No. 5 Clemson focused on winning games, not defending title

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his staff have been working for months to drill the good feelings from a national title out of the fifth-ranked Tigers.

"We aren't defending anything," Swinney says flatly .

"If we were like an NFL team had (New England quarterback) Tom Brady back for his 15th year, that would be one thing. But in college football, it is a new team."

And one that sounds hungry to make its own mark, though many of the returning players only played a supporting role during the national championship run.

"We've got a windshield mentality," said safety Tanner Muse, one of 11 new starters when the fifth-ranked Tigers take on Kent State on Saturday. "All we look forward to is the next game."

That could be tested early in the opener. Much of the crowd will be in full-blown celebration mode as the school has a pre-game program remembering last year's title run. Center Justin Falcinelli, another new starter, was asked what it will be like to run down the hill before the game.

"Oh, wow, I hadn't thought about that," he said, smiling.

Once the game begins, fans will see a vastly different group than the one that left Tampa, Florida after a 35-31 victory over topranked Alabama to win the crown last January.

Gone are some of the best playmakers in the game last year, including first-round draft picks in quarterback Deshaun Watson and receiver Mike Williams.

Kelly Bryant, a reserve the last two seasons, steps into Watson's cleats against Kent State.

Swinney has said that every spot on field is under regular scrutiny to make sure players earn time on the field and Bryant understands he'll have to keep the offense moving forward to remain "QB1."

"A lot of eyes are on us," Bryant said. "We accept the challenge and are ready to get it going."