Dabo Swinney talks to media regarding Kyle Parker |
CLEMSON ā Following is an edited transcript of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinneyās press conference from earlier today, where he discussed quarterback Kyle Parker and his being drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the first round of last nightās major league draft. On how he received the news: I was speaking in Greenville last night, and I walked out of the Embassy Suites, got in the car, and saw I had a voicemail from Tim Bourret ā¦. āI went, oh boy.ā I got another text message from a friend. āI was like, well, here we go.ā I called Kyleās dad during game, congratulated him, and sent Kyle a text too. The main thing I think right now is now we know what somebody values him as a baseball player. He was the 26th pick, and I told Carl, that really doesnāt surprise me in the fact that theyāve had a lot of success with Todd Helton. rom that standpoint Iām not really surprised, but Iām really happy for Kyle. Iāve said it many times. I still think heās a better football player. I think he has the ability to be a phenomenal quarterback, and ultimately heāll have to make the decision on what he truly wants to do. Obviously, finances are going to have a big part of the decision he has to make moving forward. For him to walk away from playing football and giving up a potential professional career in that sport in well, somebodyās got to be willing to pay him for that. I know thereāll be a lot of talk between now and when he has to decide. I donāt think itāll go that long, but until we have some facts and figures from their negotiations, I think itāll be hard for him to really, truly make a decision.ā On whether he thought Parker would sign with the Rockies: Weāll support him in whatever he decides. I personally think he will definitely sign (in) professional baseball. I really donāt doubt that at all. In fact, I kind of felt like that would be the case regardless. My biggest question was, āDoes he continue to play football, or does he walk away?ā thatās been the question in my mind. I felt like if he got drafted in the first three rounds that he would definitely sign a professional baseball contract, but I didnāt think heād walk away for anything less than significant money, because heād be walking away from a lot. On his ability as a quarterback: Kyle is a guy that I just donāt have any doubts that this guy can be a very good professional quarterback one day, and at the very least, be a great backup. Itās just going to come down to what he wants to do, because I know he can be a pro in either sport. Ultimately, it comes down to him. Kyle is special, and the thing I would hate is to see him not playing football. He just has a great knack for the position, and heās only going to get better and better and better. What he did as a freshman is phenomenal. Heās got every record you can have as a freshman quarterback here. Theyāve been playing a long time here, and itās hard to do what he did as a freshman. He set the bar very high as a young player, and again, would just continue to get better and better if he continued to play the sport. On how he sees it playing out: Ultimately, heāll make a decision. Weāll support him, but at the end of the day, I think itās just going to come down to finances and what they actually put in front of him. This is a very wise family, and I know theyāll make a good decision. Thatās been my gut all along, but I didnāt think heād be drafted that high. That was a little bit of a surprise to me. On whether he still believes Parker has a chance to return to Clemson for football: Until he tells me heās not playing football, itās been my stand all along heād be back. If heās not, weāve got Mike Wade, whoās a guy that we as a staff have a lot of confidence in, and then weāve got a freshman. Itās not good for your health when this is what you do for a living to have to live with freshman quarterbacks, but if weāve got to go with a freshman, man, Iām ready to go with a guy like Tajh Boyd. Thereās going to be some growing pains and weāll deal with them, but thereās nobody Iād want to be with other than that young man. Iām just thankful we have him. I would think theyād probably be willing to negotiate highly in their favor, and thatās to do what theyāve got to do to get Kyle Parker to give up football, so weāll see. I still think he could play football in the fall, enter the NFL Draft and see what happens in both of them. Obviously, the Rockies have stepped up and said, āYou know what? We believe in you. Youāre a guy we want to try to groom to be part of our future.ā But thereās a lot of first rounderās that never get there, so thereās a lot of unknowns. On what happens if it comes down to Tajh Boyd and Michael Wade: Weād just go to work with those two guys, let then compete in camp and whoever gives us the best chance to win Sept. 4, thatās who you go with. Regardless of what we do, Tajh Boyd aināt going to stand on the sideline. Heās got to play. Heās very talented and heās going to get better and better. To sit here in June and say itās not Mike Wade, thatās not fair to Mike Wade. Weāll just let them go to work. Weāll make it work. Weāre not going to make any excuses. Weāll just line up and do what weāve got to do to try to find a way to win every week.
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