Cornerback A.J. Terrell played a leading role, with eight tackles, a forced fumble, and a big 44-yard interception return for a touchdown that put Clemson on the board and set a course - and really set the course for the game. Right from the beginning.
Coach Swinney says that "all of us have greatness inside of us" no matter who we are or where we come from. And, gentlemen, you proved that so much this season. The entire season. Not just the one game - one game was incredible - but you proved it over a full season. No bad moments.
It takes a special leader to bring out the greatness in others. Dabo Swinney is just that kind of a leader. I knew that when I met him two years ago. I said, this guy is a special guy. He inspires. He's a very unique guy. Isn't he? Really a unique guy. And he's getting a little embarrassed over here. (Laughter.) It's true, Coach. It's true.
So, Coach Swinney has brought Clemson eight consecutives, 10-win seasons - and I know the competition that you have - three Bear Bryant Coach of the Year awards, and now, a third national championship. And that's really incredible. Really incredible.
The most important thing is he's helped countless young Americans set high standards for themselves, reach for excellence, and achieve their full God-given potential.
After the championship game, Dabo - something was really, truly profound, people saw. He said, "When you get a young group of people that believe, that are passionate, that love each other" - that's six-foot-nine and weigh 397 pounds of pure muscle - (laughter) - he didn't say that, by the way, that's - I add that, okay? You know, that helps too, Coach, right? I mean, in all fairness, that helps. (Laughter.) "That sacrifice, that are committed to a singleness of purpose, you better look out, great things can happen." And that's what happened. Incredible people. You'll always go down as winners. The biggest winners. Fifteen-and-oh.
What a beautiful message for our country: If we believe in each other, if we love each other, if we are committed to making life better for all of our citizens, then great things will always happen for America.
We know Coach Swinney is right, because you proved it with your incredible victory and, really, your incredible victories over a long period of time - not even this season.
So to all of the amazing athletes here today that wiped out more food than any human being has ever seen before, including me - (laughter) - I've never seen so much -- thank you for inspiring America. You really have.
Fellas, you inspire our country. That was an inspiration. Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham, all of you here, I think that was a great - Congressman, right? That was an inspiration for our country, especially from two senators that happen to come from your state. They were very happy, I will tell you. They were very, very happy people. Very proud.
Congratulations once again to the National Champions, the Clemson Tigers - one of the best teams ever in the history of college football.
Now I'm proud to introduce your coach, Coach Swinney, and your University President, Jim Clements. Very special people. You know, it's very funny - I meet people and I say, "Hello, how you doing? Everything good? See ya. Best of luck." And that's the end. I remembered these two people. They're very special people. And they prove that by winning like nobody else has been able to win.
And, by the way, Clemson is also a great, great school. So, thank you very much for being at the White House. It's a very special place; built in 1799. And it just has a special feel about it. It's just really an incredible - an incredible building. It's an incredible home.
Thank you all. It's your home. Thank you very much for being here. And, Coach, please say a few words. (Applause.)
COACH SWINNEY: Thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity. What a fun day it's been. It's an honor to be a part of this tradition. And to be honest with you, it's really cool that football can create an opportunity like this. And I stand here before you as a guy from Pelham, Alabama, and I'm looking at all these young people from all over this country. And I have to look at my mom, because I came to Washington, D.C. on a train, in the fifth grade, and we didn't - she didn't have enough money to come with me. But here we are now, many, many years later, and we're getting to have a chance to have a moment like this.
So, football matters. And football, and the relationships through football, created this opportunity. And for that, I'm so thankful.
It's been an unbelievably crazy week. Literally, a crazy week. But it's great to receive this recognition, to see this team honored for its amazing season.
One week ago today, as a matter fact, we were at the stadium getting ready to go, but - getting ready to kick it off. But one week ago today, we all enjoyed a magical and historic moment as our team became the first 15 and 0 team in modern football history.
And one of the things that we talked about, and you guys know, is - you know, we say all the time: Greatness is not your destiny, greatness is not your right; it's a decision. You know, we always say: Championships are won when the stands are empty; champions are made when nobody is watching.
And this team - this team right here made a decision to be great, and was special from day one. We had our goals, and y'all all know what our goals are. But more importantly, our daily commitment was greater than those goals. And that's what it takes to do something special.
And our staff - all of our staff is here - what an amazing job our staff did. It says in Proverbs that, "Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors, there is safety." And we've been so consistent at Clemson because I've got a multitude of good counselors. A lot of good people. Unbelievable staff. Great continuity. A bunch of great, young people that buy in and choose to be about the right things and to think the right way, and to lay it on the line for their university and for each other.
And people talk a lot about X's and O's in my business. You know, we talk a lot about X's and O's. But this game, to me, is really about hearts and souls. And last Monday, you saw on full display the heart and soul of this team. They played with a will to win that just would not be denied.
And one of the things that we talk about all the time, in Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, you do it with all your heart. It doesn't matter what you're doing; you do it with all your heart. Because when you do things with your heart, you go above and beyond; you do the extra. And this team, they put their heart into it, and they went above and beyond in every area. We always say, the fun is in the winning. And it is in the winning. But to me, it's how you win that matters the most.
On the field - hey, 15 and 0, there's really nothing else you can say. We had 13 of those wins by 20 points or more. Our seniors, 55 wins in a four-year period - most in the history of college football. We had the number-one scoring defense in the country. And we had the most points ever scored in Clemson history.
But off the field - so it's not just winning. It's how you win. Off the field, this very same team that set out to be the best ever, they had the best ever team GPA in the history of our Clemson program. We had 66 guys make a 3.0 or better. Our record, previously, was 56. They shattered it. They went above and beyond in every area.
We won the AFCA academic award, number one out of 130 teams. We won the top academic award, awarded by the American Football Coaches Association. And then, in New York, back in December, Christian Wilkins won the Academic Heisman, which goes to the top student athlete in all levels of football.
So when I tell you this team was committed to excellence in all areas, they were truly committed. And in the end, that's what we're all going to be defined by. That's what our program is going to be defined by; not by these trophies. Our program is going to be defined by the type of men that leave our program. And what they do when they get out in the society, the type of future presidents they become, and governors, and CEOs, and coaches, and teachers, and NFL players - whatever it is - that's what our program is going to be defined by.
We got a quote that we kind of live by. We started the season and kind of talked about this quote. And I don't know who said it, but it says this. It says: What you can vividly imagine and ardently believe, and enthusiastically act upon, will inevitably come to be. This team dreamed big, they believed big. And last Monday, you saw them enthusiastically act upon that dream and belief.
But my favorite part of this team, and what I'll always remember, is that they truly enjoyed the journey. I can't tell you how many times we kind of hit pause. A lot of times, with young people, everybody wants to hit fast-forward. But this team, we hit pause a lot, and really, truly enjoyed the journey. And it really made it so much spec- - more special for me. And in the end, that's what it should be about: just finding joy in the journey of whatever it is that we're doing.
So I want to close, and I really want to give this perspective to our team and, really, to anybody who's listening. This is a quote. And the whole college football world was captured by Tyler Trent. He was the Purdue football fan that was battling cancer. You probably saw that he just passed, just recently. And here's what he said. He put out a quote, and he said:
"Though I am in hospice care and have to wake up every morning knowing that the day might be my last, I still have a choice to make: to make that day the best it can be.
Yet, isn't that a choice we all have every day? After all, nobody knows the amount of days that we have left. Some could say we are all in hospice, to a certain degree. So why don't we act like it? Where is your gratitude? With Christmas coming up, what are you thankful for?
I had to write my will recently, and I'm just grateful that I can give my family Christmas presents, maybe even for [the] last time. Let's not forget that my doctors gave me three months to live almost two and a half months ago. So why can't we live grateful lives? Why can't we make every day count like it's the last?"
So for this team, and all you guys moving on, and even the guys coming back, that's what I would say, is go live and be great today. In order for your Sunday to become a reality, you just got to be your best today and truly enjoy the journey, because I always believe the best is yet to come.
So, President Trump, I can't thank you enough for this very special opportunity, and all the dignitaries here, to honor our football team on something that we earned and something that happened all the way on the other coast, in California, one week ago. What a special moment we will remember for the rest of our lives. But it pales in comparison to the relationships and the journey that it took to get there.
But on behalf of our team, our staff, the Board of Trustees, our president, and our AD, I want to thank you so much for this opportunity that you gave us. Thank you. (Applause.)
MR. CLEMENTS: Thank you, Coach, for those kind words. Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind and inspirational words. Thank you, Mr. Vice President, for being here.
Good evening. Go Tigers! I'm only stepping up because the President asked me to come on up. So I'm going to go ahead and add to my thanks.
Mr. President, it is great to be back at the White House, for the second time in the past 19 months, with our football team to celebrate our national championship. Mr. President, I appreciate very much your kindness and your hospitality, and the fine dinner that you served us, and for inviting us to be with you today. It is an honor and a privilege to be standing here in the White House as we celebrate the accomplishments of this amazing group of men who represent Clemson so well, on and off the field.
I do want to thank, if I can, Mr. President, our Board of Trustees for their outstanding leadership. We're blessed at Clemson to have an incredible Board who cares deeply about Clemson academics and athletics. So I do want to thank the entire South Carolina congressional delegation for their strong support of our great university.
And I know, Mr. President, you pointed them out, but in particular I do want to thank Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Tim Scott for being here this evening and for always supporting us.
I also want to thank Congressman Jeff Duncan, a proud Clemson alumnus and former Clemson football player who does an outstanding job in our home district. Would you please help me thank them for all they do for the university? (Applause.)
And, Mr. President, I do also want to thank our Governor, Henry McMaster, for his leadership of our great state. The Governor was not able to join us tonight due to a scheduling conflict, but he did want me to pass on to you his warm regards.
Tonight, we honor these young men and these coaches who are a wonderful example of the high standards we set in everything that we do at Clemson, from athletics to academics. These student athletes, as you know, worked incredibly hard to accomplish their dream of being the number-one college football team and the only one in the modern era to go a perfect 15 and 0. And I want you to know, gentlemen, you made the Clemson family proud along that journey.
And, Mr. President, our players succeed in the classroom, as well. We had 26 players on this team who earned their degree. That was more than any other team to play in a bowl game. And this championships, as I said, on Saturday was truly a team victory - from our student athletes who worked so hard on the field and in practice, to our coaches, to our recruiting staff, to the social media team, to our faculty, to the academic advisors in the Nieri Center, to the medical staff and trainers, to the facilities team, to the support staff, to our donors, and all of those who worked in any way, shape, or form for this program. All of them played an important role in making this happen.
