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Dabo Swinney press conference vs. Auburn: News, Notes, Analysis

By Shawn Spencer

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers speaks during a press conference after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 to win the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers speaks during a press conference after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 to win the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the matchup with Auburn. Here are some news, notes, and analysis from the day.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney held his weekly press conference to preview the Auburn Tigers on Tuesday.

The Tigers will host Auburn at 7 p.m. Saturday and it’s clear this is an extremely important game for both teams.

Clemson has now moved as the No. 3 team in the nation.

Auburn comes in at No. 13.

Here are some news and notes from Dabo Swinney’s press conference and what he had to say about the Tigers of the ACC.

Notes:

  • Van Smith should be ready to go on Saturday.

Dabo Swinney said that safety Van Smith looked good in practice on Monday and he expects him to be able to play on Saturday.

Smith missed the second half due to injury and there was question as to how long he may be out.

Denzel Johnson set to return.

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Johnson is a second-string guy that can certainly add some depth to that safety position and play some special teams.

He is a redshirt sophomore and people forget that he was rated the No. 2 safety in South Carolina when he signed with Clemson back in 2014. He redshirted in 2015 before playing minimal snaps last season.

  • Swinney has nothing but respect for Auburn.

If you saw any of Dabo Swinney’s press conference, you know that he has nothing but respect for Auburn. Swinney grew up cheering against War Eagle, as he had a couple of stories to share about that, but he respects what they are doing there.

Swinney said that Auburn’s offense is about as balanced as they come and really likes the running backs, Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson.

Swinney was pleased with the offense last week and hopes that success will continue into this weekend.

Next: Clemson Football: Scouting Report vs. Auburn

Analysis:

Overall, it was about what you’d expect from Swinney today.

He was pleased with the team’s performance in Week 1, but knows there’s still a long way to go. I thought it was interesting hearing about how, as a kid, he snuck into an Alabama-Auburn game to cheer for the Crimson Tide.

We all know the talent that Auburn brings in and it will be intriguing to see how both teams perform in this early season tilt.

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