Swinney says jobs are up for grabs, play-to-play and week-to-week

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says the whole team has to play desperate to win.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Nov 08 20:34:14 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday night that every job on his team is based on a play-by-play and game-by-game basis.

Swinney, speaking to the media following Wednesday’s practice, was asked if the same offensive line that started last week will run out this week against Georgia Tech, and he said that everyone has to earn the right to start and play.

“Everybody's on a day-to-day basis around here, play-to-play, day-to-day. We just got to compete our butts off,” Swinney said. “If somebody's not getting the job done, we've got to put somebody else in there. Everybody's got to show up and fight every single play. I don't think we're settled. I just think we are coming off a good game, and that's great. But that doesn't have anything to do with this game. We're better this week than we were last week because we are getting (Collin) Sadler back in the mix.

“That's a positive. Obviously, we got a couple of starters out, but we've got a couple of guys that are going to add a little more depth to us this week. Guys got to go play.If somebody's not getting it done, we got to put somebody else in there. It's a week-to-week thing right now.”

I asked Swinney if that mindset applied to the rest of the team, and he said yes.

“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we got what, 15, 16 days maybe,” he said. “We're trying to have the best possible finish we can have and have a great November and create a little momentum for yourself as a player and obviously as a team as well. So yeah, we don't have any mulligans. Nobody's got any. We got to work our tails off to try to find a way to win the play. And if we can stack enough plays, hopefully we can win the game.”

On Will Shipley and Phil Mafah splitting carries

“I think they're both great backs. They're both explosive. They're both great. My bet, Will Shipley will remind all those people who seem to forget who he is, he'll remind them. That'd be what I'd put my money on this week. I wouldn't count him out.”

Injuries

Swinney said both Shipley and defensive end Justin Mascoll have practiced this week and unless either has a setback should be good to go.

On DeAndre Hopkins taking online classes

"I'm proud of him. That's something we've talked about a few times, and he's always... I mean, he's been busy. He's had a lot going on. But also, honestly, he probably would have already gotten it done if we had this Zoom online world. He's an old man now, right? So he's been around. He's been gone a long time. I mean, he could have probably knocked it out, but the online stuff wasn't quite as available and as ready as it is now. So that's just a positive that I guess came from COVID as it created some opportunity like that for some guys. And so I'm proud of him. And I know he'll finish. And I think Mackensie Alexander, he's coming back in January. He'll be back, going to be here this spring and next year, finishing up.”