For Dabo Swinney, Thursday was more than just the final preseason scrimmage. It was a crucible designed to forge a championship roster. In what has become a staple of Clemson's preseason camp, Swinney pitted his second-string players against the starters, a high-stakes evaluation he believes reveals who is truly ready for the spotlight.
"This is always actually one of my favorite days," Swinney told reporters following the scrimmage. "A lot of times some of those twos think they should be ones. And so this is always a day where I go all, everybody's a one because I do, I put the so-called twos versus the ones in every situation."
The philosophy is simple: in a real game, when a backup enters, the opponent doesn't substitute their stars. It’s a trial by fire, and the results can be clarifying.
"A lot of them get exposed on this day. And some of them, some of them show, hey, okay, they're ready for the show," Swinney said. "It was a critical day from that standpoint."
The Day That "Won Us the Championship"
Swinney didn't mince words about the importance of this specific practice, pointing to its direct impact on the team's success last season. The scrimmage is heavily focused on late-game, high-pressure scenarios that can decide a season.
"This day won us the championship last year," he stated emphatically. "This day right here won us the ACC championship because it's a critical situation day and end of the game type of stuff... end of the game in Charlotte, we executed end of the game situation. Literally what we do on this practice showed up on that game day."
The team worked through a gauntlet of scenarios: needing a touchdown with seconds on the clock, two-point conversions, overtime, and red-zone possessions. It’s the final major tune-up before the focus shifts entirely to the season opener.
"This is our last preseason game, and that's all we get," Swinney noted. "We've got to make some decisions and start getting our football team ready."
Lawson is a 'One,' Safety Depth a Luxury
When asked for specific standouts from the second team, Swinney deferred to watching the tape but was quick to single out defensive end Jaheim Lawson as a player who has transcended his spot on the depth chart.
"Jaheim is a one," Swinney declared. "Jaheim is – and if he doesn't run out there first, he's a one. He has had an awesome, awesome camp. He really has... I feel good about that group."
Swinney praised Lawson alongside fellow defensive ends TJ Parker, Peter Woods (referred to as Hilton), and Cade Denhoff, creating a formidable top four.
Another area of strength is a safety room brimming with talent and competition, a situation the head coach savors.
"I like it more when we've got a bunch of guys. That's kind of how I like it personally," Swinney explained. "It makes me sleep a lot better when, you know, you're not worried about one guy grabbing an ankle and all of a sudden there's a Grand Canyon drop-off. I like it when we've got dudes."
He pointed to the emergence of players like Ronan Hanafin, who has "made a big jump," and the veteran presence of Andrew Mukuba ("T-Bone"), who serves as a "security blanket" with his versatility.
Minor Knocks and Open Competitions
The Tigers didn't escape the physical scrimmage completely unscathed, though Swinney downplayed any concerns. He confirmed lineman Walker Parks "got banged up playing center" but quickly added, "He'll be fine. I know y'all are panicking. Walker's fine."
He also provided updates on several players held out of the scrimmage, including Khalil Barnes and Jeadyn Lukus, noting both are "close" and should be ready to go soon.
Meanwhile, the punting competition remains wide open, with three players locked in a dead heat.
"Right now I'd have to pray about it and put their names in a hat and ask God to pull out the right one for me on game day, because they're really competing," Swinney said with a laugh. "Sometimes you've got to go to the game to really make that decision. But the good news is I think we've got three guys that can do it."
From 'Camp Mentality' to 'Win the One'
With the scrimmage concluded, Clemson's focus now shifts. The team will hold one more practice Friday to "break camp" before taking Saturday off. When they return Sunday, the transition to "game prep" begins.
It’s all part of the team's season-long mantra: "Win the One."
"It's just kind of something that was just kind of on my heart," Swinney shared. "Sometimes you can get overwhelmed, with the enormity of what you've got to do... and it's just kind of something that was just kind of on my heart of, you know, I mean, we just, first of all, we need to just play for an audience of one."
The philosophy is about staying grounded and focused on the immediate task, whether it's a single rep, a practice, or a meeting.
"Win the one meeting, the one night's sleep, the one decision in front of me, the one practice, the one rep... the one game," he explained. "Just win the one."
As camp breaks and the season opener looms, that singular focus will be essential. The evaluations are nearly over, and the time to prove it on the field is fast approaching.
"It's coming fast," Swinney concluded. "It's going to be fun. It's exciting."