[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H292-H293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING CLEMSON TIGERS ON WINNING 2019 NATIONAL FOOTBALL 
                              CHAMPIONSHIP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today because it is a great day, a 
great week, and a great year to be a Clemson Tiger.
  The Third District of South Carolina, which I represent, is home to 
the Clemson Tigers, who were victorious in their performance against 
the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday to claim their third college 
football national championship, resulting in a perfect season, the 
first 15-win season in the modern era of Division I football.
  Coach Dabo Swinney led this historic team to not only victory, but a 
dominating performance to truly establish Clemson as the best college 
football team in the entire country. They left no room for doubt. It 
was an amazing performance for everyone, from quarterback Trevor 
Lawrence--and my friend from Georgia, Barry Loudermilk, will talk about 
Trevor shortly, the first true freshman to start and win a national 
championship in 33 years--to seniors like Christian Wilkins and walk-on 
wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.

                              {time}  1015

  The entire team and coaching staff showed poise, control, and 
leadership on and off the field the entire night.
  Coach Brent Venables, the defensive coordinator, prepared the Clemson 
defense well. Alabama was in the red zone three times, on three 
different occasions, but came away with zero points due to the great 
Tiger defense standing strong. Great work, Coach Venables, and a great 
job, Clemson defense.
  The Tide threw two interceptions in the first half, which Clemson 
leveraged

[[Page H293]]

to turn into points for the Tigers, establishing more dominance in the 
game.
  The Clemson offense scored an incredible 44 points over Alabama's 16; 
31 of those points were unanswered, to the shock of many in the college 
football world, but not a shock to the Tiger nation. We know what this 
Dabo Swinney-coached team was capable of.
  At the end of the night, Clemson's near-perfect game was too much for 
Alabama. The performance was truly remarkable to see, as the whole 
Nation stopped to watch the two top programs in college football duke 
it out and leave their hearts on the field.
  The Clemson senior class is one to be remembered; four straight ACC 
championships, two national championships, and 55 wins over the last 4 
years.
  Madam Speaker, to say I am a proud alumnus and former walk-on Clemson 
football player would be an understatement.
  Above all else, one of the things I am most impressed with is Coach 
Dabo Swinney's leadership and character. He is truly a bright light in 
the realm of college football. Like Dabo has said many times: ``Let the 
light that shines in you be brighter than the light that shines on 
you.''
  Of course, Dabo cares about playing amazing football. He has proven 
this over and over again in a fantastic 10 years as the head coach. He 
is now one of two active college football coaches with a national 
championship under the belt, right along with Alabama's Nick Saban.
  But I know Dabo cares about something more, something bigger and more 
important than football. He cares about the hearts and souls of his 
players. He cares about their character, their leadership skills, and 
their aspirations well after they leave the field.
  He cares about the types of men these players will become as friends, 
brothers, sons, future husbands, and fathers. He invests in them to 
train them as both elite athletes and elite people.
  There is only one reason for this type of compassion. He strives to 
mirror Jesus Christ's unconditional love for us every day as a leader, 
a coach, a husband, a father, and a friend. And as he said after the 
game: ``Only God can do this.'' How true this is in all areas of our 
lives.
  Coach Swinney never misses an opportunity to speak the truth on the 
platform God has given him to proclaim the amazing, Christlike love 
that is bestowed upon all of us. You can tell he always wants to be 
that type of example.
  I believe this is what makes Clemson so special, a leader who prays 
with his staff and his players; a leader who shows Christlike love to 
everyone that he meets; a leader who prioritizes character over 
everything else; a leader who cares about you as a person, not just a 
football player. We can learn a lot from Dabo.
  Thanks, Coach, for being the man that you are.
  Hats off to Alabama who always has a storied and successful program. 
The competition on Monday night captured the entire Nation's attention 
through that battle between two amazing football programs. It was a 
great game, and Coach Nick Saban and his Alabama team are remarkable. 
This team was remarkable.
  But, hey, in a college sporting event, somebody has got to lose, and 
I am glad my Clemson Tigers were able to win on Monday night.
  Clemson's success wasn't built overnight. This was built by years of 
focus, work, and grind, paid for with blood, sweat, and tears on the 
field, in the weight room, in the film room, and everywhere in between. 
Nothing great ever comes easy.
  So, Madam Speaker, as a former player, a proud Clemson graduate, a 
lifetime Tiger, I am filled with pride to see where this Clemson 
program is today, how it has elevated the university and the entire 
State.
  People in this Chamber and on Capitol Hill, Members of Congress, 
Capitol Hill police, the staff, they may not know my name, but they 
know who the Clemson fan is amongst them.
  Many of my Alabama colleagues, like Mo Brooks, were texting me during 
the game. I can't reveal what those texts said, but I appreciate the 
time.
  Clemson is a special place with proud alumni all over the world. 
There is something in the hills where the Blue Ridge yawns its 
greatness, and the football team showed this greatness Monday night.
  I am immensely proud of Coach Swinney, the players, and the 
administration, and I will always be all in.
  Go Tigers, the college football national champions. Congratulations 
once again.

                          ____________________