Dabo Swinney didn’t sugarcoat Clemson’s situation during his Monday teleconference, one day after the Tigers’ 34–21 loss dropped them to 1–3.
“Obviously, incredibly disappointing,” Swinney said. “From a big-picture standpoint, we just can’t seem to play complementary football. First half, defense really struggling. Offensively, we were rolling pretty good with limited opportunities and then just got in too much of a hole. Second half, just can’t put it all together right now.”
Staying Focused on the Big Picture
Swinney emphasized perspective as the Tigers head into their open week.
“We’re not gonna win the national championship this year. We’ve won three in 130 years,” Swinney said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t win the season. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the journey, because that’s what this is. It’s part of the journey. Tough times make you appreciate the good ones even more.”
He added: “I just really like my guys. This is certainly a tough moment for us, but it’ll make us better. I absolutely believe God will use this to make us all better.”
On Injuries and Resetting Goals
Despite the disappointment, Swinney noted the team escaped serious injuries.
“Game-wise, we came through pretty healthy. Some guys will be limited this week, but we’re in pretty good shape,” he said. “Big picture-wise, it’s a big week to reset on what’s in front of us. We’ve got to look at it as an eight-game season now.”
No Staff Changes — For Now
Asked directly if he’d consider midseason staff moves, Swinney shut down the idea.
“I don’t anticipate that,” he said. “My focus is just on trying to have a great open date and reset our goals. We’ve got a bunch of good people here that work their tails off. It’s frustrating when you don’t get the results you feel like you’ve worked for. But that’s life. That’s football.”
Cade Klubnik Still the Starter
Swinney acknowledged quarterback Cade Klubnik has struggled but stood firmly behind his starter.
“There’s confidence there, and there’s confidence in Cade,” Swinney said. “He’s still our starter. Everybody’s got to be better — coaches, Cade, defense, receivers, everybody. But I definitely have confidence in him.”
Belief in Garrett Riley and the Staff
Swinney also defended offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s play calling.
“There’s definitely things everybody can do better,” he said. “But there’s also been a lot of things there that we haven’t executed well. We’ve got good people, and I love the people we have. It’s my job to help them be better.”
Accountability and Faith
At multiple points, Swinney turned to his faith and the lessons of adversity.
“This is a pruning season. That’s just what it is,” he said. “We’ll come back stronger than ever. True leaders have to be able to navigate the valleys. We’re definitely in a valley of disappointment right now, but there’s no quit in these guys. None.”
He added: “I know God never says, ‘Oops.’ I’ve lived that way since I was 16 years old, and a record doesn’t make me flinch about that.”
Inspired by His Players
Despite the pain, Swinney said his locker room has shown resilience.
“I can’t even begin to express how proud I am of how they responded today — one of the best team meetings I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “They care. There was a lot of pain in that locker room because these are great kids. When people care, they’re going to respond.”
Looking Ahead
As Clemson heads into the bye week, Swinney’s message was clear: flush the past and focus forward.
“All we can do right now is completely flush it, bury it, and focus on what’s in front of us,” he said. “We’ve just got to find a way to execute at a much higher level. We are a talented football team that has underachieved, and that falls on me. But I don’t have any doubt these guys will respond.”