Paul Finebaum Drops Bold Take on Dabo Swinney's Future at Clemson

With the Clemson Tigers off to their worst start since 1998 at 3-5, the Tigers are now fighting to reach bowl eligibility, and the conversation around head coach Dabo Swinney and the state of the program has only grown louder.

In a year when coaching turnover has swept through College Football, Swinney’s name has now entered the national debate.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who’s had a lot of words for Clemson and Dabo Swinney in 2025, is back again. The long-time personality joined The Matt Barrie Show on Sunday and discussed Swinney’s future following their fifth loss of the year – the most since 2010.

“Every time I talk about Dabo, somebody takes it the wrong way. But nobody here is suggesting Dabo Swinney be fired,” Finebaum began. “I am strongly suggesting Dabo Swinney get outta there, though. It’s gotten so bad, and I hate to see a Hall of Fame coach act that petulant and that poorly.”

With the landscape of modern College Football changing daily and the recent firings of multiple powerhouse head coaches, including Penn State’s James Franklin, LSU’s Brian Kelly, Auburn’s Hugh Freeze and more, change could be inevitable.

Finebaum didn’t mince words when evaluating what could come next for Swinney, suggesting that a change of scenery might be what’s best for both sides.

“I don’t have any doubt he can find a job, and sometimes you just have to move on. We’ve all been there or known someone who has been there. And I think his agent should look around and say OK, which one of these openings would be fun for me? Where can I go, meaning Dabo Swinney, where I can just hit the restart button?”

But Finebaum didn’t stop there. After suggesting that Swinney might benefit from a fresh start elsewhere, he turned his attention to how the Clemson head coach has handled the mounting criticism.

The well-decorated analyst said Swinney’s recent comments and attitude have done little to ease frustration among fans, and that a shift in tone might be just as crucial as any on-field improvement.

“And quit being a cranky, get-off-your-lawn guy and make these self-deprecating jokes about getting fired, when everybody knows he’s not getting fired,” Finebaum added. “Although, if he’s not careful, though — and if this season ends the way it obviously is, and next season doesn’t go well — his fan base will want him fired. That’s the new normal in college football.”