Kevin Vandervort / All Clemson
Did Swinney Cost Clemson a Playoff Spot?
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CHARLOTTE — Following Clemson’s dominating win over North Carolina Saturday night, Dabo Swinney confirmed the coaching staff thought about making a change at quarterback earlier in the season.
That opportunity came in Game 9 at Notre Dame.
DJ Uiagalelei was struggling. The offense looked awful. So, for a second straight week, they turned to freshman Cade Klubnik. The former high school All-American had come in for a struggling Uiagalelei against Syracuse a few weeks before to lead the Tigers to a win.
But Klubnik threw just four passes against the Orange and there was not enough data to say he was ready to take the reigns away from Uiagalelei. So, when he came in against the Irish, the Clemson coaches wondered if this was the moment.
It wasn’t.
Klubnik made a horrible decision and threw an interception that set up a Notre Dame touchdown. Swinney and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter went back to Uiagalelei, who finished the game strong, though the Tigers had already lost the game.
This is the moment where Swinney might have cost Clemson a spot in the College Football Playoff. What happens is Swinney sticks with Klubnik at Notre Dame?
Maybe he finishes the game strong. Maybe he proves back on Nov. 5 he deserves to be the Tigers’ starting quarterback?
“He’s worked his butt off all year to get ready,” Swinney said. “Thought he might take it in the Notre Dame game (game), but it didn't work out. But he’s just kept grinding and kept preparing, and then tonight, man, he took it and didn't look back.
“Again, I'm proud of DJ and the leader he is and just the man of character that he is, and the reality is we would not have won the Atlantic and been here tonight without him and wouldn’t have won the ACC Championship without Klubnik.”
What about the South Carolina game? Would the Tigers have won that game if Klubnik was put in?
Why didn’t Swinney make a quarterback change in the second half when it was obvious, Uiagalelei was not playing well? He completed just 8-of-29 passes for 99 yards and missed his last six attempts when the Tigers had three opportunities to go down the field and take the lead.
What happens if Swinney pulled the trigger in the South Carolina game? Does Clemson beat the Gamecocks? After the way Klubnik played against the Tar Heels, yes, I think he would have.
“You saw what Cade could do tonight,” Swinney said.
Swinney is right, we did. He completed 20-of-24 passes for 279 yards. He ran for 30 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, one on the ground and the other through the air.
In the end, it is obvious, Swinney’s reluctance to give Klubnik the keys to the offense sooner is why the Tigers are headed to the Orange Bowl instead of getting ready to make a possible run at another national championship.
Granted, Swinney will forget more about football than I will ever know, and he saw Uiagalelei and Klubnik practice every day. But man, what if?
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