Swinney sees positives in loss

CLEMSON — Reviewing the Georgia Tech film reaffirmed a lot of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s initial post-game impressions.

Beyond about three plays on each side of the ball, Swinney suggested the Tigers played well. They didn’t quit when buried under momentum’s avalanche. The defense held the Yellow Jackets without a touchdown after Georgia Tech’s initial quick score, while forcing seven three-and-outs in the process.

Most importantly, Swinney said, Clemson (1-1, 0-1 ACC) begins preparations for Saturday’s noon game against Boston College (2-0, 0-0) with the confidence it improved over the course of a week, regardless of the outcome.

“It’s one thing to think you can be a good team,” Swinney said. “It’s another thing to know you can be a good team and have a good team. That’s the biggest thing — the mental part of it.”

As several players expressed in the aftermath of Thursday’s 30-27 defeat at No. 15 Georgia Tech — which Clemson staked to a 24-0 lead, then rallied to lead 27-24 before ultimately surrendering the game-winning field goal with 57 seconds left — Swinney believed the team will have no troubles regrouping emotionally because the team can take more positive than negative from its performance.

That, and it’s probably fair to bet Boston College has the Tigers’ attention more than it figured to back in the preseason.

The Eagles, picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division, have outscored Northeastern and Kent State 88-7 in the opening two weeks. While the opponents have been of FCS and lower-tier MAC quality, respectively, the stat is worth noting considering Boston College’s overhauled offensive coaching staff and question mark at quarterback.

Redshirt freshman Jessie Tuggle and 26-year-old newcomer David Shinskie have combined to commit just one turnover, and Boston College coach Frank Spaziani gave no indication Sunday which quarterback will start /against Clemson/.

Regardless, Swinney said Tigers fans will finally get a glimpse of new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who rolled out special schemes to combat Middle Tennessee’s four-receiver spread and Georgia Tech’s flexbone option offenses.

“This will be the first game we’ll be able to play the defense we played all spring and all camp,” Swinney said. “We really have yet to play our style.”

RIGHT BACK IN THERE

Redshirt sophomore Landon Walker will replace senior Cory Lambert as the starting right tackle, Swinney said.

Walker played a handful of snaps in relief of the struggling Lambert against Georgia Tech, but that didn’t preclude coaches from shifting left tackle Chris Hairston to right tackle for the second half.

Swinney said Hairston will remain at left tackle, with the hope Walker regains the intensity he displayed in the second half of last season.

“He has struggled a bit with assignments and, to be honest with you, just has not competed like the way we want him to compete,” Swinney said. “And he can do it.”

OFFICIAL MATTER

Swinney said he has had discussions — presumably with the ACC — about the fake field goal that Georgia Tech turned into a touchdown pass when receiver Demaryius Thomas went undetected on the right sideline.

Asked if the Tigers should have been better prepared for the play, Swinney offered: “It’s kind of hard for me to answer that one. There are certain things that are hard to prepare for, and I’m not sure that was a legal play. We’ll just let it lay at that. Great play by them.

“We’ve had some discussions, but sometimes when you don’t have anything good to say, it’s best to say nothing at all. I’ve got no comment.”

Then asked if the penalized hold on offensive lineman Thomas Austin that negated Jacoby Ford’s catch to the Georgia Tech 18 with 3:14 left fell in that category, Swinney replied, “No comment.”

EXTRA POINTS

Swinney, on not playing backup quarterback Willy Korn: “My intention is to play Willy, but I certainly didn’t intend for us to be down 21 points in the first quarter. We made the decision right there, let’s leave the best we’ve got in there and let’s see if we can get back in this thing.

“There were a lot of guys who didn’t play a lot due to the circumstances.”

Senior tight end Michael Palmer has a sore hip and could be limited in practice for a few days but will play, Swinney said.