Swinney to McCloud: "You are going to be on Sportscenter for the rest of your life" |
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney talked to reporters at his Tuesday press conference as he previewed the Georgia Tech game and talked about the goalline fumble by Ray Ray McCloud III against Troy.
"After the play, I just told him, first of all, what a great play," Swinney said. "What an awesome run. Tremendous. Now, secondly, you are going to be on Sportscenter for the rest of your life because you didn't hand the ball to the ref. How many times do I have to tell you to hand the ball to the ref." Swinney said that he teaches his players to hand the football to the referees as part of their no-tempo style offense. "I had just got on him the previous week at Auburn because he caught the punt, and he put the ball on the ground," Swinney said. "He fair caught it and put the ball on the ground in the middle of the game. It's something I have always coached all these guys. I don't understand. It's mind boggling to me. That's what we teach - hand the ball to the ref especially for an uptempo offense. When we are going tempo we want to get the ball to the ref as quick as we can so they can set the ball." Swinney knows that it's just paying attention to the little things that can make a huge difference in a player like McCloud. "Just immaturity, not really understanding how little things lead to big things," Swinney said. "Certainly a moment he will never forget, but give him credit. He came back and was the player of the game offensively in the Troy game. It was maybe his worst game ever, but it was also his best game ever all in the same day. You see him come back last week and respond and making good decisions. His confidence is really just taking off." McCloud has been impressive through three games with 13 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns. In 2015, he had 29 catches for 251 yards and a score.
Upgrade Your Account
Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.
Upgrade Now
