The "What If Vizzina" Edition

As we get closer to kickoff, Swanny ponders what this Clemson team could achieve in 2025 if Christopher Vizzina were QB1. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Each time, or Climpson Sports Talk with Lawton Schwan. Now finally,

(00:44):
Clemson Sports Talk has come back to drive time. Hello everybody,
and swan back in the saddle once again. It is
the show that shakes the South, playing Clemson Sports Talk
for you each and every afternoon as you make your
way around the great state of South Carolina and beyond,
listening to us on incredible radio stations like Fox Sports

(01:05):
Radio fourteen hundred the Midlands, or around the world on
the iHeart Radio application. Downloaded today. It's free at the website.
Put the dot com on it, dog gonet that's Clemson
Sports Talk dot com. And of course the show The
Shakespeare south Land, brought to you by our friends over
at mets plumbin mets Plumbing dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
That's the website.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Two two six seven one oh eight Mets Plumbing two
two six seven, one oh eight. That's the phone number.
Give them a call, all right. It was a talking
Tuesday up in Tigertown, Dabo Sweeney meeting with the media
and per our custom here on the program. We'll give
you some audio from Dabosweeney, certainly his opening statements. Maybe

(01:51):
along the way today and over the week, some of
those other comments from him. I know we've got some
conversations that we need to get to you as well
from Brian Kelly. Plus other members of Clemson's football program
met with the media, including coordinators. Always great to get
a chance to hear from Garrett Riley and Tom Allen,

(02:13):
the new Clemson defensive coordinator. But nonetheless, it is game time.
It is college football season. It is here, and Dabosweeney
was fired up about it and excited about it. We'll
jump into some of what coach Sweeney had to say
earlier today in Tigertown right here out of the gates
for you on a Tuesday afternoon.

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Well, this is this go town. So I know everybody
in here is ready to roll, and it's exciting always
to kick the season off. And this time next Tuesday,
we'll have a result and and we'll be on the
onto the next one. But getting the process started is
is always a lot of fun. You know, it's a

(02:54):
ton of work that goes into just getting to this
moment right here, and you know, I just I'm proud
of our team and how they've worked since January, but
in particular our team and our staff the last six
or seven weeks. I mean, there's a lot that goes
into getting to this point and they've done a great

(03:15):
job and you know, now we've got to go, you know,
go play a ball game, see where we are and
go from there.

Speaker 4 (03:23):
And it's going to be exciting, excited to.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Be at home. I know, it's going to be an
amazing environment. Team had a chance to get out there
last night under the lights. And there's just something special
about game week. It doesn't matter if you're a pee
wee team or or senior in high school or you know,
Aaron Rodgers, that's you know, fifty. You know, when you

(03:48):
wake up and it's game week, it's like it's game week,
you know.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
I mean, and that's just and that's everybody.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
You know, if this is what you do for a
living and you cover this sport, y'all probably all said
the same thing this week, like it's game week, Like
let's go all right, this is what we signed up
to do, right, this is this is uh it's awesome,
you know.

Speaker 4 (04:09):
Uh so man I love it.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
Uh and you know, just just looking forward to to
watching our team play and compete, you know, with everything
they got got a great matchup obviously with LSU coming
in here, and uh, you know, coach Kelly is you know,
I mean his track record is uh you know, easy

(04:31):
to look up. I mean he's had a long track
record of winning for a long time. So you don't
get lucky and have jobs like like L s U.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
He's a great coach.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
And you know, has his team really uh well positioned
to have a great year. This is a very talented
football team on both sides of the ball, you know,
similar to us in a lot of ways, you know,
and that they've got elite quarterback play, elite skill, and
they got dudes in the trenches on both sides. So

(05:03):
it's a it's a very similar, very similar team as
far as you know, just the makeup. So uh that's
why it's a top ten matchup, and uh, you know,
I don't have any doubt it's gonna be one one
heck of a game. Uh quarterback's a really good player,
he's a leader, he's tough. Got a lot of respect
for him. I've never met him, but man, I got

(05:26):
I got a ton of respect for this kid. He's, uh,
you know, a guy that's has stayed and and he's
you know developed and you know, now he's on his
way to being a high draft pick. But he's got
he's got a lot of poise, he's got great instincts,
really good pocket awareness, he's got big time arm talent.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
He's tough, and uh, you know, they've.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
Put a good group together up front, had some guys
uh that graduate move on. So uh, they went and
brought in some really good players, some experienced guys and
got big time skill. They got guys that can take
the top off. They got guys that can you know,
complement their run game, you know with the screen game
and getting the ball in space and breaking tackles. You know,

(06:10):
they got you know, zero and one or two really compact,
you know, physical runners. You know three is a rocket ship.
Four I think is number four kid coming over from Oklahoma.
He's a big bodied receiver. He'll be the biggest guy
out there. So you know, twenty nine is as good
as we'll probably see. I mean, he's a very very

(06:31):
very good back. He is strong, he's powerful, he breaks
tackles's he has the speed to take at the distance.
They they do a good job of involving him in
the run game, so you know, do a nice job
in all areas. They really don't, in my opinion, have
any weaknesses. On the offensive side of the ball. You know,
they equip the quarterback to make them right and most

(06:54):
of the time he does that. And then over on
the defensive side, you know, I mean elite linebacker play.
They've got a lot of experience there. I think, probably
as good as corners as we'll see all year. You know,
number one is back, he's a great player, got length,
and then they went and got the kid from Virginia
Tech who who we've seen know a lot about him.

(07:16):
He's a great player. Safeties are really good players. And
then they're stout up front. The guys that are back
from last year good players, and they went and added,
you know, a few guys. So you know, got the
kid from Florida State who we've played against. They got
the kid from Florida who's a really good physical player
as well coming off the edge. I mean, it's just, again,

(07:37):
I think, a really good complete team. But defensively all three.

Speaker 4 (07:42):
Levels they got dudes, you know, and I think.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
That coach Kelly has stated this is you know, he
thinks his best defense that he's had and maybe his
best team. And I can see why when you when
you really study these guys.

Speaker 4 (07:55):
So should be a heck of a matchup.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
And from a health standpoint, we're in a good been
very fortunate to this point and hopefully it stays that way.

Speaker 4 (08:04):
We got some tough we got tough practice today.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Tuesday is a tough day, tough day tomorrow as well,
So a couple of days we gotta we gotta get through.
But as we said, right now, we're in a we're
in a good spot from an injury standpoint, uh, you know,
going into the season. So with that, I'll take you questions.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
So they're having the opening comments from Dabo Sweeney earlier
today in Tiger Town, and you know, I think back
to what we talked about earlier this week with the
different beginning games of the year, you know, the first
game of the season, And one thing I think it

(08:47):
is fair to say is that when you look at
these matchups, it is incredibly difficult to know what each
team is going to look like in Week one, Like
I mean, it is absurdly tough. I thought Kansas State

(09:10):
would be Iowa State. I could not project that Dylan
Edwards would get hurt on this first punt return attempt
which ended up being a muff punt and a funnel
and a turnover and he would get hurt with an
ankle injury. Like there's so much that you can't project
them any game, let alone game one, because you truly
don't know how good these teams are. And I think

(09:35):
from the standpoint of what we do in this capacity
and talking about college football and covering college football the
way we do, like you want to believe based off
of everything you've seen that Clemson is, of course one

(10:00):
of the top teams in the country, and LSU fans
want to believe the same about the Bayou Bengals, that
they are one of the top teams in the country.
But the fact of the matter is you really have

(10:21):
no idea how good your team is until you step
into that arena on Saturday night. Like people come to
me and go, swanee, what do you think about this game?

Speaker 2 (10:32):
What are your thoughts?

Speaker 1 (10:33):
And you know, I was, I was lying in bed
last night thinking about my over undertotals and everything, and
I remember I was like, how come I got Clemson?
Why are they the only team that I have written
down that I put at you know, twelve and oer
or whatever. But that was because I specifically remembered in
that moment, in those other game, in those with those
other teams, I went back and gave them a loss.

(10:54):
I said, but even if you give them a loss
in this game and say they're eleven to one, they're
still in the over.

Speaker 2 (10:58):
I just didn't do that with Clemson.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
Even if you give Clemson a loss to LSU in
South Carolina, they're still in the over. And this you know,
this is not a sports investment strategies gambling show by
any means. I'm just talking about, in my opinion, looking
at the numbers, I think Clemson is going to win
ten games this season unless something goes catastrophically wrong injury,

(11:25):
you know, something that you don't expect. I think twelve
and zhero is a possibility. It gets a heck of
a lot better if they win on Saturday under the
lights in Death Valley against LSU all of a sudden.
I'm looking at it thinking, man, a stumble along the
way would be not absurd, but would be incredibly disappointing,

(11:51):
kind of giving their profile, complacency would be the biggest
issue or reason perhaps for a loss from that point
forward out. A better question.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
Might be.

Speaker 1 (12:06):
Where do you see this Clemson team if Kate Clubnick
could not finish the year. Where would you see this
Clemson team with Christopher Vezina Swani as the starting quarterback?
Now that is a loaded question because I really don't
know how good Christopher of Vezina would be if he
had to run the offense every day. Would they be

(12:28):
six and six? Absolutely not. I think that would be
a stunning result. Even with Christopher Zena in there at quarterback.
Would they be eight and four? I think that would
be a possibility. Could they be nine and three, maybe
ten and two, I don't think so. Eleven and one

(12:49):
not likely. In twelve to zero, I don't believe that.
But with Kid club Nick at quarterback, I don't think
it's unreasonable to look at that schedule and really look
at that schedule on Sunday, if you win over LSU
and again big if one thing you will know, and
Dabo Sweeney said it there at the beginning of his

(13:11):
press conference today, like this time next week, you're gonna
know something you like. All the criticism of Dabo Sweeney
and the hyperbole and all the positive things that he says,
all of that what you will know on Sunday is

(13:31):
whether or not all the offseason talk.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
Was accurate.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
If LSU rolls into Death Valley and just dust clumpson
off like a fly, then you know what, back to
the drawing board people, you're probably somewhere outside of the
top twenty. I think if you got mopped by LSU,
you just got pushed around. I think you drop way back.

(14:03):
If you get beat on the last second kick, Yeah,
you probably swap spots in the polls. You know, they
go to four, you go to nine. Now what happens,
more than anything is your reputation. What happens at that
point is the rest.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
Of the year.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
You got a battle, Well, well, they couldn't beat LSU,
why would they be better than at tm X Y
or Z from the Southeastern Conference. Like all of a sudden,
the convincing the world of who you are slides off
the radar. You can't get that back until you face
South Carolina and win that game.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
I mean, if you don't win it, you don't claw
that back at all.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
And if South Carolina ends up seven and five or
doesn't have the season the game Cock fans hope, then
guess what, you really can't crawl that back even with
a win, you'd have to go You would have to
go into the College Football Playoff and prove to people

(15:07):
that the first game and the loss to LSU was
a fluke in your face.

Speaker 5 (15:12):
Yeah, how do you like Steve Affols?

Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, that would be That would be the thing. If
you are the Clemson Tigers, this game will go a
long way towards determining how people see you the rest
of the year. If you beat LSU, you are somewhat

(15:38):
anointed with this this aura that you are the elite
that you claimed to be and maybe you didn't claim it,
but maybe people put it on you. But if you
get beat by LSU and the opener, then all of

(15:58):
a sudden, you are trying to figure out if everything
that everybody wrote about you and said about you, save
for a few individuals who were brave enough to come
out and say, yeah, you know what, I'm not sure
I'm buying this Clemson Tiger team. I'm thinking they're overhyped,

(16:21):
and those people were few and far between this offseason.
If there's one thing I am thankful for when it
comes down to what I will get out of this weekend,
If Clemson looks the way people have said they believe
Clemson will look I don't have to defend expectations. I

(16:48):
won't have to defend it. I can simply say, look
at what happened in the game. But until we get
to that point, and until about midnight on Saturday, I
am going to continue to likely have to defend this

(17:10):
clips the team in the minds. I have a lot
of our fine feathered friends peeking over the fence and
hanging out with us.

Speaker 5 (17:15):
So you could continue to peek over the fence at
the best radio showing.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
The nation.

Speaker 1 (17:21):
A three four five zero zero eighty six. That is
the text line and the phone line. We've had a
lot of text come in over the past couple of days,
actually about the past week. Have one come in last night? Well,
a couple come in last night. Let me uh, let
me see if I can get these pulled up real quick.
And by the way, I'm not sure if we'll get Mike.

(17:42):
You've on the show today. He's got some stuff going on.
More on that maybe for you tomorrow. But as it
pertains to your text messages, which that text line is
always available and Mac Mac, if you're out there, just
text me say Swana, I want to be on the show,
Chuck hit me up. I'm not sure if he wanted

(18:04):
me to read this on the air now, but he said,
Swani have lost some weight, needed to downside some shirts.
Where can I get some CST swag? Tiger Chuck Man
appreciate Chick, congratulations on the weight loss.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
Buddy.

Speaker 1 (18:18):
Shoot me your email address and I'll send you some stuff.
Tiger Chuck, shoot me your email. I might actually I
got I probably got your email. Don't know I got
your email. Tiger Chuck does a good job. He writes
our preseason baseball stuff, so I probably owe him. I
owe you, Tiger Chuck.

Speaker 2 (18:36):
We'll make sure you get that.

Speaker 1 (18:39):
Nick from Georgia, listening to the program said, Swan, you
are right. The documentary about the Brotherhood in the Trenches
was great. Oh there's no doubt, man, it was absolutely awesome,
and I thought the star of that was Tristan Lee.
Tristan Lee was also one of the guys that met
with the media today, so we'll certainly have some story.

(19:00):
Is an audio from Tristan Lee, Garrett Riley, Tom Allen
Dablosweeney over on our website, Clemson sports Talk dot com.
We'd love to have you go check out our website,
spend some time talking about your Clemson Tigers with your
other Tiger brethren in our chat rooms or our forums.

(19:23):
That's the toughest part of this gig with what we do,
is that the forums are the hardest thing to get running.
So I would challenge you, our listeners, the people that
love this program and stand behind the show, go to
our site. You don't have to get a premium account.
If you don't want one, I'd love for you to
get one. If you want to support us, just get
a regular account and when you read one of our stories,

(19:47):
comment and hopefully that will help us grow there, share
our stuff on Facebook. Trying to get all of that
to explode. We'll be right back with more of the
Show that Shakespare south Land Clemson Sports. Saw the show
that shakesa south Alwton swan hanging out with you. Get
Dabo Sweeney last night dropping some knowledge and some content

(20:09):
during his Tiger What's It Cost? Not Tiger calls anymore?
I can't I can't get used to the name of it,
Tiger Tiger Sports Hour whatever they take text now that
remember that whole text.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
Phone thing changed? Uh when Old Tyler called.

Speaker 4 (20:33):
Hey, Tyler, I've listened to enough for.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
You, and that just continued on down this this path.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
And all this bull crap. You're thinking all these narratives
you read. Listen, man, you can have your opinion all
you want, and you can apply for the job.

Speaker 4 (20:50):
And good luck to you.

Speaker 1 (20:53):
Now.

Speaker 3 (20:53):
I have I have been a part of failure many times,
but there ain't one thing in my life that I've
ever filled that Tyler.

Speaker 1 (21:01):
I don't know if Tyler was real or not. I mean,
the whole Tyler thing is just wild. But anyway, Davos
Sweeney on The Tiger Sports Hour last night did say
in terms of Walker Parks that he's trending in a

(21:25):
good direction. Now that's good. It may have been a
little bit optimistic from the standpoint, you know, if you
hear Dabos when you think, oh, well, maybe he's gonna
play this weekend. I don't know that that's the case.
But here's what Dabos when he said when he was
asked about it.

Speaker 4 (21:45):
Yeah, he's good.

Speaker 3 (21:45):
He's he's uh, you know, been bouncing back from from
uh his he had an injury and he's just gotten
better and better and better and in a good direction.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
So that's certainly a positive for the year.

Speaker 1 (21:58):
I mean, Walker Parks is one of those guys that's
just a staple, if you will, an anchor at times
for this Clemson offensive line. And he's been through so much,
almost to the point of where he thought his career
might be over, and then to make a decision, And

(22:20):
he talked about this in that documentary that I've brought
up quite a bit, the Brotherhood in the Trenches documentary.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
He talked about.

Speaker 1 (22:32):
Just what he went through and the decision and everything
that he had to make to just come back and
not give up and have the surgery and to get
banged up before the season certainly stinks. But I think

(22:52):
we're all hopeful that what Dablos when he just said
there about him turns out to be accurate some other
stuff that dablished when he talked about and we're going
to do this pretty uniquely this year. First off, if
you don't follow us on Instagram, please go follow us.
We're really trying to grow that following. Like I don't
know why Instagram takes so long to grow. Some people

(23:14):
have all this massive following and I'm in like twenty
three hundred people. I got more followers on TikTok. I
don't put anything out over there, but I'm trying to
change my strategy a little bit so share our work
on TikTok as well. We're trying to get in front
of as many Tiger fans and get as many follows
as we can. Additionally though, also on Facebook. Really a

(23:41):
huge push on both fronts for us this year. That's
going to be our goal. Like we've done a great
job with growing Clemson sports talk on Twitter, now it's
time to take it to Facebook and Instagram and continue
to grow on TikTok as well. But one of the
things we did, and we're gonna try to do this
every week straight from Tigertown, We're gonna drop in some

(24:06):
of the top comments from Dabosweeny into a post on
our Facebook page and you could share it and let
other people read it and do all of that, share
it on your page, whatever, it'll help bring people into
the show. But a funny moment that took place during
the program. I can't remember who the person was that

(24:27):
wrote in, but obviously it's somebody that knows Dabosweeny pretty well,
whether it's a friend or a family member, or who,
And the question was really about the pressure that I
guess it was the pressure that his sons were under
in terms of having grandkids now that they're both married,

(24:48):
and not that Daboshuleeni's out there pressuring these guys to
have kids, but maybe his wife, maybe Kathleen is you know,
you know, I mean, I think any of us that
are married, we'll say, at some point along the way,
the parents dropped the hint that hey, you know, we're

(25:08):
we're we're okay if you go ahead and have some grandkids. Well,
Davos when he says that that's not the case at
this point for his children, but that they do bring
over the grand dogs and that he has he has
like nieces and nephews, I guess call Dabos Sweeney something

(25:31):
along the lines of like uncle Bo or whatever, just
kind of playoff a Dabo. I can't remember what that
nickname was, but I know that I know what the
nickname was that he calls himself.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
For the grand dog's Papa Bo.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
Now is that gonna be his name as a grandparent,
Who knows, But that's what Daboswheney said last night during
his show. He was also asked about confidence in this team,
this specific team that's getting ready to go out on
the field against LSU this weekend. And I think if
you're a climpse to Tiger fan and you look at

(26:05):
the performance a year ago against Georgia, maybe even in
the opening game against Georgia in Atlanta, excuse me and
Charlotte several years ago, there's got to be apprehension, apprehension
facing a big time ball club out of the gate
like clympsones doing not to mention you got punched in
the nose a couple of years ago in Durham by

(26:26):
the Duke Blue Devils of all People twenty eight to seven.
So season openers, you got your right to be a
little bit concerned. The past two times you've been in one,
you've gotten punched right in the nose. But Davos Sweeney
was asked what makes him confident in this group, in

(26:47):
this team specifically, and Davos Sweeney said, the work that
they put in, watching their preparation is what makes him
confident in this twenty twenty five Clemson Tiger football team.
Again every week as best we can. On Monday Night

(27:08):
when Daboswiney does his Tiger Sports hour, we will post
a link on Facebook, please share it even after the fact,
and then we will also be sharing some of his
comments on Twitter as well. All right, well, hit a
quick break. We'll come back with more from Tigertown as
we get closer to kickoff of Clemson and LSU match up.

(27:29):
Right after this Lawton Swan Clempson's sports talk back with
you on a Tuesday afternoon eight zero three four or
five zero zero eighty six.

Speaker 6 (27:40):
You know.

Speaker 1 (27:40):
One of the other things I absolutely love love it
about this time of year when when Ross Taylor drops
the weekly game notes.

Speaker 2 (27:54):
Like this.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
This, these game notes take me back because I can
remember twenty plus years ago my old college roommate, super
Fan Lee Hannah the Moose as we called him. I
can remember super Fan coming back from his offices over

(28:18):
in Martin Hall where he still works. By the way,
as a matter of fact, his wife posted a picture
of like the first day of school with him in
his office, and I thought, man, this dude is in
the same office that he was in twenty five thirty
years ago. And nonetheless, the thing about it was right,

(28:38):
like he would print off the game notes.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
I can remember him bringing these things home nice clean
cut staple. This guy.

Speaker 1 (28:44):
This guy can draw a bell curve. He teaches statistics
at Clemson. This guy can draw a free handed bell
curve like no other. But he would bring these home,
and I can remember just going through them and reading
all the notes and everything that comes out of them,
and quite frankly, they haven't changed a whole lot, but

(29:07):
there's still just so much goodness in these game notes.
So obviously, this matchup between Clemson in LSU scheduled for
a seven thirty start on ABC. Don Munson dropped the
dime last night during the Tiger Sports Hour that the
actual kickoff time will be closer to seven fifty two PM.

(29:32):
But Saturday's contest will be a matchup of two of
the fourteen winning its programs in FBS history. And wait
till you hear how close these two teams are in
terms of all time wins eight hundred and fifteen wins
all time for LSU dating back to eighteen ninety three

(29:58):
and for Clemson just seven victory shy of that eight
hundred and eight total wins since eighteen ninety six, three
years after LSU started. These two teams in essentially the
exact same timeframe, LSU twelfth all time in victories with

(30:19):
eight hundred and fifteen, Clemson thirteenth all time in college
football with eight hundred and eight, so just seven victories
difference or different between these two teams as they get
set to face off in prime time on ABC this weekend. Additionally,

(30:39):
the game will be Memorial Stadium seventh matchup of AP
Top ten of AP Top ten teams since the facility
opened back in nineteen forty two. The good news for
Tiger fans is Clemson actually has wins in three of
each of those last contests, beating number three Louisville in
twenty sixteen, beating number seven Miami in twenty twenty, and

(31:01):
a thirty twenty win against number ten NC State back
in twenty twenty two.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
So a lot to be excited about with this game.

Speaker 1 (31:10):
Of course, it was also announced that Chris Vawler and
Kirk Hirvestreet will be on the call, which is certainly
going to be interesting given the fact of the emotions
of the day up in Ohio State with Lee Corso's
final game day, as we talked about that on Monday Show.
But for these two teams coming into Death Valley, Clemson's

(31:34):
death Valley. Here's a little bit from Brian Kelly in
his time with the media. He didn't talk very long.
He's no Dabo Sweny. I think he only went about
twenty someidd minutes yesterday. Here's what Brian Kelly had to
say about Clemson.

Speaker 7 (31:49):
Clemson obviously a top ranked team. You know, whatever poll
you're looking at, it's a top five team. They reached
the CFP. I know coach very well. You know, thirteen
seasons at ten wins. They're the epitome of consistency at
the highest level. You know, I think everybody talks about

(32:12):
their defensive players in particular, but you know, offensively, Caid
club Nick is I think a quarterback that played his
best ball at the end of.

Speaker 4 (32:23):
The year.

Speaker 7 (32:25):
And is a dual threat. You know, three seasons as
a starting quarterback. We've made a lot of that in
terms of how important it is to come back for
a second year.

Speaker 6 (32:35):
He's coming back for his third year, which I think
says a lot about him.

Speaker 7 (32:39):
You know, Peter Woods, you know, obviously a guy that
we're gonna have to deal with inside. Parker off the
edge is going to require a lot of attention or
they're going to ruin your day offensively.

Speaker 6 (32:51):
You know, I've just mentioned Caid, who we.

Speaker 7 (32:54):
Have a lot of respect for, but a veteran offensive line,
coming back playmakers on the outside, Williams and West or
outstanding receivers. So you guys already know that I'm not
telling you anything you don't know. This is gonna be
a great challenge, one that we're excited about, one that
we're up for.

Speaker 6 (33:11):
And uh, you know, any any goal that.

Speaker 7 (33:14):
You put out there, it's not worthwhile unless it's a challenge.
And so this will be a great challenge that our
kids are excited about.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
So they go.

Speaker 1 (33:22):
Some opening comments from Brian Kelly on this matchup between
the Tigers and LSU as the clipse of game No Say,
the Bengals of the Blue Ridge host the Bayou Bengals again.
Kickoff scheduled for the coverage scheduled for seven thirty but

(33:45):
a seven fifty two pm kick of course, all on
the clips in the Flete networking to be Don Munson,
Tim Burray, who will join us on Thursday, and Reggie
Merriweather clips of trails the all time series one game
to three and this is the first time that these
teams have ever played a game at a home venue,

(34:06):
and now with the SEC expanding to nine conference games,
questions abound about whether or not Clemson will go on
the road in twenty twenty six to Baton Rouge. The
last time these two teams met a course January thirteenth,
twenty twenty a forty two to twenty five win by
LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, a

(34:29):
game that I have I still say I'll stand on.
This was closer than what the final margin showed. You
go back and watch that game. That woo man, that's
a frustrating when Clemson had twenty nine wins going into
that game in a row, looking for thirty consecutive wins
in a national title. What a storyline that would have

(34:51):
still been in this college football Playoff era if Clemson
could have pulled that off, but was not to be.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
All right, wait a quick break.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
When we come back, we'll hear more from Brian Kelly
in his time with the media there in Baton Rouge.
Right after this final segment of out number one. Here
on a Friday Friday, Well I wish it was a Friday.
We'd been talking football tomorrow on a Tuesday after noon
all right. We heard a little bit from Brian Kelly
earlier talked about this Clemson Tiger football team, just kind

(35:21):
of his thoughts, and he was asked about the ability
to bring in players through the transfer portal, a center
like Brayln Moore, you know, getting some guys with some
experience in there on the offensive line. And here's what
Brian Kelly had to say about that.

Speaker 6 (35:36):
Yeah, it does that. I mean certainly.

Speaker 7 (35:40):
The intentions here to get to the press conference that
I want is that we brought in some infection players
that in this environment at Clemson.

Speaker 6 (35:49):
He's been through it.

Speaker 7 (35:49):
He opened up against Clemson last year as the starting
center of Virginia Tech, you know, so he knows what
it's like to play against Woods. He's got that experience.
So when you go on the road and you play
in the environment like that, you want to bring in
veteran guys that you know, bring that composure and leadership
and experience.

Speaker 6 (36:08):
Right, experience is the greatest teacher.

Speaker 7 (36:10):
So that means a lot clearly that you know, he'll
have a great influence on the offensive line.

Speaker 1 (36:17):
Brian Kelly was also asking if there was anything on
the injury report that LSU faithful would need to know.

Speaker 7 (36:24):
No, I think, you know, we had a couple of
bumps and bruises, as most would, but I would think
that at this point, right now, as I stand in
front of you, we expect everybody to be available to us.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
Brian Kelly lsu Hey, coach, was also asked about position
battles and just how long he thought some of those
might take to sort out.

Speaker 6 (36:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (36:45):
I don't know that you always need a static twenty two.
You know, you don't want everybody in a position where
you're rotating every single player. But there will be a
couple of positions where we'll have some rotation, and I
think it will be good for us.

Speaker 6 (36:56):
I think it makes us better.

Speaker 7 (36:58):
And so you know, we look at different battles, right
you know, we're going to play a number of defensive
ends and defensive tackles. It's because we'll be better because
of it. I think the same thing would be true
on the offensive line. You're going to see more than
just five guys out there. You'll see you know, at
least six or seven could be as many as eight

(37:19):
offensive linemen playing for US. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's
okay to rotate offensive linemen in they can.

Speaker 6 (37:25):
Do that too.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
Brian Kelly was also asked to give his indications about
the guys battling to start at left guard and sort
of what he thinks about each one of them.

Speaker 7 (37:36):
That's a good question. I think each one brings a
little bit different. Paul actually moves very well for us
right He can hand up handle movements. You know, he's
been more consistent from that standpoint, DJ, you love the
fact that he played so much football for.

Speaker 6 (37:51):
You last year.

Speaker 7 (37:52):
He is in a new position if he is at
the guard position, from the center position. But we like
his size, we like his smarts, we like his experience.
And then with with Cohen, he's physically strong. So if
you get into a one on one matchup against an
elite defensive tackle, he can hold his own physically. And
so each one of them brings a little bit to

(38:13):
the table, if you will, and that's why most likely
you're going to see him all playing.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
Brian Kelly was also asked about how he had mentioned
sounds a lot like Dabbo that he wants to build
through the high school ranks, but he's willing to supplement
through the portal and just kind of getting his hands
into that this past season.

Speaker 7 (38:29):
Building a program, unfortunately, takes some time and the time
element nobody wants to hear about.

Speaker 6 (38:36):
I get it.

Speaker 7 (38:37):
I understand everybody's want to win the national championship this year.

Speaker 6 (38:41):
I want to win it as well.

Speaker 7 (38:43):
But the reality of is we had some work to do,
and that work was building a foundational piece piece in
this program that was built on consistency and high standards
on a day to day basis, and so that takes
some time. We weren't ready to bring in guys from
the outside until our own program was in a really

(39:04):
good space, and so it took us a few years.
And I felt like this year we were in a
place where we could invite people into our locker room transfers,
if you will. So that's the long and short of it.
I don't I've been doing it for over three decades
and putting together teams every year is a little bit

(39:25):
of art and a little bit of science. You know,
if it was just add water and stir, you don't
need me. So I use my experience and my sense
that wins the right time to add people to the roster,
and I felt like this year was the right time.
I thought we had the underpinnings of a program that
was in a good place. There was some consistency being

(39:49):
built nineteen and two at home. Over the last three years,
there was some things to build off with three Bowl wins.

Speaker 6 (39:56):
No, that's not the national championship, I get.

Speaker 7 (39:58):
It, but behind Alabama and Georgia, we've won more SEC
games than anybody else. So there were enough things there
for me to say, all right, we're in a we're
moving in the right direction. Let's go and let's go
get some veteran players that when you go on the
road against Clemson, they've done that and you don't have
to go teach it from the sideline again. And so

(40:20):
that's really where we are at and where we'll move.

Speaker 6 (40:24):
Next year might be a little bit different.

Speaker 7 (40:27):
It might be extremely talented freshman playing for the first
time and you live with some of the mistakes because
they're incredibly talented. I don't know what the future holds.
I'm focused on right now. I know it is a
long answer, but I wanted to make sure it was clear.

Speaker 1 (40:45):
Brian Kelly was also asked to give some insight into
what he thinks about Clemson's running game, given the fact
that the Tigers are sort of figuring it out with
Adam Randall shifting over from wide receiver and just what
he thinks he'll see from Clemson on Saturday, and how
im and valuable to the running game.

Speaker 7 (41:03):
He's he's I would say, central to their run game.
And look, I mean, you can go back to last
year's Texas A and M game. We didn't handle ourselves
very well, or the Alabama game. Whoever you want to
point out South Carolina. I could keep going. I'd like
to stop right there. We didn't do a very good
job against the running quarterback. It's important that we contain

(41:27):
him within the run game.

Speaker 6 (41:29):
Look, he's going to do things outside the realm. That's
what he does. He's really good at that.

Speaker 7 (41:33):
We got to keep him in the pocket and make
him operate from the pocket. But their run game is
is certainly part of what they do. You know, they've
got a lot of things from an offensive standpoint that
you have to defend, and there's only a few things
you can do. You want to play fast, you want
to play physical, you want to make sure that you
don't give up the big shots. They'd like to get

(41:54):
big shots down the field, and then you've got to
stop the quarterback from really hurting you run the ball.
That's kind of central to what we're looking at.

Speaker 1 (42:01):
And that running quarterback or running quarterbacks were a real
bugaboo for ls U a year ago. A zero three
four five zero zero eighty six. All right, quick break,
we'll come back our number two of the show that
shakes the south Land on a Tuesday afternoon. When we
return right here well Fox Sports Radio fourteen hundred and
on the iHeartRadio app, it's.

Speaker 2 (42:23):
Time for Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan. Swanny hold.

Speaker 1 (43:03):
Rocking and rolling along with you on a Tuesday afternoon. No, Mike,
you'va here in our number two of the show today,
of course, Clempson Sports Start, brought to you in part
by our good friends over at Mets Plumbing mets plumbing
dot com. That's the website, the number two two six
seven eight. That's two two six seven one eight Mets Plumbing.

(43:26):
Go check them out today, get to their website through
our site as well. All right, since it wasn't talk
of Tuesday up at Tigertown, Dabo Sweeney, we'll give you
a little bit more of that here in our number
two of the program. Sweeney was asked about the emphasis
that LSU has put on this opener, obviously Brian Kelly
really needing a win winless all time as LSU's head

(43:50):
coaching opening ballgames, and the fact that they put some
Tiger Paul some Clemson palls around their facility in preparation
for the game. Here's Dabo Sweeney talking about the Bayou
Bengals emphasis on the contest and what he thinks about
Brian Kelly's strategy, so to speak, to motivate his team.

Speaker 4 (44:09):
I don't have any thoughts either way.

Speaker 3 (44:10):
I mean, everybody, you know, I can't put myself in
his team room, locker room. You know, everybody has their
own way as far as what you got to do
in whatever moment, whatever team that you're coaching at that
particular time. He's done it a long time. So whatever
whatever he wants to do, I'll leave it up to him.

Speaker 1 (44:29):
DeVos when he was also asked about right guard Walker
Parks and what his situation is, and of course Davos
when he notoriously talks about the day to day stuff,
and he was asked about what colored jersey Walker Parks
was wearing.

Speaker 4 (44:44):
He's, uh, he's back in practice, so he's he's he's.

Speaker 1 (44:47):
Doing good, DeVos when he was also asked about the
situation at running back with Jay Haynes, who got the
start in the a SEC Championship game but got hurt
hurt his knee, and how he's coming together.

Speaker 3 (44:59):
He's coming he uh, he's not gonna play this week,
but he's he's, uh, he's right there. I mean, he's
It's we knew going in he would probably he's been
in green. Uh so they just haven't caught him. And
Ari there are two guys that have been in green
really all camp, and uh so next step is for
him fully back into practice as far as contacts. So

(45:20):
they're they're they're both close and you know, they're just
both coming off pretty good knee injuries and they just
want to be, you know, really cautious with those guys
before we really put them out there. So they're both
again doing really well and excited for him to fully
be activated at some point soon.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
Sweeny was also asked to kind of give some insight
into where the other running backs sort of stand in
the pecking order, if you will, I mean, we.

Speaker 3 (45:46):
Gotta go, we gotta go, we gotta go into the
games and we'll see where it's at.

Speaker 4 (45:50):
But you know, I think that all those we have
confidence in all those guys.

Speaker 3 (45:55):
But you know, Adam, Adam will Well, we'll start it
off for us and and we'll see how it all
shapes out as we as we get some live play.
But we have conference in all those guys, and same
with Jay when he gets back.

Speaker 1 (46:08):
Sweeney was also asked about Elijah Thurman, who was out
during spring practice because of the injury he sustained against
Pitt and just what he felt like what Sweeney feels
like he's seen from him this fall.

Speaker 4 (46:18):
Man, I mean we saw it last year.

Speaker 3 (46:21):
I mean he had to go in what was the
first series of the Virginia Tech game, I think first
series true freshman and by the way, they got the
leading sack guy in America. I can't remember that guy's name,
but he was he was leaning the nation in sacks
and you got a true freshman out there, and he
had a heck of a game. And then obviously the
next game he gets hurt on the first play at pit.

Speaker 4 (46:44):
But uh, we got a.

Speaker 3 (46:46):
Ton of conference in Elijah. He's had a he's had
a great camp. He has and we knew that when
we signed him. You know what, we didn't know. We hoped,
but we didn't really know. You have to you know,
you know, you have to confirm things once you start
co guys. But just just how smart of a football
player he is, Like you know, he's done it. He
really has played five positions in high school and so

(47:09):
we saw that versatility.

Speaker 4 (47:10):
But how will that translate for us?

Speaker 3 (47:13):
And he really, he really can play five positions, Like
this kid is a special talent. He is a great
football player. But we have all the confidence in him.
He's he's played, he's had to play. He hasn't played
as much center in camp because we've had to use
him at tackle as well.

Speaker 4 (47:28):
So he's played some tackle, you know.

Speaker 3 (47:30):
I mean, he's he's he could start anywhere for us,
for sure, he's a starter for us. I mean, I
don't even know who Matt's gonna run out there first, honestly,
you know, I think it's kind of like I don't
know if y'all remember Dan Brooks when we had all them,
We had five guys that could start for two spots,
and he would he'd he'd great them in Tiger Walk,

(47:50):
he'd great them in pre game. I didn't really ever
know who was running out there first until but I
really didn't care, you know, So.

Speaker 4 (47:58):
They were all dudes.

Speaker 3 (48:01):
I knew Grady Jarrett was running out there, so it
was really four guys for one spot, and they were
all guys, you know, all guys. So I kind of
see it the same way with those seven guys that
we have on that offensive line that we see as starters.
I think all those guys play every week unless somebody's
heard or something. But Elijah is a starter. And again,

(48:22):
I mean he could start. He truly could start at
four positions for us.

Speaker 5 (48:27):
Uh, and that.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
Gives us a that gives us a that's a blessing. Now,
there's not many teams that have a blessing like that
where you've got a guy that could literally start four
positions for you and play at an elite level, and
we think he can do that. Obviously, he started in
a left tackle for US already in the games.

Speaker 1 (48:43):
So obviously a lot of excitement there from Dabos when
you just talked about kind of the depth of this
Clemson offensive line and some of the talent in some
of the play in some of the players that we
haven't seen all that much, which, certainly, if you are
a college football fan, you know how important and how

(49:05):
significant it is that you have players who are versatile,
players who have that grit, that intestinal fortitude to go
out and kind of carve their own path. And you

(49:26):
get the feeling that these players at Clemson, specifically that
are working alongside Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke, are really,
I think being enhanced by his style. And I hate

(49:46):
to diminish Thomas Austin because obviously he's a former Clemson Tiger,
but when that job went from Robbie Colwell to Thomas Austin,
the offensive line play went in reverse, and it has
taken a full one point eighty and it feels like
these guys, I'm gonna say this out loud, and we

(50:10):
are still very early in Matt Luke's tenure at Clemson,
but it feels like these offensive linemen are performing at
a higher level and are more versatile and maybe even
better prepared than they were when Robbie Calbwell was coaching
that group. And that says a lot about Matt Austin.

(50:30):
Excuse me, that says a lot about Matt Luke. I
feel like Matt Austin is somebody though, who is Matt Austin.
I feel like it's somebody in sports. Matt Austin is
the actor Canadian that's the only Matt Austin out there.

(50:50):
Felt important when I said it, when I mixed Matt
Luke and Thomas Austin together. Anyway, more from Coach Sweeney here,
he was also asked about Braiden Jacobs, the freshman fellow
on the offensive line, the huge, gargantoid freshman offensive lineman,
and where he sort of sees him maybe fitting into

(51:12):
this rotation in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (51:14):
Say he's eight, he's right there. Yeah, he's he's he's
eight and coming. Uh, he's on his way. I mean,
we've got a good group. I mean, really, all those guys.
I mean, Braiden, you know, Ronan O'Connell, I really like
him a lot. He's a big, strong, you know, guy's
made a gristle. Mason Wade Easton Ware is another guy

(51:40):
that we think is going.

Speaker 4 (51:41):
To help us. Dietrich. I mean, so we've come out
of camp with, you know.

Speaker 3 (51:45):
A good group of twelve guys that that we think,
you know, give us really good quality depth. But seven
of them that we think are rady to start and
Braiden is coming.

Speaker 1 (51:57):
Final thing from Dabos Swiney today we might give more
to Borrow. But he was asking about how he viewed
LSU as a kid who grew up in Alabama and
also played for the Crimson Tide.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
I mean, growing up, everybody that played Alabama was a
rival to me.

Speaker 4 (52:11):
I mean that was just how I grew up.

Speaker 3 (52:13):
Like you're playing if you were playing the Tide, like
you know, you were a rival whoever we were playing
that week. But certainly the you know, it was just
kind of ingrained and you growing up at you know,
Tennessee in Auburn, like, you know, that was just kind
of when I got to Alabama and spent thirteen so
I was a part of thirteen Alabama LSU games. You

(52:33):
played everybody, you know when I was in Tuscaloosa those
thirteen years. So and LSU was in our division, so
I mean you played them every year. And in fact,
I don't remember some mid nineties or something, but we
had to go there twice. I think it was weeks
whenever we one of the times they expanded the conference,
so we ended up having to go to Baton Rouge twice.

(52:53):
So you know, I got a ton of respect for
the program of competing against him as a player and
as a coach, and so it's really about it. Excited
to go down there next year. I think that'd be
that'd be a great I haven't been there. I don't
know when the last time. I don't know if we

(53:14):
played there in two thousand or ninety nine. I can't
remember where we played them. I know in ninety eight,
was it ninety eight or ninety nine we played them there,
because I just remember we won. We were down like
thirteen points for like a minute forty or something, and
we won. We hit Sean Alexander on a wheel route
out the back door, and then because the game the

(53:39):
game was over, I mean it was like over, and
we hit Sean Alexander and then we hit Quincy Jackson
on a little little sprint wheel. We hit Quincy Jackson
on a tip ball in the end zones wide out
for me and I was a receiver coach, and then
we on sidekick and Jason mccadley, another wide out, comes
up with the on side kick or we hit excuse me,

(54:01):
we hit Sean Alexander for the touchdown on side kick
Jason mccadley got it. Then we hit Quincy Jackson tip ball,
uh touchdown to win the game. It was crazy. That
was one of the craziest games that ever been a
part of. So a lot of battles.

Speaker 4 (54:14):
I don't know. I don't think they do it anymore,
but back when I.

Speaker 3 (54:17):
Was playing, you'd come right out of the tunnel and
they'd have they'd have the Tiger right there, like like
you know, you're getting your gloves on, you're getting ready
to go out for free game, you know, and it'd
be like, and there's the there he was. Was it
Mike his name? They had the Tiger, I mean, like
in a cage right at the entrance. So got got
a lot of a lot of cool memories from LSU's

(54:39):
one of the cool places I think in.

Speaker 4 (54:41):
College football to experience a game. Uh, just like this
place here.

Speaker 3 (54:45):
So but as far as arrival, everybody that played the
Tide was arrival.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
Anybody that played the Tide was a rival. Dablos Sweet
talking about growing up in Alabama, growing up in Alabama
fan ultimately playing for the Crimson Tide like.

Speaker 2 (54:59):
That that's a strange place to be, you know.

Speaker 1 (55:03):
We talked about it a lot when Clemson and Alabama
we're facing off for national championships, and I'm sure that
Dabo Sweeny roots for Alabama. I would think I would
think he roots for Alabama every week to do well.

(55:24):
I can't imagine like it. I don't know how you
feel about it. Maybe i'll throw that out there to you.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
What do you think?

Speaker 1 (55:31):
Do you think Dabo Sweeney roots for Alabama except when
they're playing Clemson eight zero three four or five O
zero zero eighty six.

Speaker 2 (55:43):
Because here's what I'm here, here's my thoughts on it.

Speaker 1 (55:48):
So if I think about me being a head coach
at another school, and I'll just pick when at random,
will say I'm the new head coach at Minnesota. Now

(56:08):
it's a little bit different because I feel like Clemson
and Alabama are on the same football plane, and I
feel like Minnesota is not on that same plane. So
maybe I'll pick a different school, somebody that's a little
more on Clemson's plane. Somebody's college football playoff team not
necessarily doesn't have to be geographically Texas. How about that Texas?

(56:32):
So if I'm the head coach at Texas or I
guess you could put me at Alabama, because I don't
really have a dog in the fight. Could have said Alabama,
duh Swannie. All Right, So, if I'm the head coach
at Alabama or Texas, do I want Clemson to win
every game except for the games they play me?

Speaker 2 (56:52):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (56:53):
Yes, I would want Clemson to be as successful as
possible except for when they play me. And if they're
not playing me in the national title, then I would
want them to win a national title. Which if we
take that logic mathematically to Dabo Sweeney, then one would

(57:16):
believe that Dabo Sweeney would want Alabama to win every
game that they possibly could, including national championships. If Clemson's
not in the national championship, Now that's a that's a
place to be in your brain, isn't it. So that
would mean that anytime Dabo Sweeney is not in the

(57:42):
national championship game, if he thinks the way I think
about his alma mater, and he played for him the
way I think about my alma mater, then I could
safely assume that Dabo Sweeney would want Alabama to win
national championships.

Speaker 2 (58:02):
That is a that when when you.

Speaker 1 (58:04):
Say it out loud, I mean it does kind of
put it into perspective when you say it out loud.
Dabo Sweeney, when Clemson is not in the College Football Playoff,
would want Alabama to win national championships. Some of you

(58:25):
will say, you don't.

Speaker 2 (58:27):
Believe me, you can't handle the truth.

Speaker 1 (58:31):
I think I'm one hundred percent correct, and quite frankly,
I would think the same thing game cognation for Shane Beemer.
I would think Shane Beemer wants Virginia Tech to win
every game they can except for the game against South
Carolina coming up this coming.

Speaker 2 (58:50):
Sunday in Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (58:54):
Other than that, I would I can't give you a reason,
like I can't think of a reason as an alumnus
of the university or somebody that played on the team.
Maybe if like you were in the same league. Okay,
here's a scenario where you might root against your alma
mater if you're not playing them. Let's say you were

(59:15):
on the outside of the college football Playoff and you
were on the outside of your conference championship game, but
you felt like if you got into your conference championship
game that you could get into the playoff, right because
you could win your conference.

Speaker 2 (59:30):
So let's say that.

Speaker 1 (59:33):
You were in a situation where the team that you
played bards in your league. Virginia Tech's not in South
Carolina's league, Alabama's not in Clemson's league. But if they were,
and maybe that team was the team in front of you,
and they have one final game Auburn and versus Alabama,
maybe in that situation, if you were coaching at Texas,

(59:56):
you might go, oh, please Auburn beat my album maters
so that my team I currently coach can be in.
That's the only other way I can think of that
you would root against your album mater as a coach.
You're either coaching them or they are directly keeping you
from getting to a conference championship game or into the playoff,

(01:00:21):
and you can get in if they lose, So then
I think you would probably pull for them to lose.
That's that's where my head is on that, And you
can feel free to chime in eight three four five
zero zero eighty six. We'll check the text messages coming
up in the next segment see if we get anything

(01:00:41):
from you guys on that front. Now, we talked about
the possibility of games and future games maybe being canceled.
Empson LSU Daboswingy, You heard him reference it earlier saying

(01:01:03):
can't wait to can't wait to go and play down
in Baton Rouge. Well, it sounds as if at least
one team and it's a powerful team in the Southeastern
Conference that we were just talking about Alabama because of

(01:01:28):
the expanded Southeastern Conference schedule. It sounds like the Crimson
Tide are making a change to their future schedule, which
now I think you do have to wonder, I guarantee you.
I think I don't know, man, I don't know if
CLEMPS is going to get the return trip to Baton
Rouge or not. We'll tell you a little bit about
what Alabama has chosen to do now that the Southeastern

(01:01:51):
Conference is going to a nine game conference schedule. We'll
give you the rundown on that when we get back,
plus your text messages to the show on if you
think now, let me make sure I phreeze this right
before we get out here. The Dabosweeney roots for Alabama

(01:02:12):
except for.

Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
When they're playing Clemson. With a quick break and come
back with more.

Speaker 1 (01:02:17):
Right after this stay with us rocking and rolling Clemson
Sports saw the show The shakesa south Land eight zero
three four five zero zero eighty six. That is the
text line in the phone line. Don't forget you could
be a part of the program anytime, any place, anywhere.
On our website Clemsonsports sub dot com and again thanking
our sponsors like Kaufman's being placed, Lexingdon Medical Center. I

(01:02:41):
could go on and on, Mets Plumbing, spectacular businesses here
in the Midlands that we have worked with for many,
many years to support this program. Also up in the
Upstate Alumni Hall on the corner of campus on College
Avenue in downtown Clemson. It's Alumni Hall for all your
officially licensed Clemson merchandise, hats, t shirts. He'll get geared more.

(01:03:03):
Go check him out today. Remember Clemson's student's faculty in
all military get ten percent off when shopping in stores
at Alumni Hall. It's Alumni Hall where Tiger fans shop.
All right, I asked you the question about Dabo Sweeney.
We got a few texts in Courtney, listen to the program.

(01:03:26):
Of course, DABA roots for Alabama. That Crimson blood runs deep, y'all,
Just so you doesn't end up back there one day.

Speaker 2 (01:03:33):
That's a fair point, Courtney, that's a fair point.

Speaker 1 (01:03:37):
Rick listening to the show in Atlanta, says, I think
his respect more than rooting Bama gave him a start,
but Clemson made him who he is. He'll always tip
his cap to the tide, but his heart is now
in Death Valley. Ooh, Rick, Okay.

Speaker 2 (01:03:53):
I like it.

Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
And one final one, one final one from Thomas in Greenville.
He says, Swanny Dabbo's Obama guy through and through, but
once he put on the orange, he is Tigers first.
I'd say he pulls for him until they line up
against Clemson. That's kind of where I'm at, right, I mean, Thomas,

(01:04:16):
I think there's a lot of different avenues and ways
to look at it, but that's that's what I think
all right now. Speaking of the Crimson, Todd appreciate y'all texting,
and again, any of you out there kN text eight
O three four five os er Rozira eighty six. Never
text while you're driving. You can call and leave a message.
We'll play it on the program. This show is not

(01:04:37):
anti caller by any means, but we are we are
a program of convenience for the host, if you will.
In terms of recording, So Alabama's trip back to Nick
Saban's home state will not happen now I know Saban's
not the head coach. The Crimson Tide in West Virginia.

(01:05:00):
West Virginia course, another Power four team, They canceled their
home and home series scheduled for twenty twenty six and
twenty twenty seven. That news came out earlier today. The
Mountaineers will be replaced on the schedule by East Carolina,
a group of five member A good group of five member,
though they'll go to Tuscaloosa, and the move to a

(01:05:23):
far less compelling matchup comes as the SEC moves to
a nine game conference schedule starting in twenty twenty six,
meaning that Alabama would have had eleven Power Four games
on this slate.

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
They have now dropped that back.

Speaker 1 (01:05:41):
Commissioner excuse me, LA Director Greg Byrne at Alabama said,
we are proud of the number of high quality home
and homes non conference games we have scheduled for the
next ten years. That being said, we know that college
athletics has been evolving and changing rapidly over the last
few years, and it has made sense for us to
make these adjustments on our future schedules. We have a

(01:06:03):
bit more flexibility as we transition to a nine game
format in the Southeastern Conference, and he gives us the
opportunity to further evaluate how strength of schedule is scheduled
for the College Football Playoff between other home and homes
as well as conference games. We will continue to have
a solid strength to schedule, which is good for our team, fans,

(01:06:24):
and college football. So there's one team at least in
the Southeastern Conference, and it's the Alabama Crimson Tide. Like
I would not have thought. I would not have thought

(01:06:45):
in my life that of the schools in the Southeastern
Conference that would be the first to back off would
be Alabama.

Speaker 6 (01:06:58):
But if the.

Speaker 1 (01:06:59):
Crimson Tide, this is where I would say there's a
level of concern for me. If the Crimson Tide are
willing are willing to back off of their games, that
to me says that everybody else out there is going
to be willing to do it too.

Speaker 6 (01:07:20):
And once.

Speaker 1 (01:07:23):
One school does it, and I don't know if Alabama
was the first, I'll be honest, I can't remember if
I missed one over the past few days or not.
But once the first does it, then you've sort of
crossed over into the land of hey, everybody else is

(01:07:45):
doing it. Why not us, Like, why should we hold
on to these extra games? If Alabama's not doing it right?
It just got easier in Auburn and in Gainesville, it
just got easier.

Speaker 2 (01:08:02):
I'm not sure what that word was. It just got
easier in Colombia, in.

Speaker 1 (01:08:08):
Athens, and and and and Oxford to back off of games.

Speaker 2 (01:08:15):
Well, Obama did it. Why why can't we do it?

Speaker 6 (01:08:21):
Ah?

Speaker 2 (01:08:21):
This is a problem people.

Speaker 1 (01:08:22):
I said it, I said it the other day and
I will I will die on.

Speaker 2 (01:08:27):
This hill, are you not? Literally?

Speaker 1 (01:08:32):
Less games out of conference is bad for the sport.

Speaker 2 (01:08:41):
More games out of conference is what we needed.

Speaker 1 (01:08:46):
We need a less conference games in my opinion. And
and you can go if you if you wanted to
do the less conference games thing, you could give the
conference champ, the best team in the league, based off

(01:09:08):
of whatever criteria you want, the regular season title, end
a birth in the playoff, and then let those other
teams battle like I have suggested in the conference playing game.
But give us more cross division games so we can
really see, like you get, there's no way to judge it.

(01:09:29):
There's just no way to judge it. If you just
play in your own sandbox, you have no idea how
nice the sand might be next door, or how good
the sand might be next door. Disappointing, disappointing. And that's
a powerfol game off of the Crimson Todds schedule, dropping
West Virginia for East Carolina.

Speaker 2 (01:09:51):
Stay with us.

Speaker 1 (01:09:53):
Lawton Swan clempses Sports Talk. So Hunter Infro, who was
picked up by the Carolina Panthers, was released earlier today.
Not really sure what happened there with Hunter Renfro being released,

(01:10:14):
but I know a lot of Clemson fans were excited.
Renfro was trying to make a comeback after he dealt
with some intestinal issues, and we'll see what ends up
happening for him. I hate it, Like I thought, he
was a great selling point for the Carolina Panthers. There's

(01:10:38):
some videos out there. Obviously you're not going to put
videos out there that make him look bad, but.

Speaker 2 (01:10:46):
In Hunters look like he still had it, but apparently
not enough.

Speaker 1 (01:10:54):
According to the Carolina Panthers, who are the only franchise
I believe now right in the NFL this never drafted
a Clemson player. There were some other Clemson players though,
over the past couple of days in the NFL that
were cut. Former Clemson defensive lineman Cleveland Ferrell did not

(01:11:17):
make the fifty four man roster with the Washington Commanders. Farrell,
you might recall, was the number four overall pickback in
twenty nineteen. A lot of people label Cleveland Ferrell as
a huge bust when it comes down to his performance
in the NFL. Another former Clemson Tiger, Isaiah Simmons, This

(01:11:41):
one's a strange one for me. He was cut by
the Green Bay Packers. Not strange that he's cut, strange
that this guy didn't work out. Simmons was the number
eight pick by Arizona back in twenty twenty. Simmons like,
when we kind of go through the progression of that

(01:12:03):
nickel hybrid position, that linebacker spot for Clemson, whether it's
you know, Dorian O'Daniel and working your way on through
h Trenton Simpson, I thought Isaiah Simmons was the guy,
like freakishly talented. I think Arizona when they drafted him,

(01:12:27):
thought that they could utilize him in a multitude of ways.
And I don't know if that effected his confidence. I mean,
he seems like a very confident guy. He seems like
a very confident guy. But when I think back to
what I sort of thought he would be versus where

(01:12:50):
he is.

Speaker 2 (01:12:53):
I mean, it's it's a little.

Speaker 1 (01:12:54):
Bit shocking, quite frankly, that he's not done more in
the NFL because if his elite level of athleticism. Also,
former Clemson defense ave bat Mario Goodrich was recently released
see was cut by the New York Jets. And one
other move that I had written down is Kavon Wallace.

(01:13:18):
The New York Giants released former Clemson Tigers safety Kavon Wallace.

Speaker 2 (01:13:23):
As well.

Speaker 1 (01:13:24):
So a lot of different Tigers, a lot of different
guys in the NFL from Clemson being cut. Maybe they'll
make some practice rosters. That's not the worst money you
ever made. Believe me, if I got called up at
forty eight to be on a practice roster in the NFL,
it'd be foolish not to take that opportunity. I want

(01:13:45):
to say, those guys make something like thirteen grand a week.
Maybe it's thirteen grand a month. Either way, Yes, please
sign me up for that. You know one thing I can.
I got a funny story I'll tell you, and I
will I will keep the names out of the equation

(01:14:08):
to protect the innocent. But have a buddy who coached
a kid that eventually went on to play in the NFL,
And my buddy went up to see that kid play
a game at some point, and so after the game,

(01:14:29):
they all went out to dinner and it was I mean,
it was a nice dinner. But the player, as I
recall the story, going, never pulled out his wallet to
pay for the meal, as if his high school coach

(01:14:49):
should pay for the meal. And I'm not saying that,
I'm not saying that the high school coach shouldn't feel compared.
You're the older person, you are the more probably established individual,
so on and so forth, and you probably would feel

(01:15:13):
a little bit awkward if you were the player. But
I feel like if you're the player, you at least
have to reach for your wallet, right. You have to
give your coach a chance to say you got to
give him a chance to say, no, man, look I
got this.

Speaker 4 (01:15:37):
Now.

Speaker 1 (01:15:37):
If it's thousands of dollars, I'm probably looking at the
kid going, you do know what I make as a
high school coach, right, versus what you make as an
NFL player. But yeah, I feel like there's a threshold.

(01:15:58):
It's kind of like the situation with JJ and TJ Watt.
I don't know if you saw this, but TJ Watt
signed a contract four years, one hundred and twenty three
million dollars and his brother JJ made a ton of

(01:16:21):
money in the NFL playing as a SUPERB NFL athlete.
I think it says he earned approximately one hundred and
thirty million during his twelve year career, so slightly less
than his brother just signed for a for a four
year deal. But JJ put out a tweet after TJ

(01:16:45):
got that contract and like where it said, you know,
it's like ESPN breaking news, TJ Watt signs record breaking
contract one hundred and thirty million or whatever, and TJ
or JJ quote tweeted it and said, if I ever
reached from my wallet when we go to a dinner,

(01:17:05):
like just kind of making fun of how much money
is brother made.

Speaker 2 (01:17:09):
Pretty awesome. You gotta love brothers made in this sport.
WHOA speaking of brothers, Speaking of brothers, there was some
big news in the world of professional sports that involves
one brother, Kelsey. I'll tell you about it when we
get back right here on the show The Shakes the
south Land.

Speaker 5 (01:17:29):
What have you done for me lately? It's a fair question.
Just don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Don't forget history.
Lucky for us at Clemson, the answer to the questions
what have you done for me lately?

Speaker 6 (01:17:47):
And what have you done?

Speaker 5 (01:17:48):
Always are the same. We win.

Speaker 1 (01:18:41):
Final segment on a Tuesday afternoon Clemson Sports.

Speaker 2 (01:18:45):
Do love Swan? Alright? Couple of things.

Speaker 1 (01:18:47):
First off, if you like it, then you should have
put a ring on it. Travis Kelcey Taylor Swift. The
romance is in the air. They are engaged. They are engaged.
Pump the brakes, everybody, if you've been waiting, it's official.

(01:19:11):
They put it out. It's official. Travis Kelcey engaged Taylor Swift.
All right, that's not the biggest news in sports today,
but it's news, and it's bigger than sports news. I
see everybody talking about that. All right, Ian Shefflin, you

(01:19:34):
may recall Ian Shefflin was arrested a couple of weeks
ago for allegations of a DUI. Well, I forget what
the exact terminology. I go to the clipsonsports dot com
like I am right now to pull it up. What
was the suspicion? I think was the word? I didn't
even have to find the article. I remember this suspicion

(01:19:55):
of DUI.

Speaker 2 (01:19:58):
Well.

Speaker 1 (01:19:58):
Dabosweeney did talk by Ian Shefflin during his comments today
and the DUI charge has been reduced, and Ian Shefflin
did put out a statement on the situation as well.
But Ian Shefflin was charged with reckless driving. Here's what

(01:20:25):
Ian Shefflin said in a release that he put out
announcing that he will be out for the LSU game.
Ian Shefflin saying in the message on Sunday, August seventeenth,
twenty twenty five, I was charged by the City of
Clemson Police Department with driving under the influence. After all
the evidence was reviewed, the DUI charge has been dismissed

(01:20:48):
by the City of Clemson Police and I accepted a
traffic ticket for reckless driving.

Speaker 2 (01:20:53):
As part of the resolution of.

Speaker 1 (01:20:55):
This matter, I will not be allowed to play in
the home opener against LSU. I'm determined to learn from
this experience and move forward with renewed focus. I fully
understand the responsibility that comes with being a student athlete
at Clemson, and I remain committed to conducting myself in
a manner that reflects positively on the University. My teammates,
athletic department, and myself. I also want to emphasize my

(01:21:16):
continued respect for law enforcement and the City of Clemson
Police Department. I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience,
and my commitment is to grow from this and to
represent Clemson with integrity and character, with the integrity and
character it deserves. So Ian Shefflin, the former Clympson Tiger
basketball player, charges of DUI dismissed reckless driving. And this

(01:21:44):
is what I said initially, Like suspicion of DUI is
not d UI. Certainly getting pulled over and being arrested
and having a stay in the whoscal for a night,
bonding yourself out and all that.

Speaker 2 (01:22:05):
Leaves a.

Speaker 1 (01:22:07):
Put you in a situation where you know it's not great.
It's not a good look by any means. But after
everything and after evaluation they reviewing the evidence. Now some
will say and I look, I can't blame you the
game cognation. You want to say, Ah, that's Clemson Police
department typical. Like I get that, Like you can't look

(01:22:30):
at it and not think that I would think the
same thing if it were in Colombia as well. But
you know Ian Shefflin, as far as I am aware,
didn't take a breathalyzer test, and so his field sobriety
test was probably on tape, probably looked really good. And

(01:22:54):
my hunch is that when the lawyer or whoever went
talking with the people about the case, you know, the
city felt like they didn't they didn't have what was necessary.
And I don't even know what happened right in the event,
So who's to say. There could have been traffic cameras
that had the thing on tape. And I mean, there's
a lot that goes into it. But e Shefflin will

(01:23:17):
be back for the Troy game, according to Dabos Sweeney,
and we might hear some of that from Sweeney as
well tomorrow on the program. Again, Man, college football's here.
Tomorrow is the hump Day, and then we are at it.
Thursday kicks off. I think a five day affair with
college football. We got college football Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

(01:23:42):
and Monday because of Labor Day. So we go from
the appetizer of five games this past weekend to five
days of a full basically a full course meal each
and every day. And I can't help but be giddy
about it. I hope you are too. I hope you

(01:24:03):
will continue to support us on our website and Twitter
and Instagram and TikTok and Facebook share our work. We
are doing the best we can to continue to grow
that trying to do more and more each and every
day with clemsonsports Talk dot com so that this can
be your hub for your podcast, and then the website

(01:24:24):
can be your hub for your reading. But we cannot
do it without you, Tiger Nation Again. We will be
back tomorrow. Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters
and textures for being part of the program. We'll talk
to you then. As always, you'll take care now and
go Tigers.