Swinney Keeping Tigers Focused On UGA

CLEMSON, S.C. (WOLO) – Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney knows Clemson will be the center of the college football world on Saturday as they prepare for their match-up with Georgia. 

ESPN’s College Gameday has chosen the game as their host site for their popular Saturday morning show.

Even the Good Year blimp will be circling Death Valley on Saturday. 

With all the attention on his Tigers, Swinney is doing what he can to keep his team focused. 

“We tie them up and put them in a downstairs room. We blindfold them,” Swinney joked during his Tuesday press conference. “I mean, it’s supposed to be fun. You want them to understand and be a part of the pageantry of college football. We try to keep them busy, but you can’t keep them away from all that stuff.”

Swinney will allow his players to watch ESPN’s College Gameday and college football games during the day but doesn’t want them to get too emotional involved in what people are saying about them on TV. 

“I just think you have to really lean on your experience and the leadership of your team. You have to address those things. All of this stuff is fun, it’s great and you can draw some energy from it but it can’t be a distraction,” said Swinney.

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd said he’s never seen the Clemson fan base so excited for a game. 

“Just walking around downtown, the way people are talking about it, this will probably be or is the biggest game we’ve had at Death Valley,” said Boyd. 

Boyd said he doesn’t watch a whole lot of TV these days and probably won’t be tuned-in to ESPN on Saturday.

Many of his teammates are following in his lead.

“I won’t be watching TV on Saturday, especially ESPN. I think it can help you get hyped up for the game, but after watching it all day it can be really mentally draining,” said offensive lineman Tyler Shatley.

However, wide receiver Sammy Watkins will be tuned-in to what’s going on in other college football games on Saturday.

“It helps me get ready for our game, it helps me get hyped up,” said Watkins.

One thing Watkins, Boyd and Shatley won’t be doing, is using social media. 

This season Swinney has banned the team from using sites like Twitter and Facebook, to keep them focused.

Clemson will face UGA on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.