Clemson Tigers College Football Pregame Quote, 12/26/2018

As a player, all the stuff you ingest, food, whatever, they’re coming through every possibility. Is it that unknown that maybe is kind of the most difficult part about something like this? I mean, yeah. Because it’s just interesting. It’s like I feel like there’s nothing you really could have done to prevent it, so to speak. I feel like we do a good job as players and as, obviously, our nutritionist and everybody involved what we take in and what we ingest. We do a good job of knowing what’s in stuff. Is it okay? Is it not okay? But that’s just like what else could you have done to prevent it? It’s just kind of like it is what it is. It’s unfortunate, obviously. What else could you have done? That’s all there is to it.

People on the outside ‚Äì it’s really fans and such of rival schools saying oh, yeah, that’s their secret or whatever; they’re doing steroids. What do you have to say to that sort of cynical talk? I mean, I know and I feel like we’ve done everything. We do everything ethically as a program. We do a good job of just making sure we do the right things. And, you know, that’s what Coach Swinney is big on. He’s built a foundation of this program and is doing things the right way and doing things differently.

So I mean, it’s ‚Äì I think it would be ‚Äì it’s easy for us to say that, because I know I’m not doing anything ‚Äì other people aren’t intentionally doing anything to help with their performance or anything like that.

The reason for our success is from old school hard work, grinding in the weight room, studying film, practice hard, leadership, and being a good program.

Did you find out on Sunday ‚Äì I know Dabo [Swinney] said that Dexter [Lawrence] thought it was a joke when he told him. He did think he was kidding at first. What was the ‚Äì how did you find out about it? Yeah. When I first heard, I was like ‚Äì I just thought it was interesting. I’m like Dex doesn’t take anything. He’s 6’5‚Äù, 350 pounds. What more could a person of that build need to do to improve their ‚Äì you know what I mean? It was just funny to me almost.

But it’s like I understand it a little bit more now because just could have come from anything, obviously, just unfortunate, things like that. But he’s like ‚Äì it’s just such a weird situation to when I heard, I’m just like ‚Äì I don’t know. Like, I don’t know how that could happen. He’s clearly not taking anything. He doesn’t need to take anything. Could just come from anywhere. It’s unfortunate.

Does it make you guys paranoid? Everything you’re eating you’re checking labels now saying okay, is there something weird in it? You kind of are always conscious and cognizant of what you take in and what you put into your body. From what I hear, this is something that could have come from anywhere. Even with you being conscious, you being as comfortable as possible, it still could have come from anything, even if everything, was okay in the substance or, supplement, whatever you’re eating and putting in your body.

What can you tell us about the guy who would take his place if Dexter [Lawrence] can’t suit up? I just know the guy taking his place will be more than prepared. And it’s a special opportunity on the biggest stage to perform and be able to help out the team. I know they’ll be ready whether it’s Albert [Huggins], Jordan [McFadden], Alex [Spence], whoever it is. Guys have learned it. They put in the work all year, all their career. I’m pretty sure they won’t let this opportunity pass to be successful and help the team as much as they can.

Christian, that substance is illegal. Does that scare you that something that’s flat out illegal can’t be controlled better than that? I mean, does it scare me? Not really. Like that’s just something you can’t prevent, even if you try your best. Some things can’t be prevented. And, if you kind of live your life in fear of things like that, then ‚Äì I mean, what ‚Äì what can you do? Just with that ‚Äì it’s just like unfortunate in that situation because there was no way to prevent it.

How do your trainers drill through your heads ‘any supplement goes through us’? They do a really good job of that. Not a lot of guys on our team take any more supplements or anything other than what’s given to us and that we know is already cleared and already okay.

Even if guys do, they do a really good job of going back to our staff to make sure it’s all right and make sure everything is cleared.

But, again, this isn’t like ‚Äì this isn’t like he was taking something. It was something that could be found in anything.

How different is it preparing for this game without Dexter [Lawrence]? It’s not really that much different. Because we rotate guys in and prepare, and everyone does a good job preparing like they’re the starter and having the right mindset.

And Dex is still ‚Äì he’s still out there with us. He’s still on ‚Äì he’s still there and can still give his coaching and knowledge and his tutelage and things like that. He’s still just as present as normal.

Doesn’t really feel any different, honestly. Because he’s still out there with us, which I’m thankful for because he can help us all in so many ways and his leadership. And it’s got a little bit more motivation. You see a guy who might not be able to play and is going through a little something, so you kind of want to give your all in for him.

Is it your understanding he was leaving early anyway? I don’t know.

When you look at the Notre Dame offensive line people like to talk about Clemson as a D-line in a lot of ways. Do you look at Notre Dame that way? Definitely. Still to this day I think one of the best O-line I’ve faced was that 2015 offensive line. I think they had four or five starters go in the first round of the draft, if I’m not mistaken. And just really talented O-line. And when you think Notre Dame ‚Äì well, me, personally, when I think of Notre Dame I always think of a very good offensive line.

That’s no different now. They’ve got a really good offensive line. They’re second for offensive line. And it shows when you watch the tape, because they’re just really talented. They work well collectively as a unit. And they don’t beat themselves. And they don’t make a lot of mistakes. They’re really big, and they can move pretty well. And they do a good job of covering you up.

They’re just really talented.

What does it say for a group to lose two top 10 picks and still perform? It’s a testament to the guys on the team and their coaching staff just to be as productive as dominant as they’ve been.