Notes from Dabo and Fan Appreciation Day

Clemson held its annual Fan Appreciation Day at Memorial Stadium this afternoon – with thousands of fans flocking to get autographs and pictures from their favorite players and coaches. Part of that day was a media opportunity with Dabo Swinney and selected players before the gates opened to fans.

After almost three weeks of practices, there wasn’t a whole lot fresh to ask Dabo – but some of the out-of-town media who were in attendance did find a few things to ask, and it turned out to be interesting.

A few highlights:

Dabo on Kyle Parker’s NFL prospects, considering this is likely to be KP’s last year of college football. He’ll have to choose between an MLB career with the Colorado Rockies or testing his luck in the NFL draft.

“He’s phenomenal. The kid’s got every tool you could possibly want,” Swinney said. “There’s only one thing any scout could grade him down on, and that’s he’s not a 6-2, 6-3 guy. I don’t care how tall Kyle Parker is. He could play anywhere. For any league, any team, if he was in an (NFL) camp, he could make a 53-man roster this summer. This guy can play the quarterback position. I’ve said it many times and believe he has a faster path to the pros in football. I think he realizes he’s a pretty good player too, didn’t want to close the door on his pro career. I think he’s highly motivated to have a great year, continue to build leverage and options for himself, down the road.

“I do think his bigger decision in life is going to be at a later time. I’m awful glad he’s back here. You don’t see many guys who can process the game like he can and throw the football like he can. He may be six-foot, but he can flat-out see it. He plays 6-5. He’s a great quarterback and can be as he continues to mature in the game.”

On Parker’s maturity:

“He is way better than he was this time last year. Same tools, he was learning. This time last year he was trying to prove he could be the guy. To his teammates, to a fan base, to media, so forth, and he had never done it. It’s one thing to do it on the practice field. Now he has that knowledge and you just can’t take that away.

“(He’s played) 14 games, a championship game, some big mistakes he’s made, some big plays he’s made, he’s got all that stuff in his head. He’s the guy and has a higher confidence level. He’s grown with his preparation, too. I think that was a big part of his growth last year was learning how to prepare, on a weekly basis, to be a great player. He’s smarter. Billy (Napier has) done a great job with him, teaching him, Kyle is very sharp. He’s improved a ton.”

On his team’s attitude in preseason practice:

“ It’s difficult on them regardless despite that some of us old-timers and even not that old-timers, times change, but these guys have worked very hard, they’ve done all that’s asked of them. But of all the camps I’ve been around, there was no whining, no complaints. One of the things I told them at the beginning of camp was this. Ducks sit around and complain all the time. Eagles rise above, they soar. We’ve got a choice. We’re going to go into camp. We can sit around, we’ve got work to do, we can sit around and complain, more and groan. Or be a bunch of eagles, soar above, and let’s just focus on every day, get better, not worry about things we don’t control.

“This team has been that way. They’ve had a good workmanlike attitude. They’ve only had a couple days where we’ve absolutely had to jack them up in the rear to have the kind of practice we want. For the most part it’s been a really good camp, and we didn’t have the kind of negativity that can creep up in the middle of a camp, whether it’s guys complaining or not wanting to practice or having to pull their teeth to get them to go. I’m pleased with how they’ve worked.”

On wideout DeAndre Hopkins, one of two freshmen (Justin Parker being the other) assured of playing time this fall: “He didn’t actually finish the first three days of camp and surprised himself,” Swinney said. “He’s one of those tough guys who can play either side of the ball. I was on him for three days because he was getting an IV, lost seven pounds, having a rough time. He puts everything he’s got into every play. That’s the way he is wired, and I think the people who know DeAndre know what I’m talking about. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing marbles or football or pickup basketball, whatever. That sucker competes. That’s why he’s going to be a great player. He’s on his way, made a lot of progress in camp. Over the course of his career, I expect him to be an outstanding player.”