The heat on Dabo Swinney has reached a boiling point. After Clemson’s stunning 34-21 home loss to Syracuse dropped the Tigers to 1-3, SEC Network personality Paul Finebaum didn’t hold back.
“My advice to Dabo…is get out of there. Be quiet. Quit talking,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show. “Because he has no credibility now with his fanbase. They’ve heard the whines before. He’s become a meme. For a really good coach, he’s become somewhat of a laughingstock.”
Two Paths, No Middle Ground
Finebaum argued that Swinney faces a crossroads: chase a fresh start at another school or follow Nick Saban into TV.
“He has more credentials than any other non-TV coach out there,” Finebaum said. “I think it’s over at Clemson. Let’s quit trying to sugarcoat it. Sometimes it’s very difficult to get it back when you’ve lost it. He lost it and got it back, and now he’s lost it again. And he’s lost it badly. It’s time for him to go.”
Barrie and Simms Join the Pile-On
Podcast host Matt Barrie admitted he’s baffled by Clemson’s collapse, pointing to the gap between talent and performance.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw a team with so many returning stars look like Clemson does after a loss to Syracuse,” Barrie said.
Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms, now with ESPN’s College Football Show, echoed the concerns.
“There’s no swagger,” Simms said. “There seems to be no team chemistry. Each and every game it feels like they’re being out-coached, out-executed and just out-hustled. That’s not something we’re used to seeing with a Dabo Swinney team.”
Despite piling up 500 yards of total offense against Syracuse, Simms said it “was the most unimpressive 500 yards you could see,” describing the Tigers’ attack as clunky, sporadic, and without rhythm.
With Clemson’s season teetering, the outside noise around Swinney has never been louder—and Finebaum just turned up the volume.