CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Swinney says that Battle will always be a Tiger
Swinney says that Battle will always be a Tiger

Swinney on Battle: He will always be a Tiger


by - Staff Writer -

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told the media Wednesday that former left tackle Isaiah Battle Isaiah Battle
Offensive Tackle (2012 - 2015)
#79 6-7, 290
Brooklyn, NY

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gets a bad rap with people, a rap that Battle doesn't deserve.

"Battle is a guy that will sit here and tell you that he wasn't always the most committed guy," Swinney said at his media golf outing. "It's pretty well documented that we constantly had to challenge him. Everybody's maturity is different and their processing and understanding of the game is different and he had a long way to go. I'm very proud of the progress that Isaiah made and the progress that we made with Isaiah. I wish we could've finished that out. There's always dynamics that come into play and decisions are made. I'm happy for him and his issues that he had here, all I can tell you is that he grew a ton and he matured a ton. He's a good kid. Isaiah is not a bad kid at all. I'm excited about the birth of his daughter here soon and his future. He will always be a Tiger and we appreciate what he's done.

"I still remember going over there on the sideline during the LSU game and I'm trying to figure out who we're going to throw in there and he looks like a giraffe at that point in his career. I'm like, 'Man, just go out there and fight these boys and just get in the way. Just give us a chance.' He stepped up to the plate in that game and in the Ohio State game. We had some great moments with Isaiah. We had some not so great moments with Isaiah but from my seat, I love the challenge of helping young people get better and I don't have any doubt that Isaiah is better because he came to Clemson. Hopefully he'll take some of the lessons through his failure here and his success here and apply them to the next step and be a great pro, because I think he's got incredible potential as he moves forward. We wish him the best."

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