Expectations for Clemson reach all-time high. Tigers’ plan: ‘We start over’
Clemson has finished higher than its preseason rank in the USA Today Coaches Poll each of the previous eight years. The Tigers won’t accomplish that feat for a ninth consecutive time.
Clemson is ranked No. 1 in the initial poll and enters the 2019 season with the highest expectations in program history. The Tigers received 59 of the 65 first-place votes, with Alabama getting the other six.
Despite this being the first time Clemson has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason Coaches Poll in school history, head coach Dabo Swinney said there is nothing different about the pressure his team faces this year.
“Someone asked me at media days, ‘How are y’all going to handle it now? Y’all are the hunted’ or whatever,’ ” Swinney recalled as he spoke prior to the start of fall camp Friday evening. “I’m like, ‘Well, it’s kind of just business as usual. We’ve had eight 10-plus win seasons in a row.’ ”
All the pieces are in place for Clemson to compete for its second national title in a row and its third in four years. The Tigers have two Heisman candidates in quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne. And Clemson returns eight starters on offense and four on defense.
The Tigers have recruited well the past few years and have the talent to replace the starters who were lost.
Swinney warned that just because the pieces are there, it doesn’t mean the puzzle will come together.
“Our program has won 15 in a row. People want to talk about streaks. This team ain’t won one. They ain’t won a game. Haven’t played a game, haven’t won a game. There is no carryover,” Swinney said. “But I think the best part of our program has been the buy-in of that year after year after year after year. And that’s allowed us to be very consistent and be one of the more consistent teams in the country.
“So we start over. We don’t assume anything. We’ve got to be unbelievable teachers this year.”
In order for the consistency that has been built under Swinney to continue in 2019, the Tigers must come together as a team during fall camp.
The No. 1 thing Swinney will be looking for over the next few weeks prior to the opener against Georgia Tech has nothing to do with football.
“The biggest thing is, can we develop the chemistry? That’s kind of the next part of it. And camp and this phase is really kind of where all of that comes together,” Swinney said. “We had 29 signees that came in here and 10 or 11 new walk-ons. There’s a bunch of new people that are just getting here.”
Clemson players reported to camp Wednesday and spent most of the first two days working on bonding as a team. Swinney is hopeful that the discussions the team had off the field will translate to chemistry being built on it.
“We’ve taken a lot of time the last couple of days really being thorough and detailed and articulating our program. And here we are,” Swinney said. “We didn’t talk anything about football. Today’s the first day where we actually talk football. But we just felt like it was very important that we set the tone. So it’s been good and exciting to get out there and start the process.”
This story was originally published August 2, 2019 at 8:16 PM with the headline "Expectations for Clemson reach all-time high. Tigers’ plan: ‘We start over’."
