Clemson HC Dabo Swinney Owns Struggles, Promises to Be Better

The Clemson Tigers head coach didn't hold back on how poorly he evaluated his performance

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney acknowledged that he hasn't been on his A-game this year | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney has built one of the most consistently successful programs in college football over the past two decades, but this disappointing season has stood out as a glaring outlier.

After Clemson’s recent 46-45 loss to the Duke Blue Devils, the Tigers have fallen to 3-5 on the season.

In a year once viewed as a potential national championship push, Clemson is now simply fighting for bowl eligibility.

With the Tigers already matching their highest loss total in over a decade, Swinney took accountability for the team’s struggles while vowing to turn things around.

“I think I’ve done a pretty decent job over 17 years, but I’ve sucked this year. I’ll be better,” Swinney said. “This house is built on solid ground. Now, not everybody's putting their best stuff into it. We've gotta be better. I've gotta get the right people in here."

His worst season at the helm came in 2010, when the Tigers finished 6-7, their only losing record during Swinney’s tenure.

When asked what needs to change for the Tigers to return to dominance, Swinney said it starts with trusting his instincts again.

“Some people say I'm stubborn, but I say I have instincts,” Swinney said. “I’d rather win doing what I know is right than to lose knowing that I didn’t. 

He didn’t point to any specific moment, but admitted that listening to too many outside voices has pulled him away from what once made him successful.

“As I evaluate myself, I’ve gotten away from some of my instincts,” Swinney said. “I think my instincts are one of my greatest strengths. Sometimes you can listen too much, listen to too many people, and get away from what you are convicted with.”

While the press conference took a somber turn at one point, Swinney eventually shifted the focus to the value of adversity.

He reflected on being fired from his dream job as Alabama’s wide receivers coach, saying that rejection helped shape him into the coach he is today. He also opened up about the personal challenges he and his wife faced early in their marriage, including enduring two miscarriages.

Swinney explained that, as painful as those experiences were, they ultimately made him a better parent and taught him that something meaningful can come from even the hardest moments.

“This is not a period, it's a comma. It’s part of our story,” Swinney said. “You know what’s also part of our story? National Championships.”