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Clemson Tigers: National Reporter Calls Out Dabo Swinney For His Stubbornness And That’s Why Clemson Is No Longer An Elite Program

The Clemson Tigers were hit with reality on Saturday afternoon when they played the number one team in the country, Georgia, and failed to reach the endzone, losing 34-3. 

Clemson’s offense couldn’t move the ball, which it hasn’t been able to do since 2020 when Trevor Lawrence was their quarterback. The defense played well for the first half, only holding the Bulldogs to six, but they were so worn out that the offense couldn’t stay on the field that they collapsed in the second half.

The Tigers’ head coach, Dabo Swinney, has been under a lot of heat the past few years. This season, he never took a single player out of the transfer portal, which made him the laughingstock of college football.

Clemson Tigers add Ari Watford to 2025 class
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney signals to go for a two-point conversion against Kentucky during the fourth quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, December 29, 2023. Clemson won 38-35.

Swinney stated that players in the portal aren’t good enough to play at Clemson, and that’s why he won’t take any, but the two-time national champion head coach should rethink that process.

College football reporter Ari Wasserman called out Swinney for not being able to change, and that’s why Clemson has moved into tier two in college football.

Dabo Swinney’s Stubbornness Has Made Clemson A Tier Two Program

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Jul 25, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney speaks to the media during the ACC Kickoff at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Wasserman wrote an article on Sunday at his new home at On3.com and stated’It’s Dabo Swinney’s fault. Through stubbornness and a refusal to adapt with a sport that has completely transformed the last few years, the Tigers have slipped from being one of the nation’s elite programs back into the second tier. They may still win 10 games this year, but that could happen while simultaneously never scaring anyone at the summit of the sport.”


Wasserman is completely right that Swinney’s stubbornness and refusal to adapt to the new age of college football made Clemson a program nobody fears.

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Oct 2, 2021; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks to official against Boston College Eagles at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

There was a time when Clemson would be the team beating top schools 34-3, but now they don’t even belong on the field with 75% of the Top 25 teams in the country.

Sadly for Clemson fans, Swinney has shown no signs of ever making a change and getting involved in the portal. Until a change is made, Clemson will be a tier-two team winning nothing.

Avatar of Daniel Fisher

About Daniel Fisher

Daniel Fisher is a sports writer for Gridiron Heroics covering the NFL and College Football. He has been covering the NFL and College Football for the past two years and with a focus on the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State Buckeyes.

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