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CUTrevor
2019-12-23 12:11:58
I'll have Clemson posted in a bit! COACH DAY: Thank you. I want to thank everybody involved with the Fiesta Bowl, one of the most
prestigious bowls in all of college football. Very hospitable. It started way back in the spring with my
wife and I and then coming to some of the games. Really looking forward to this trip.
Arizona this time of year is beautiful. Looking forward to some nice weather to practice. We gave the
guys a couple of days off. They were home with their families. And now it's back to work and looking
forward to a great week. SCOTT LEIGHTMAN: The gentleman in the middle is a sophomore from Miamisburg, Ohio. In high
school, he was named the No. 1 player in the state of Ohio, which is quite an accomplishment, as an
offensive lineman. He's the anchor of an offense that ranks No. 5 in the nation in total offense and
rushing offense, and that's Josh Myers.
All the way to the left from Pickerington, Ohio, Davon Hamilton, 9 1/2 tackles for loss and five sacks,
second on the team behind Chase Young. Q. Assuming everyone was supposed to come, were they able to? Did everybody make the
trip? COACH DAY: The guys who are within a three-, four-hour radius came with us on the charter.
Everybody else we fly from home. I know there's always a couple things here and there. But as we
took off, looked like the majority of the guys will be here today. Q. Josh and Davon, this is an unusual Sunday. You'll go out and practice from here. You have
been on a plane for a couple hours. What was the mood like on the way in as you get ready
for the week ahead? JOSH MYERS: I think we were excited to get back here. We got time to spend with our families, and
now it's back to business. I'm excited to stretch after that long plane ride. DAVON HAMILTON: I agree with him. It's kind of a long plane ride. I'm glad to be back here for the
third time for me. We're really going to enjoy it. Q. Ryan, your first bowl game as a head coach. I'm wondering, where did your plan come from
in terms of this week and bowl prep? COACH DAY: Very unique. This is a unique time frame in terms of coming off of the Big Ten
Championship game, getting ready for this. There's really no precedence for this one because
typically in the past, the plan has always been, phase 1, development of the young guys, get rest for
the older guys. And then phase 2 is kind of game plan the week before, go home for a little break,
and come back. Phase 3 is at the bowl site.
We really didn't have time for that. So this was somewhere between getting ready for a bowl game
and a bye week. We practiced Friday, Saturday, took Sunday off. Went Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday real hard. Gave them three days off, and now we're back to work here.
So talked to a lot of people about this. I think it's a really good plan to keep them fresh and also on
top of their game. Q. Along the same lines, just how comfortable were you with everything you guys got done in
Columbus and coming out here, the state of mind you guys are in right now? COACH DAY: Feel great. I think our guys are going to come back today, refreshed, reenergized. We
got a lot of time to game plan. We've been working at it the last couple of days, and now we've got
really six days to get ready for this game, which is great. Whole bunch of time together in the hotel,
which is always good, too.
It's like being on the road for an extended period of time. That's kind of the way we're looking at it.
Certainly, is a bowl game but it's a little different. This one you're playing for a lot more, and I think
the guys are going to prepare that way this week. Q. Coaches like to keep control of their team and want to be around them all the time. Any
part of you that debated that approach, letting them go and trusting them? I know you have
faith in them a week before a game. COACH DAY: Well, I think when you look at it, we practiced five of six days and then we gave them
three days off. That's not very unlikely for a bye week. If this was a bye week, that's typically what we
would do anyways. It seems like a long time off. We blink and we are right back together again. It
really wasn't that long. After those three games we played down the stretch, these guys needed it, and now they're going to
come back refreshed ready to go. Q. Davon, you're the only one of the three who was here three years ago. Do you reflect back
on that time three years ago? Are there things you learned from that, that you now can talk to
the team about today? DAVON HAMILTON: I mean, all I can really say is we are prepared. We have the week to prepare.
There's nothing really to say about the last three years. We're talking about the present now, and
that's all we're looking forward to. Q. Ryan, I know the official status report won't be released until Friday. Can you give any
update on how Justin [Fields], for example, is moving around? Shaun Wade? Any other
players? COACH DAY: We're expecting to be at full strength. The injury report coming off of last week was
excellent. Everybody was practicing. After three more days of rest, we should be at full strength. Q. What do you remember about Clemson from that last time you guys played in that game? DAVON HAMILTON: That game, we didn't play very well, I would say. But this time around, I feel
like we're going to play good. |
