CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided a candid assessment of his team Wednesday as the Tigers prepare to host North Carolina in a key ACC matchup. Swinney addressed lingering questions regarding offensive execution following Clemson’s latest outing against Georgia Southern, outlined the competitive landscape across his receiving corps, and evaluated progress along the line of scrimmage.
Finding the Missing Offensive ‘Juice’
Addressing observations that the offense lacked energy and tempo in its previous game, Swinney emphasized that offensive spark is built solely through routine execution on the field.
“Juice comes from moving,” Swinney said. “When you get some first downs, you get some juice. As simple as that. When you make the plays that are there, the juice happens, and we didn’t do that. It’s very routine stuff. Not a lot of precision in what we’re doing, and so you’re just a little off, or it’s just one guy, two guys, every other play, and so that affects you. When you get it rolling a little bit, then that juice comes. But they played hard. We just didn’t play well. So if we play better, all that stuff will take care of itself. Just do little things better.”
Wide Receiver Rotation and a Vision Correction
Swinney detailed the ongoing movement within the wide receiver unit, highlighting why freshman Gordon Sellars III has emerged as the top wideout option off the bench alongside Carleton “JuJu” Preston while breaking down the progress of the rest of the freshman class.
“It’s kind of him and JuJu, honestly, as far as how I’m depending on what the position is with those two guys,” Swinney said. “He really picked it up quick in the spring of the three freshmen. He grabbed onto it quicker, and then Naeem [Burroughs] kind of started coming on with it in the spring, and Naeem’s actually had a good week this week. Connor [Salmin] just didn’t come as easy for him from an assignments standpoint. Athletically, physically, all that stuff—he’s very gifted, but just not in a position yet mentally to compete like he needs to. Gordon’s just big. He’s strong. Again, he’s technically and fundamentally advanced for a young guy, and he performed really well through spring and summer and fall camp.”
Meanwhile, veteran receiver Tristan Smith has seen reduced snaps. Swinney revealed that an unexpected eye contact prescription has played a role in getting Smith back on track after initial struggles with drops during fall camp.
“He’s just got to practice consistent,” Swinney said. “He didn’t have a good camp. Really just went backwards in camp, and so he got behind, and he’s got to stack days every day. Last week was one of his better weeks. He needed to get some contacts. I think he was struggling. He was dropping balls. I don’t think he knew exactly how bad he was there, so he got some contacts, and that seems like obviously that’s helped too. But he’s had a couple good weeks, but just practicing hard and doing what he’s got to do from an assignment standpoint. Again, he just got passed up in camp, and so he’s got to battle his way back and stack days.”
Evaluations in the Trenches
When asked to grade the blocking performance of tight ends Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur, Swinney kept his evaluation brief and direct.
“Just okay,” Swinney said. “Just okay. Everybody’s got to be better. Everybody’s got to be better.”
On the defensive front, Swinney noted that defensive tackle Vic Burley continues to work toward full game-shape conditioning.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Swinney said when asked if Burley had conditioning ground to make up. “He’s got work to do. He’s got work to do, but he’s working.”
Hauser’s Maturity and Preparing for UNC
One of Clemson’s most consistent performers through two games has been kicker Nolan Hauser. Swinney pointed to Hauser’s game experience and composure as the driving force behind his strong start.
“No, not really,” Swinney said on whether Hauser changed his approach. “I just think his approach is the same. I just think he’s experienced. I think that’s just the biggest thing—just more mature. Everything slowed down for him, and he’s gotten off to a good start. I think that’s the biggest thing is momentum, especially at that position. So just get good momentum, good maturity, and again, good experience getting behind it.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s opponent, Swinney acknowledged the distinct game-planning challenge presented by North Carolina’s dual-threat tight end.
“Good players are always hard to deal with,” Swinney said. “He’s a really good player, so I’ve got a lot of respect for him. Obviously he’s one of their best players, and so they’re going to do everything they can to feature him. That’s just what coaches do. He’s a handful, and like I said, any good player you play always presents challenges, and he’s definitely one of those guys.”
