The President: Hello, everybody.
Mr. Governor, how are you?
We campaigned long and hard together -- right?
(Applause.)
That worked out well, and you became governor.
So, nobody complaining.
Good afternoon, everybody.
Today, I'm truly proud to welcome to the White House
our College Football Playoff National Champions,
the Clemson Tigers.
(Applause.)
And they look like the real deal, don't they?
Congratulations to all of you, and to your terrific coach --
and you know who that is, right?
Do we love him?
(Applause.)
Dabo!
Dabo Swinney.
What a great job.
I was with Coach Belichick --
he said, this guy is a real coach.
That's a pretty good compliment, right?
You can't do better than that.
Congratulations, Coach.
You have many dedicated fans and admirers here today
to celebrate your victory, including many
distinguished members of Congress -- lots of them.
I especially want to thank your Governor, Henry McMaster --
my friend, my endorser.
Don't forget, he endorsed me when it wasn't exactly
in vogue to do that.
So, I remember.
Right, Henry?
And thank you, Henry, and everybody for joining us today.
Clemson Tigers, you gave America an incredible game
that will go down in the record books
as one of the hardest fought and probably one of the most
exciting games ever played.
Last second -- boomf.
That's pretty good, Coach.
Good job, Coach.
All of you played with such tremendous heart
and determination.
You never, ever gave up.
You can never give up in life.
And it all paid off.
With your grit and resolve, you proved
one of the most important truths in life -- that success
is about how hard you are willing to fight in order
to overcome and in order to win.
After being down 14 to nothing -- I don't think
the Coach was worried.
Were you worried?
Yes, probably a little bit.
How about a little bit, Coach?
Maybe?
You're down 14 to nothing almost halfway through
the game, like true tigers, Clemson roared back --
and with the whole nation watching, and beyond the nation,
Deshaun Watson -- going to be a great NFL player, watch.
(Applause.)
Where's Deshaun?
Get over here.
Come here.
(Applause.)
Hey, fellas, is he that good?
Tell me.
(Applause.)
You better believe it.
He's going to be fantastic.
He passed the ball to Hunter Renfrow -
(Applause.)
-- where's Hunter?
(Applause.)
Oh, Hunter, you're so lucky you caught that ball.
(Laughter.)
To score the game-winning touchdown
with just one second left on the clock.
That's pretty cool.
It was an inspirational finish to a historic
season for Clemson.
The team willed their victory -- you willed it.
That was a victory that was willed.
Arnold Palmer -- they used to say great champion --
he would will a victory.
Jack Nicklaus, he would will a victory.
The great champions tend to do that.
This team willed their whole way to victory.
You came so incredibly close last year against Alabama --
you don't remember that game, Coach, do you?
(Laughter.)
You'll never forget.
And you wanted a rematch, and you got the rematch,
and you went on and you earned it.
You beat great teams like Florida State, Ohio State,
and, of course, your big rival, South Carolina.
(Applause.)
You believed in yourselves,
you believed in each other, and you won a championship victory
for the ages.
It's one of the greatest games I ever watched, actually.
People are going to be talking about what you did
for a very, very long time.
That victory and the great comeback was the product
of a vision that began nine years ago, when Coach Swinney
assembled a team of assistant coaches
who believed in his vision.
They recruited great, great players,
and together, you worked hard, had fun, and turned
Clemson football into a winning machine.
It's what it is.
The Tigers have gone an astonishing 89 and 28 --
how did you lose 28 games, Coach?
(Laughter.)
That was the early seasons, right?
Most of them were in the -- while you were building --
under the Coach's leadership.
He helped forge a new culture at Clemson.
It was on display in the locker room
right after the big game.
The Coach recalled how he told the team that
"the theme of the college football playoffs this
year is 'chasing greatness.'"
He told them, "Nobody is better than us, and we've got
to believe it!"
It's great.
Tell yourself that -- nobody is better.
You chased greatness, and now you've achieved
true greatness.
I understand that on the inside of your
championship ring, there's a tiger climbing upwards,
and it says, "little extra" -- just a little extra.
That's often the difference between winning
and losing, just a "little extra."
Right, Coach?
Is that right?
And by the way, standing next to the Coach
is another winner -- your El Presidente -- Jim Clements.
That's another winner, I'll tell you that.
(Applause.)
We don't talk about Jim too much.
But number one, he made a lot of good decisions.
Number two, what people don't realize about
Clemson -- it's a great academic school.
One of the top 25.
And as a combination -- probably number one, right?
Great job, Jim.
(Applause.)
That's how Clemson achieved great things.
When you set an expectation of maximum
effort and a culture of confidence from the top,
you inspire every person to perform at their very,
very best.
And that is exactly what you have done.
More Tigers this year than ever before -- nine of you --
went to the NFL Scouting Combine,
and two of you were drafted in the first round.
That's pretty good.
But during that championship game,
all of you shined -- every single one.
Offensive MVP, Quarterback Deshaun Watson
took some very, very hard hits but he never rattled.
He's great under pressure.
I've seen that.
I've heard that.
He's great under pressure.
That's a good thing to be.
He is great under pressure.
He always got right back up.
And he fought, and he fought, and he kept winning.
Now he'll bring that toughness together
to the Houston Texans.
And I have the owners of the Texans here someplace --
we just saw them --
and they are so excited about Deshaun.
Defensive Tackle Carlos Watkins had an incredible game,
and he'll be joining Deshaun in Houston.
I'm going to be watching that team very closely.
Nobody can read plays like Defensive MVP Ben Boulware.
Where's Ben?
(Applause.)
Carlos -- get up here, Carlos.
(Applause.)
You think I could take these guys in a fight?
I don't know.
(Applause.)
Great guys.
First Team All-American Defensive End Christian Wilkins
was a big part of the defensive effort
in the championship game.
And Wide Receiver Hunter Renfrow
had that incredible 10 receptions that night.
I also want to extend our best wishes to Defensive End
Richard Yeargin, who suffered a terrible neck injury
in a recent automobile accident
and is out for the 2017 season.
But he'll be back.
And we're praying for you.
And, Richard, I know you're going to get better
and you're going to be all set.
All of you are continuing a proud sporting tradition
at Clemson, established long ago
by some of football's greatest champions and leaders.
Your school was home to the legendary Coach Heisman --
Heisman Trophy -- who delivered a win in
the Tigers' first Alabama matchup way back in 1900.
I know Coach Heisman would be very proud of you,
Coach, today, looking down -- would be very proud --
he liked to win, he knew winners -- and his team's
most recent, incredible, and most exciting victory.
So, thank you for being here today.
It's our honor to be in the company of great,
great champions.
And that's what they are.
I wish you all the best in your careers, wherever
they may take you.
Whether it's football or business or anything else,
you're going to be very successful.
And if you work hard, fight hard, and believe
in yourselves, perhaps I'll see you one day back here
right at the White House.
In fact, I think one of the folks behind me
has a really good chance of standing where I am today
as a future President of the United States.
They have that tremendous, incredible talent --
more than just athletic talent.
So, congratulations, again, to the College Football Playoff
National Champions, the Clemson Tigers!
And with that, I want to introduce President Jim Clements,
who has truly done an amazing job on and off the field.
And he's a special man -- that I can tell you.
Jim, come on up and say a few words.
(Applause.)
Mr. Clements: Thank you, Mr. President.
Well, good afternoon, and Go Tigers!
(Applause.)
What an amazing day this is to be at the White House
with our football team
celebrating the national championship.
Mr. President, thank you for your kindness
and for your incredible hospitality.
And thank you for inviting us to be with you today.
Let me also be one of the first to wish you an early
happy birthday, which will occur later this week.
How about a round of applause for our birthday President?
(Applause.)
It's an honor and a privilege to be
standing here on the White House lawn as we celebrate
the accomplishments of this amazing group
of young men who represent Clemson so well
on and off the field.
I want to thank the South Carolina
Congressional Delegation in particular.
I want to thank Congressman Jeff Duncan,
a proud Clemson alumni and former Clemson football
player, for helping to coordinate our visit today.
Thank you, Mr. Congressman.
(Applause.)
I also want to thank our Governor, Henry McMaster,
for his incredible leadership
in the great State of South Carolina.
It's nice to see you, Governor.
(Applause.)
Today, we honor the young men and the coaches
who are the perfect example
of the high standards that we set in everything we do
at Clemson, from athletics to academics,
as the President said.
These student athletes work very hard
to accomplish their dream, and they've made
the entire Clemson family very proud.
I'm very thankful that this team is led by Coach Dabo Swinney,
a man of great integrity and the highest character
who truly cares about developing his players
into young men who will be successful in life.
And I want to acknowledge our Athletics Director,
Mr. Dan Radakovich, who was recently named
the National Athletics Director of the Year
by Sports Business Journal.
(Applause.)
None of this would be possible without their incredible leadership.
Coach Swinney has a motto that many of us at the University use,
and that is, "Best is the standard."
At Clemson, we strive every day to live
up to that standard.
It can be seen in our world-class academic programs
that place Clemson among the top 25 public universities
in the nation.
It can be seen in our efforts that helped us earn
the national recognition as one
of the best buys in higher education, and it can be seen
every day in the passion and performance
of our students who leave Clemson with the skills
and experiences they need to pursue the American dream.
Thank you again, Mr. President, for your
incredible hospitality and kindness, and thank you to
your staff for recognizing the Clemson University
National Champion Football Team.
(Applause.)
It is now my pleasure to introduce
the best coach in college football who for the past
two years was named the Bear Bryant
National Coach of the Year, Coach Dabo Swinney.
(Applause.)
Mr. Swinney: All right.
I appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
What a special and unique opportunity this is to
stand here and look at the Washington Monument,
and have a chance to also see this trophy, and have
the opportunity to speak to all of you today.
Such an honor to be a part of such a special tradition,
a special and unique tradition
where the White House and the President honor the champions,
and that's exactly what these guys are.
They're the champions.
Let's give them a hand.
(Applause.)
I really thought we were going to be here last year.
I really did.
But we came up a little short, but I am so,
so thankful and glad that my players and my staff has
had the opportunity to experience what I got
a chance to experience as a player as a part
of the Alabama National Championship Team in 1992.
I'm very thankful to have the opportunity to tour
the White House and see all the great history
and to just experience this great day.
So, thank you so much.
I appreciate everyone involved.
I know there's a lot of logistics that make
something like this happen, from the Secret
Service to all of our folks at Clemson,
to all the White House staff, and what a special,
special day it's been.
So, thank you so much for the opportunity.
The Bible says in First Corinthians, "In a race,
everybody runs, but only one wins first prize.
So, run your race in such a way as to win."
And that's exactly what this team did.
That's exactly what this team epitomized.
They did that with great leadership, belief,
accountability, heart, genuine love,
and appreciation for one another, and they did
it with great chemistry.
This was a team that bought into one of our core values.
I believe it was George Washington Carver
who said, "When you do the common things in life
in an uncommon way, you will command the attention
of the world." And eight plus years ago, I had a group
of young men come together that bought into
that very core value.
It's not the big things.
It's the little things.
We're going to do the common things
in an uncommon way, and when we do that, we will command
the attention of the world.
And this group of young men behind me,
that's exactly what they did.
Yeah, we've got good players and good coaches.
They did the little things better than everyone else.
And to stand here and have the opportunity like
we have today is a great credit to this team
and what they did starting last year.
So, it's great to be back together getting
the chance to reminisce with some of these guys
that I haven't seen for a little while.
I appreciate Mr. McNair for getting a couple
of our players here.
But it's great to be back together one more time,
and I want to make a message really to our
players because this is a special moment.
You know, back in January, that was an incredible moment.
What a moment.
January 9th into the 10th,
actually, what an incredible moment that was.
And then I had a chance to see a lot of these guys
put those caps and gowns on and become graduates
of Clemson University.
What a special moment.
Some of them have already taken jobs,
getting their first paycheck.
A special moment.
Some of these guys have signed with NFL teams,
what a special moment.
Being here at the White House as the nation's champion,
what a special moment.
But I want you players to know that there's going
to be other special moments.
There's going to be other special moments: when you
get married, when you become a father,
when you buy that first house.
There's going to be other special moments.
Ten years from now, we're going to have a special moment
when we have a reunion.
Some of you are going to be bald.
Some of you are going to have big bellies.
(Laughter.)
But it's going to be a special moment when we get back
together, but what I want you all to know --
all you players and really everyone, life is not
about those moments.
Life is truly about how we live between the moments.
That's really what it comes down to.
It's all about how we live between the moments.
It's treating others the right way.
It's random acts of kindness.
It's just doing the little things in a great way.
It's the daily focus and purpose and commitment
and attitude that you choose to embrace every single
day between those moments.
That's what we're all going to be defined by.
So, I challenge you players and our team
as we come together one last time, I challenge you all to --
as we all move on with our lives,
to take those core values that we have at Clemson,
take them with you, take them with you.
Continue to do the common things in your life
in an uncommon way.
Continue to be all-in.
Continue to apply best as the standard in everything you do.
Be a person of excellence in everything you do.
As a worker, as a husband, as a father, everything
that you choose to do, put your heart into it.
If you don't take anything else from this past year's season,
you saw what can happen when you see
a group of people come together and really
put their heart into something.
When you put your heart into something, you can
make up that little extra, that little extra,
because you go a little bit above and beyond.
And that's what this team has done.
So, my prayer is that guys will take this with you.
And most of all, that you keep that windshield
mentality that you've seen every single day
that you've been at Clemson.
I hope you'll take that windshield mentality with
you because no matter what's behind us good or bad
in the rearview mirror, it's always about
what's next.
It's always about what's next, and the best
truly is yet to come.
And the last thing I want to say is I love all of you.
(Applause.)
Something that we've dreamed about --
this is something that we all dreamed about,
but we all understand that the goals that we've had,
they pale in comparison to the daily commitments
that it took to get here.
So, I hope that you all will take that with you.
And President Trump, I want to thank you
for giving us this special time.
I know you're a busy man.
Thank you for giving us this special time
and this opportunity for us to come together as a team
and celebrate an incredible moment in all of our lives,
something we'll take with us for the rest of our lives.
And we are truly excited about having a great day
in Washington, D.C.
The food was excellent.
We're going to head over to The Capitol
here in a little bit.
I'm sure there's plenty of orange over there.
Look forward to just hanging out here in D.C. for a while
and then getting back to business tomorrow.
So, thank you, President Trump.
And I know it is your birthday on Wednesday,
so happy early birthday to you.
So, on behalf of our team, on behalf of our staff,
our board, President Clements, and our A.D.,
Dan Radakovich, I want to present to you a jersey
from the national champions, a jersey to you and your son,
Barron, as well.
So, I'll hand that off to you here.
(Applause.)
This one is for Barron.
So, when you come to Clemson, you'll have
something to wear.
(Applause.)