After a 2025 campaign that fell well short of Clemson’s sky-high standards, the big question on everyone’s mind is simple: Can Dabo Swinney and the Tigers get back to the top of college football? Former ESPN analyst David Pollack weighed in on 'The Next Round,' breaking down what’s really driving Swinney and what hurdles Clemson has to clear to retake its spot among the nation’s elite.
Pollack didn’t mince words about Swinney’s refusal to budge from his core beliefs, especially regarding the transfer portal. He pointed out that Clemson’s hardline stance on transfers creates a numbers crunch when players leave and aren’t replaced through the portal.
"Dabo is a guy that's very clear in what he is and who he is, and he's not going to compromise that and he's not going to change that," Pollack said. "And with that comes what? If I don't go into the portal consistently and people leave consistently, that's a hard number, right? We're just mathing. Let's just math. If I lose ten or twelve and I'm only bringing in guys every year, and I'm not replacing those guys that I don't bring in. Obviously, it's not going to work."
Still, Pollack circled back to what’s always fueled Swinney: proving people wrong. He reminded listeners that Dabo has relied on doubt ever since his days as a walk-on at Alabama, and that chip on his shoulder might be exactly what Clemson needs right now.
"I think Dabo's got a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder. I think Dabo works best with that chip on his shoulder," Pollack stated.
He expanded on this mentality, adding, "I do think Dabo's got a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder. I think Dabo works best with that chip on his shoulder because guess what? He's had it his whole life. Y'all know him in Alabama, but y'all also know he walked on. Right? Like, he wasn't a guy that was highly recruited. And I think you see the momentum in this recruiting class from him. There's still a bunch of guys on this roster there. There's still a top ten team when it comes to."
Looking at the roster, Pollack made it clear Clemson still has blue-chip talent at the skill positions and on the defensive line. The big question, as always, is who steps up at quarterback.
"Top ten playmakers and receivers in the country, and they've got defensive linemen that are still elite playmakers. They got to figure out the quarterback."
Pollack also pointed to a familiar face returning to the staff as a move that could help Clemson rediscover its offensive identity.
"I think bringing back Chad Morris really helps them and gives them a more offensive identity," Pollack said.
At the end of the day, Pollack believes Swinney is as fired up as ever to silence the doubters and keep Clemson in the national conversation, all while holding true to what’s made him successful.
"I do think Dabo has more chapters left. I think he's primed for that. And I think he really wants to prove people wrong," Pollack concluded. "And I think he's gone about it his way, which is kind of cool. Now just continue to make tweaks and changes and adapt to the world a little bit. But I don't think Dabo's done at this size."
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