CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell spoke to the media Thursday afternoon at the ACC Football Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte hotel.
Ferrell give his input on Trevor Lawrence:
“You just see the talent (in Trevor). He is as advertised. He came in with that skill set and pure talent. He is really laid back and is the kind of guy that just kind of knows that he has the ability to play at this level. I love that man. There was one play where we were in the indoor (practice facility) and he just launched it like 50 and 60 yards with a side arm into the end zone and I was just like ‘wow’. I really see all of the talent there in him.”
Ferrell on teammate Mitch Hyatt:
“I have nothing but the utmost respect for him. I don’t think there’s been a battle the last three years in practice more than me and him. He’s made me so much more of a better player, and I have a lot of respect because he’s seen the success of it and the failures. He’s been a starter since he’s been a freshman. He’s went against Shaq (Lawson) and Kevin Dodd, and getting whooped up on by them, I know that’s tough because when you’re a freshman you’re not always the strongest guy. But he was going against those guys and making them better and them making him better. There’s nobody on the team I have more respect for. He brings it every day. Just truly a great competitor, hard worker, and isn’t fake about it. Doesn’t try to be the most vocal guy because that’s not who he is. He just puts his head down and goes to work, and I know every day I’ve got to bring my best when I go to work or he’ll expose me.”
Ferrell on the defensive line returning for one more season:
“That means a lot, man, because obviously experience is huge in college football, just being able to have guys who have been there and know what it takes. Not even just have played in the game, but guys who have been to the pinnacle, guys that have played on the National Championship-winning team before and know what it takes to get to that moment. That’s huge to have in your room. But then again, though, it just brings more out of it because we have new guys coming in every year and we have young guys that we want to see it, as well. And our position rooms are very, very deep. And like Coach Swinney tells us all the time, you’re not guaranteed to run out there first just because of what you did last year. You’ve got to go out there and earn it every single day, and that’s something I love about it because that’s how I got on the field. I had to go out there and compete with my peers in my position room when I was a redshirt freshman, to go out there and earn the starting job. So that’s what you’ve got to do every day, so it’s just going to bring the best out of all of us.”
Ferrell on K.J. Henry, Xavier Thomas:
“Oh, my goodness. Man, they’ve been great. I’ve always wondered like with just the hype that our defensive line gets, the front four, and then you still have guys like the No. 1 player coming in or a K.J. Henry who’s regarded as a five-star… And people ask them why are you going to a school where they’re already so-called deep in the defensive line. But it’s because they know that they’re not afraid to come in and compete. They understand the great tradition there, and they understand that they have guys that aren’t just about themselves. We’re all about each other. And I see those guys come in and be able to take constructive criticism and come in and work hard and make the progressions that they’ve made throughout the summer. Man, it’s been huge, and I love that about them. I’m very hard on them because I want the best for them because if I see the best coming from them, it’s only going to make me better. So it’s been great to see them and they’re making great progress, so I’m excited for the fall, their first fall camp coming up. It’s like a dad seeing his kid go to school for the first time. Because they look up to me because they feel like I have some knowledge that is valuable to them. So I’m happy that I can be able to share some things with them, so it’s been really, really good to see.”
Ferrell on teammates Tanner Muse and Justin Foster:
“The country boys. Tanner Muse, that’s my boy. I go home — ever since I’ve been in college, I go home with him for Thanksgiving, go back to Belmont (N.C.). But like I said, man, he’s a guy who like — he’s not the crazy guy you see on the field. He’s kind of got like just cuts that switch on. He’s a chill guy off the field, but when he gets on the field, it’s a crazy thing. Fast as you don’t know what, covers a lot of ground, will come up and knock the mess out of you, and just loves to go out there and have fun. And Justin Foster, you talk about a guy who when he got here was too wet behind the ears. He’s made such great strides over his freshman year and throughout the summer. I’ve been so impressed with him. Very, very smart, too. The guy could have been an engineering major. He helps me fix my cars all the time. I’m like, it’s kind of weird. But he’s a guy who’s very, very strong, going to be a really good player here, and I’m excited to see what they do this year.”
