I think this football program is at a crossroads. I don't think it's where it used to be. I don't think it's even as good as where Ken Hatfield had it in his first three years. I think it's at a stage where an identity needs to be set. I think too many outside distractions are put up to camouflage the weaknesses.

"Yeah, we might have a Top 5 recruiting class. We've been in the Top 10 in recruiting the last six years. But what's in our trophy case? I don't want to hear about we've got four five-stars coming in. I don't want to hear about the best guys in Florida coming in. That's great. I applaud you for recruiting. Now, can you get those guys to win on Saturday?I don't want to hear about 'This is a process,' or, 'These kids have to learn.' Every coach in college, you recruit the guys you want. You get some, you don't. But everybody starts off with a new batch of guys. Now, can you get these guys to play? Give me the bottom line. Give me wins. Give me ACC championships. Give me bigger bowl games. That's what I want. That's what Clemson was when I came to it.
"We're not there now. Supposedly we've got the coach that everybody wanted. Great guy, 'All In,' good speaker, charismatic. Now, can you win games?

"Clemson is not a physical team. We have no identity. We have some great players. C.J. Spiller was one of the greatest college players ever. Da'Quan Bowers was one of the most physically gifted football players I have ever seen in my life. But guess what? If you can't run the ball and smash somebody in the mouth, you can't win. It's not about having the best players. Clemson has won games before not having the best players. Chris Morocco wasn't one of the Top 100 quarterbacks in the country. DeChane Cameron wasn't one of the Top 100 quarterbacks in the country. Rodney Williams wasn't one of the Top 100 quarterbacks in the country. But you know what? They were winners. They were football players. And that's what Clemson is lacking. Clemson has a lot of great athletes that run fast and jump high. Show me the Ed McDaniels that go to small schools and nobody wants them, but they can come in and become All-Americans. Show me the Rob Bodines, guys that beat all the odds to become great players. We don't have football players. We look good on the outside, but our engine is horrible. We're a Ferrari with a Pinto engine."

"It (confidence) comes from Tajh," receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. "Everybody thought last year that Tajh should’ve had more opportunities to lead this team. Now that he’s out there, guys feel comfortable with him. Off the field, we get along with the quarterback very well. It’s more of a team thing than last year it feels like on the offensive side."

"Roy Williams told me at halftime that the Tar Heels were scared to death and he hadn't seen that from one of his teams"

- ESPN's Andy Katz, relating an anecdote from Clemson's rout of North Carolina

Clemson receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Jeff Scott has been contracted by USC to solicit his interest in joining Lane Kiffin’s staff.

Six-day option for Clemson/FSU, other ACC games

GREENSBORO, NC: The Atlantic Coast Conference Monday announced the following game times and networks for the games of Nov. 5-7.

Thursday, Nov. 5 (Previously Announced)
Virginia Tech at East Carolina, ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7
Duke at North Carolina, ESPN360.com, 3 p.m.

ABC/ESPN and Raycom also have exercised a six-day option on the following games with the gametimes and networks to be announced no later than 12 noon on Sunday, Nov. 1. The games held are:

Florida State at Clemson
Wake Forest at Georgia Tech
Virginia at Miami
Maryland at NC State