Dabo Swinney gives final update before Georgia

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney named TJ Moore among several freshmen expected to play versus Georgia.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Wednesday, August 28 2024

CLEMSON - Talking season has come and gone.

Dabo Swinney addressed the media for the final time before Saturday’s opener against Georgia (noon/ABC).

Swinney addressed several areas, including injuries, depth pieces, and much more.

With just days before kickoff, here’s what we learned.

*Starting with the injury update, Swinney continued to reiterate certain players reportedly in question injury-wise, such as cornerbacks Jeadyn Lukus and Shelton Lewis, are day-to-day.

“They are day-to-day. They continue to get better. I’m day-to-day,” Swinney said with a smile. “We are all day-to-day—week to week. Some of us don’t get another day tomorrow. It is one day at a time.”

Clearly, Swinney is having some fun with the message.

*Swinney has said throughout camp he believes he has six starters who could go out and contribute right now at receiver. He told us Wednesday night he has eight within the offensive line. Outside the starting five, Collin Sadler, Harris Sewell, and Trent Howard fit within Swinney’s criteria.

He added that Dietrick Pennington, Elyjah Thurmon, and Mason Wade are very reliable and have a good level of depth within the offensive line.

*Clemson has dealt with Monday night openers for the last two seasons, which has thrown off the regular game schedule to open up multiple seasons. Swinney expressed his excitement about playing on Saturday, saying the team is treating this neutral site game like a road contest.

*Players continue to rave about Cade Klubnik’s leadership heading into the Georgia opener. Players like Marcus Tate and Adam Randall have praised the junior’s intentionality. Swinney says Klubnik has stepped up to the plate all offseason.

“He’s ready to go have a great year,” Swinney said. “It is one game on the schedule, but it is a huge challenge. It can’t be about who you are playing; it has to be about how you play. You have to focus on your details, habits, and behaviors. He’s done a great job of that. He’s treated every day like gameday, and he’s done all the work. Now, he has to stand and lean on it and compete well.”

*Swinney feels comfortable who will be out there for special teams on Saturday. As to who will return kicks and punts, he said, “You’ll find out on game day.”

*When asked which freshman will contribute against Georgia, the obvious candidates in T.J. Moore, Bryant Wesco, and Sammy Brown were listed. Swinney also mentioned running back David Eziomume is someone who “we will need down the road.”

*Vic Burley has been the center of Swinney’s praise, most notably in his scrimmage reports, and he expects Burley to “wreak havoc” against the Bulldogs.

*Swinney also mentioned the importance of tackling in Saturday’s opener, adding that both sides will likely come out of the gate sloppy. It comes down to technique in tackling and blocking, which will be a crucial difference, according to Swinney.