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Dec. 29, 2008
Hospital Visit Photo Gallery | Monday Football Practice Gallery
Jacksonville, Fla. - Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney has shown a "sixth sense" about a lot of aspects of his new job and that came to the forefront again on Monday. Clemson had originally scheduled practice for December 29 in Jacksonville to begin at 2:15 PM. But, he made a change to an 11:30 AM start and it paid off because there was a dramatic change in the weather.
The Tigers worked 11:30 AM until 1:15 PM on Tuesday in perfect 75 degree weather. By the time the team was back at the Omni Hotel in downtown Jacksonville, the skies had opened, just about the time practice would have started based on the original schedule.
The Tigers worked for 18 five-minute periods in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts. "It was a crisp practice, one in which we focused on the gameplan," said Swinney, who will serve as the head coach of a bowl game for the first time in his career. "We worked a lot on the pace of the game on offense. We want to work on offense at a quick pace. On defense we worked a lot on assignments, which will be critical against a Nebraska team that is so balanced."
The Tigers and Swinney started the day at an FCA breakfast and it was the first opportunity for Swinney to see the Nebraska Cornhuskers up close and personal. "They are really a big team," said Swinney. "They are big and physical on tape and they are the same way in person. They are coached to play a physical game and we are going to have to match that. "
The Tigers were at full strength for practice on Monday. Landon Walker had missed the first practice in Jacksonville with the flu and offensive line mate Mason Cloy missed on Sunday. But, both were at practice on Monday. Dorell Scott, who had a slight knee injury earlier in the week, was also basically full go on Monday.
Monday afternoon, Swinney and 15 players selected by Swinney visited the Wolfson Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville. Among the players who went to the hospital were James Davis, C.J. Spiller, Cullen Harper, Aaron Kelly, Rashaad Jackson, Dorell Scott and Michael Hamlin.
Clemson will hold its final practice of the year on Tuesday at 11:15 AM at the Jacksonville University practice fields. The team will go to the Jacksonville Zoo on Tuesday afternoon.
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