10, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cry me an ashley river!! So much hot air from the clemturds this year -- they did not even come close to competing in the all cupcake. Wow, that's bad. CJ Spiller has now confirmed on Rivals that he regrets picking Clemson. He said "at least today's recruits can avoid the same mistake". Those are some tough words for Ashley River and crew who want to keep throwing jabs at WINNING programs.
Don't worry ashley river, you will always have the past. I see Clemson going the way of Army, but at least Army did not get caught cheating when they won it all. It's just not very convincing anymore ashleyriver when you tell everyone how great clemson is -- the mountains, the lakes, the rivers and the losses. 12-0 ain't gonna happen but you can be optimistic, Dabo says, about a possible chance to play at the Boise Bowl on the blue field in Idaho--it would be such a great accomplishment for your crumbling little program, just don't hold your breath! The blue field. LOL at you. LOL
Posted by Whopper on November 10, 2008 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I stand by my comments. :) payback is a tough for the worst fans.
Posted by JamesP on November 10, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Whopper, I am curious to know where you saw on rivals.com (maybe a link or reference) to where Spiller said her regrets choosing Clemson. All the reports I have seen are where he said he will return next year to get his degree so that he can set a good example for his cousin or niece, can't remember which one it is.
Also as a Clemson fan, I really don't won't Dabo as coach, I would much rather have a proven big name coach, and as long as TDP and Barker are the ones in charge that won't happen. Also as a diehard Clemson fan I will say I hope that the Gamecocks can continue to improve on their #24 ranking.
Posted by sbs920 on November 11, 2008 at 12:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6jf1Yx8a...
Posted by theronce on November 11, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At this point, I do not much care what they have to say. We've heard a lot of talk, good and bad. Put that mouth in action on the field.
Posted by youmanyo on November 11, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its all good,the chickens are enjoying a small measure of sucess which they are not use to . But in the end most are still losers as witnessed by the chicken singing with thoes nice panel walls in the back ground, (at least hes not in a trailer like most of them).They will be brought back down to earth this weekend after Flordia bitch slaps them and they know we will still kick there arse in a few weeks . So enjoy chickens it will be over soon. I wonder if whopper is named after the sandwich where he works at .
Posted by uscsax on November 11, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
youmanyo, check the trailers per capita info difference between the upstate and lowcountry/midlands, then come back and speak of which fan base lives in trailers. And didn't Clemson fans say this same thing against Ole Miss, Kentucky, LSU, and Tennessee? Meanwhile they're getting slapped all over ther field? See you guys in two and a half weeks, have to go play a real team first...enjoy your loss to Duke.
Posted by youmanyo on November 11, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Like I said ,enjoy if you have been a chicken fan long enough you know it wont last .
Posted by uscsax on November 11, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Ms. Cleo.
Posted by OldSalt on November 11, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now, gentlemen, please!
I think we can all agree that Clemson still leads in that most important statistic - the number of yards with huge 20-year-old satellite dishes with tiger paws on them. Let us, after all, give credit where credit is due!
"I'll make her the queen of my double-wide trailer with the orange and purple curtains and the redwood deck...."
Posted by bdg45uj on November 11, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gamecock fans are simply amazing - and I don't mean that in a good way. Clemson envy/obsession will never go away. Why don't you post your comments on stories about your own team and stop worrying so much about Clemson? Must be sad to be so obsessed!
Posted by uscsax on November 11, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
turnabout is fair play. And considering the amount of Clemson chatter regarding SC, ofcourse before the leap off the cliff, I'd say this is par for the course,
Posted by bdg45uj on November 11, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to Clemson's rivals site....look at message board - rarely a SC thread. Go to USC rival site...FGF - filled with Clemson threads. Just saying!
Posted by bdg45uj on November 11, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to Clemson's rivals site....look at message board - rarely a SC thread. Go to USC rival site...FGF - filled with Clemson threads. Just saying!
Posted by uscsax on November 11, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
bdg you obviously have never been to the free board on Clemson's site. There's one poster on there that usually starts about 20 new topics a day about SC, he actually rarely posts anything about clemson. If you're talking about the paying members message boards then actually there aren't many threads on either teams board about the other team, but as far as the free boards go don't kid yourself and think the Clemson one isn't exactly like FGF, both are essentially smack talking boards. Just saying!
Posted by Nonsense on November 11, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have to say I have been Gamecock Club member for thirty years and have never been to a Clemson board. So I don't know if USC people are posting there or not - but I know that there are Clemson fans posting on the free board at Gamecock Central - but when they have to pay money - it decreases greatly.
Posted by bdg45uj on November 11, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
uscsax....you are posting a comment on an article about Clemson's football team.
Nononsense....I think that if Clemson fans post on free board at Gamecock Central, they are banned. I have not nor would I ever post on that site. Only visited it b/c someone referred me to something posted about Clemson over there, and I was shocked at the quantity of posts concerning Clemson.
Both schools have some fans that are not the brightest. Most of those are not even graduates of the schools. But my point is that you are reading/posting comments on an article about Clemson. I would not take the time to do so on an article about USC, as I just don't care that much.
Enough said.
My last post on this topic.
Posted by uscsax on November 11, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good for you bdg but I know I'm posting on a Clemson topic, I wasn't complaining about me or anyone else posting on a Clemson topic. If you don't want to, good for you, but don't blast other people because we choose to. Also, newsflash, Clemson and SC are rivals, the fans are going to jaw back and forth. No matter where at, in real life, message boards, etc. it's going to happen and there's nothing wrong with that. I only find it amusing that this is the reaction now by clemson fans since they started losing. If the roles were reversed I'm sure there wouldn't be many Clemson fans complaining about SC fans commenting on articles about Clemson.