Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has never been one to mince words, but his assessment of his team's recent performance in the once-impenetrable fortress of Memorial Stadium was startlingly blunt. As the Tigers prepare to return home after two road wins, Swinney didn't hold back on the state of play in Death Valley.
"We've not played well at home," Swinney said Tuesday. "We've lost 3 out of our last 4 games at home... As of late, we've stunk. And we gotta get that... turn around."
The Tigers, who are back to .500 at 3-3, are facing what Swinney calls "playoff football every week". The first of these must-win scenarios at home comes this Saturday against a tough SMU team, and for Swinney, the primary goal is simple.
"Our big goal this week is to play well. Play well at home," he stated. "We have not done that. Our fans deserve that."
More Than a Football Game
While the on-field performance was a key topic, Swinney opened his press conference by highlighting the significance of the week off the field. This Saturday's contest is Clemson's breast cancer awareness game, a cause deeply personal to the head coach and his All In Foundation.
"You know, that's… way bigger than a football game, uh, to me," Swinney said. "I've lived it. It's personal to us, and I'm sure it's personal to a lot of people in this room."
Swinney announced that his foundation will award $1.1 million to South Carolina-based charities and research teams in November, bringing the total raised since 2010 to over $14 million. He emphasized the urgency of the cause, citing stark statistics.
"1 in 8 women in the United States will get breast cancer in their lifetime," he said. "On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States."
Scouting a "Problem" Quarterback
When the focus shifted back to football, Swinney had high praise for his upcoming opponent, SMU, and particularly their quarterback.
"Offensively, I mean, this is… this is by far the most dynamic quarterback to play," Swinney said emphatically. "I mean, he is a… he's a problem. He's a really good player. He makes a lot of off-schedule plays... he'll let it rip from every arm angle you can imagine."
Swinney noted the challenge his defense will face, stressing that they will have to stay disciplined "until the whistle is blown" because of the quarterback's ability to create and extend plays. "I have yet to see that happen," Swinney said of anyone truly shutting the SMU signal-caller down.
"Fighting for Our Life Every Single Week"
Swinney found a poignant parallel between his current team's 3-3 record and where his program stood when he first took over.
"I got the job 17 years ago yesterday," Swinney reflected. "We were 3-3... Yesterday at 4 o'clock, I got a team meeting. And we're 3-3."
That perspective frames the current challenge for a team that has turned things around with two consecutive wins. After a difficult start, Swinney praised his players for their character and refusal to give up.
"It's fun when you see a group of young people that choose to make a decision," he said. "And they have the will to fight, you know? For… and they don't lose faith in what the end of the story can be."
With their backs against the wall, the message is clear inside the Tigers' locker room.
"We're fighting for our life every single week, and so it's a big game for both teams," Swinney concluded.