Dabo Swinney on Duke's Mike Elko: "Coach Elko is one of the best coaches in the country."

Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney discussed his team's season-opener at Duke during his press conference at ACC media days.

Clemson opens up the season with a Monday night game at Duke on September 4th. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was asked about the advantages and disadvantages of a Monday night game during his press conference at ACC Kickoff.

"It kind of helps with your prep, I guess, just because we did it last year," said Swinney. "Because it is a little different. You have to take a couple of days for your camp and prepare for the next opponent because we're going to get back at 5:00 in the morning, and it's Tuesday, and you play again on Saturday."

Duke's Mike Elko won the ACC Coach of the Year in 2022. (Duke Athletics)

"It doesn't matter who you play, you have to play the game, and you want to be prepared. The last thing you want to do is put your team in a situation where they're not prepared, and the team we're playing I think plays on Thursday night. They got a lot of time to get ready for us. You have to take a little time in camp to get ready for that opponent. Then it's a little different, again, being a Monday night, but that's probably it."

As for the game itself, Swinney is excited about playing a Duke team coming off of a great season. Head coach Mike Elko won the ACC Coach of the Year award following the Blue Devils' 9-4 season, including a 5-3 record in the conference.

"It's two good football teams. Man, Duke is coming off a great year. I think Coach Elko is one of the best coaches in the country. I can't get away from the guy. He is always showing up. Wake, thank God he left Wake. Now we have to play Notre Dame. We're playing them in the playoffs. All right, he is gone from there. Now I look up, and we somehow got Texas A&M on our schedule two years in a row. Now they go away, and now he is at Duke. He is a great coach. Man, what an unbelievable job he did last year, he and his staff. They got about everybody back. So it's going to be a heck of a game, heck of a matchup, and national stage to go compete."

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