We are very excited and honored to be selected to play in the belk Bowl. It is exciting to be in a tier 1 one. You are excited with any bowl, but to be able to play in Charlotte close to players we recruiting in NC, SC and GA. To be close to our fanbase is great. Texas A&M is one of the iconic programs in CFB. I was out there two years ago to look at their facilities when we were designing ours. I certainly have great respect for Kevin Sumlin. I worked with Chavis at Tenn and have known Noel Mazzone for a years. It will be a great challenge and opportunity to play Texas A&M.
ON QUICK START TO GAMES
If I knew I'd do it every year, I think a lot of it is we are older on offense. If you look at the last two years we struggled on offense because we were young. We only start two seniors John Wolford and Cam Serigne. The bulk of the team are redshirt freshmen, sophomores and juniors. I think that is a big part of it.
BEING POSITIVE ON TURNOVERS
If you look at 14,15 we were among the worst in turnover margins in the ACC and the last two years we've been among the best and if you want one reason we are in back to back bowl games is turnover margin. We can't lose the turnover margin and play precise and can't give people short fields.
ON BEING SO CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE BOWL AND BACK-TO-BACK BOWLS
It is really important and only other time was from 06 to 08, we want to be in one every year and we've down two in a row, but there is a lot of work to do. We are proud of the progress. We want to build and have positive momentum like we got from the Military Bowl. Last time WF played in Charlotte for a bowl we had 35k, hoping people show up.
ON JIMBO GOING TO TAMU
I can't imagine Jimbo going anywhere and not being successful. Being in league meetings with him, he is an outstanding FB coach, hard worker and innovative offensively. He helped elevate the statue of the ACC. Probably the best two divisions of CFB are the Atlantic and the SEC West. Jimbo is a big reason why the Atlantic is how it is, he won the NC and a lot of programs are chasing FSU, Clemson is where they are in part because of FSU.
ON INJURED GUYS LIKE CADE CARNEY
We anticipate that, when the injury report comes out, you will get a copy of it. I'm doing what the ACC requires me to do.
ON TAMU
Not at all, had practice today at 1:30, at end of practice we found out Belk Bowl, had team meetings then I jumped on a plane and I'm recruiting. With the early signing day there is not a chance to do that. We need to have a class signed by Dec 20. They are high scoring and an outstanding WR who averages 19-20 yards on PR. They have a top 12 recruiting class the last few years so they are really talented.
ON INVITE
We are honored to come to Charlotte and honored that you considered Wake Forest and we are thrilled.
ON WHAT IMPRESSED CLAWSON ABOUT TAMU FACILITES
When you walk in they have that chamber and the stadium screens where kids can design their own uniforms, shoes and pants combinations. Stadium blows you away. I talked to some of our donors, I didn't know if I would get something like that, but it is amazing. It was neat for the people who were traveling with me to see if and alumni, it is a big-time P5 program and I think it helped us with what we are getting. The players lounge, whirlpools and other stuff.
ON WHAT WAS TAKEN TO GET WF INTO THE BELK BOWL
A lot of it is social media, contact, alumni. We want something good for the whole institution. The amount of people we got to the Military Bowl was awesome and we are excited to be in the Belk Bowl and our alums can come watch. We have a game less than 2 hours away, hopefully our efforts, know we did that so they could come watch the Deacons on Dec. 29th.
ON INTERIM COACH
This is the third consectutive bowl I've had to coach against an interim. Bowling Green we played San Jose State in Military and MacIntyre went to Colorado, Rhule to Baylor and then last year and now this year. When you have an interim, teams spice it up and I'm sure the Chief will have them ready for us.
ON MORAL VICTORIES AGAINST CLEMSON
We didn't play well in the 1st QT and fell behind 14-0, then played them fairly even, when you play a Clemson, ND or even TAMU you can't relax, learning that against Clemson or NC State teams we played against we've found a way to win and we have to come out ready to go. One mistakes they can make you pay.
ON THE THREE-GAME SKID THEN LOUISVILLE WIN
It was really important, we got off to a 4-0 start, then we knew the next five games, FSU, Clemson, GT, Louisville and At ND, we wanted one or two of those games to keep the spirits up and save the season. Beating Louisville with Lamar Jackson was a big win for our program. That got us to five, we played ND tough, but then we came back against Cuse and then NC State were big for our team, we won 7 and with a harder schedule.
ON LAST WEEK SINCE THE DUKE GAME
Things have been going great, been out recruiting and the season we had and back-to-back bowl games, people recognize we are a program on the rise and it is helping us in recruiting. Playing in Charlotte against TAMU raises the profile of the program. We will be on the road recruiting with the early signing date, but these 26 days will go fast, they always do.
ON QUICK START TO GAMES
If I knew I'd do it every year, I think a lot of it is we are older on offense. If you look at the last two years we struggled on offense because we were young. We only start two seniors John Wolford and Cam Serigne. The bulk of the team are redshirt freshmen, sophomores and juniors. I think that is a big part of it.
BEING POSITIVE ON TURNOVERS
If you look at 14,15 we were among the worst in turnover margins in the ACC and the last two years we've been among the best and if you want one reason we are in back to back bowl games is turnover margin. We can't lose the turnover margin and play precise and can't give people short fields.
ON BEING SO CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE BOWL AND BACK-TO-BACK BOWLS
It is really important and only other time was from 06 to 08, we want to be in one every year and we've down two in a row, but there is a lot of work to do. We are proud of the progress. We want to build and have positive momentum like we got from the Military Bowl. Last time WF played in Charlotte for a bowl we had 35k, hoping people show up.
ON JIMBO GOING TO TAMU
I can't imagine Jimbo going anywhere and not being successful. Being in league meetings with him, he is an outstanding FB coach, hard worker and innovative offensively. He helped elevate the statue of the ACC. Probably the best two divisions of CFB are the Atlantic and the SEC West. Jimbo is a big reason why the Atlantic is how it is, he won the NC and a lot of programs are chasing FSU, Clemson is where they are in part because of FSU.
ON INJURED GUYS LIKE CADE CARNEY
We anticipate that, when the injury report comes out, you will get a copy of it. I'm doing what the ACC requires me to do.
ON TAMU
Not at all, had practice today at 1:30, at end of practice we found out Belk Bowl, had team meetings then I jumped on a plane and I'm recruiting. With the early signing day there is not a chance to do that. We need to have a class signed by Dec 20. They are high scoring and an outstanding WR who averages 19-20 yards on PR. They have a top 12 recruiting class the last few years so they are really talented.
ON INVITE
We are honored to come to Charlotte and honored that you considered Wake Forest and we are thrilled.
ON WHAT IMPRESSED CLAWSON ABOUT TAMU FACILITES
When you walk in they have that chamber and the stadium screens where kids can design their own uniforms, shoes and pants combinations. Stadium blows you away. I talked to some of our donors, I didn't know if I would get something like that, but it is amazing. It was neat for the people who were traveling with me to see if and alumni, it is a big-time P5 program and I think it helped us with what we are getting. The players lounge, whirlpools and other stuff.
ON WHAT WAS TAKEN TO GET WF INTO THE BELK BOWL
A lot of it is social media, contact, alumni. We want something good for the whole institution. The amount of people we got to the Military Bowl was awesome and we are excited to be in the Belk Bowl and our alums can come watch. We have a game less than 2 hours away, hopefully our efforts, know we did that so they could come watch the Deacons on Dec. 29th.
ON INTERIM COACH
This is the third consectutive bowl I've had to coach against an interim. Bowling Green we played San Jose State in Military and MacIntyre went to Colorado, Rhule to Baylor and then last year and now this year. When you have an interim, teams spice it up and I'm sure the Chief will have them ready for us.
ON MORAL VICTORIES AGAINST CLEMSON
We didn't play well in the 1st QT and fell behind 14-0, then played them fairly even, when you play a Clemson, ND or even TAMU you can't relax, learning that against Clemson or NC State teams we played against we've found a way to win and we have to come out ready to go. One mistakes they can make you pay.
ON THE THREE-GAME SKID THEN LOUISVILLE WIN
It was really important, we got off to a 4-0 start, then we knew the next five games, FSU, Clemson, GT, Louisville and At ND, we wanted one or two of those games to keep the spirits up and save the season. Beating Louisville with Lamar Jackson was a big win for our program. That got us to five, we played ND tough, but then we came back against Cuse and then NC State were big for our team, we won 7 and with a harder schedule.
ON LAST WEEK SINCE THE DUKE GAME
Things have been going great, been out recruiting and the season we had and back-to-back bowl games, people recognize we are a program on the rise and it is helping us in recruiting. Playing in Charlotte against TAMU raises the profile of the program. We will be on the road recruiting with the early signing date, but these 26 days will go fast, they always do.
