Two national titles and six consecutive postseason trips serve as Dabo Swinney’s proof that his approach—the Clemson way—is the most effective way to manage a program.
After high school, seek out talented athletes and devoted families, nurture them over time, and help them win games. Many of them—roughly ten or more over a period of twelve years.
That’s how, over the course of the previous 16 seasons, Swinney elevated Little Ol’ Clemson to the status of one of the greatest bullies in college football. This is an undertaking built on faith (in the system), and everyone is aware that Swinney’s faith is rarely, if ever, shaken.
But it’s 2023 now. The sport has altered as a result of the transfer portal, enabling clubs to stay old, rebuilds to happen practically quickly, and programs to cover natural roster shortages. It takes more than just Deion Sanders to eject around fifty strange children from the gateway in a single offseason.
It is Michigan’s nine, Florida State’s twelve, or even Alabama’s five.
Afterwards, Clemson selected a backup quarterback in 2023 and a backup cornerback in 2022. That is all. Two guys, two years; just depth moves. With pride, Swinney stated, “We’ve been a developmental program for a long time,” adding that his athletes graduate and receive advanced degrees as a result.
He has no intention of changing.
Unless he needs to adjust, maybe.
Duke defeated Clemson on Monday, 28–7. Thanks to the success described before, Swinney can now dismiss it as a typical chaotic work night rather than an indication of a systemic breakdown.
Ultimately, Clemson had never lost 108-0 going into a game when it amassed at least 200 yards passing and rushing. It departed with 108-1.
The coach called Monday’s game “incredibly disappointing,” but it was really a “self-implosion” due to three turnovers, two blocked field goals, two unsuccessful fourth-down conversions, some unfortunate circumstances, and some poor choices. Oh, and Duke is doing okay these days. The Blue Devils of old are not the same ones.
People will evaluate our team based on the score, according to Swinney. “This football team is amazing. I see lots of potential.
One thing about which Swinney is correct is that everyone is passing judgment, beginning with a program based on antiquated principles that might need to face up to modern standards.
If Monday wasn’t a referendum on the program, as Swinney thinks it was, then it will come on September 23 when Florida State visits town with far more at stake than just a football game.
Following that stretch of postseason games, Clemson stumbled to back-to-back seasons with three losses. This year was meant to mark both a comeback and a reboot. Rather, the Tigers are winless.
Regarding Clemson’s performance versus Duke, Swinney remarked, “You didn’t see a horrible football team.” “You observed a poor outcome. Everything can be fixed. The good news is that. All we know is that we are not capable of going unbeaten.
It is evident that Clemson no longer has the same level of quarterback play as it did with DeShaun Watson (2015–16) and Trevor Lawrence (2018–2020). Although athletes of their kind are rare, they two addressed a great deal of problems. It looked easy to get two of them almost back-to-back. It’s not.
Despite being a very skilled recruit from Texas, the current starter, Cade Klubnik, mishandled a hand-off close to the goal line, threw an interception, and only completed 27 of 43 passes against Duke. The offense has ceased to be explosive; the longest pass play was 21 yards.
This wasn’t a very good-looking team, but perhaps if they had made less mistakes, Clemson would have won. Duke was every bit as athletic and physically strong as he was.
That all brings up the more general queries. The world is no longer the same. Dabo not so much.
