Disappointed Dabo waging verbal war with Florida State
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney remains frustrated about postponing the Tigers game against Florida State, a decision he sees as an insult to his program’s credibility.
While the Tigers’ players and staff have apparently turned the page, it’s not quite as easy for Swinney, who touts a “windshield mentality,” to let go of how the game was called off.
When asked about the decision again Tuesday, Swinney dug in once more.
“I know what the rules are, I know what they were and I know we met the standard to play,” he said. “And we didn’t play.”
It’s the latest in the verbal sparring between the the schools.
On Sunday, Swinney said Florida State administrators used COVID-19 as an “excuse” to postpone the game.
A day later, Swinney said on his radio callin show the decision was an “insult to the credibility of our program and the credibility of our medical people.”
Seminoles coach Mike Norvell weighed in Monday when asked, saying he and his players wanted to play and were as disappointed as the Tigers at the postponement. He said his team’s safety was paramount and that the right decision was made in calling things off.
“Football coaches are not doctors, some of us might think that we are,” Norvell said.
Swinney, asked about Norvell’s comment, kept the back-and-forth going Tuesday.
“I’m not a doctor, I’m just trying to listen to the doctors,” Swinney said. “Listen, I’m not really worried about what they say down there in Tallahassee, that’s for sure. I’ve been in this league 18 years, head coach here 12. They’ve had three head coaches in four years.
“I’m not going worry about the advice from Tallahassee. I trust the people here. I trust our doctors, 100%.”
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence said what Swinney says to reporters and TV networks isn’t the message he’s sending to the Tigers (7-1, 6-1 ACC). Lawrence said the team’s focus is on game-planning to face Pittsburgh (5-4, 4-4) on Saturday night.
“We’re all good over here,” Lawrence said.
UAB and Southern Miss cancel
The UAB-Southern Mississippi game scheduled for Friday has been canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the Golden Eagles’ program. The game was set to be the Blazers’ finale at Legion Field before moving to newly built Progressive Stadium.
Southern Miss cited positive coronavirus tests and subsequent contact tracing for the cancellation. The Golden Eagles’ next scheduled game is next Friday at UTEP.
Badgers’ Williams questions calls
MADISON,WIS.» Wisconsin cornerback Caesar Williams questioned pass interference calls made during last weekend’s loss to
Northwestern and said the penalties won’t cause the Badgers to play any less aggressively the rest of the season.
The Badgers were called for pass interference four times Saturday in Northwestern’s 17-7 victory. Two of the penalties came on the game’s opening drive, which ended with a Northwestern touchdown.
“At times I felt like the ref maybe had purple underneath their jerseys, I mean under their white-and-black shirts,” Williams said Tuesday.