Rivalry week has begun, and top-ranked Clemson has a lot to say about it. For some, it is just another week, but for others it is a little more personal.
Here is what we heard in Monday’s interview session:
Co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott has seen multiple facets of the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry. As a player, it was just another game, but he was able to see the fan perspective after college. Now his focus is just on coming up with a game plan that puts Clemson in the best position to win their next game.
“It is nothing different. It’s another game. Every game is the most important game on the schedule,” Elliott said. “You have that sense of urgency if you’re a guy from in state that has been a part of the rivalry, but for our guys, they have done a great job of treating every game like it’s the biggest game on the schedule. Obviously, we know this is a rivalry game, a lot of implications in terms of bragging rights for the year. Most importantly, they’re in the way of us trying to accomplish something that we’ve been working on all year.”
Elliott said that the players have fully bought into the ‘one game season’ mentality, and that is a plan that has helped them go undefeated.
“Let’s not deviate from the plan that has worked for us,” he said.
After South Carolina lost to the Citadel, linebacker Ben Boulware said that looking forward in the schedule could have potentially been a part of Carolina’s loss. However, he is confident in Clemson’s ability to take it one game at a time.
“I guess they kind of looked forward to this week and didn’t really prepare well for Citadel. I think that’s what we have done a good job with all year, preparing for each team like it is the National Championship game. The way we prepared for Wofford is the same way we prepared for Wake Forest. I think we have done a good job with that, and I think our coaches have instilled in us those values that we can’t take any team lightly,” Boulware said.
For players that grew up in the State of Carolina, the game is a little more personal because they grew up with the rivalry. Defensive end and Lombardi Award finalist Shaq Lawson has memories of the rivalry dating back to the infamous brawl in 2004.
“I take it personally because Carolina didn’t recruit me coming out of high school. I guess they figured I was going to come to Clemson, so I’m ready to play them this year, and I’ve been enjoying playing them since I’ve been here,” Lawson said.
Offensive lineman Guillermo has been following the rivalry since he was a little kid and has always wanted to be a part of it. However, he knows the team can’t let the rivalry cloud their focus in the slightest.
“You have to come out guns hot and just really stay focused, and not let anything be a distraction. We know what we want. We know where we want to be, and so anyone that’s in our path, we can’t let that, no matter who it is, stop us,” Guillermo said.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson was honored once again by the ACC on Monday. He has now been named as the Offensive Back of the Week four times this season.
“It’s an honor. It feels good of course. A lot of credit goes to my teammates and the players around me that help me achieve those awards. It is just another one in the books, just keep the motivation going and keep moving forward,” Watson said.