Why Josh Pate Remains Optimistic Regarding Dabo Swinney, Clemson Football

Entering the 2026 season, the Clemson Tigers are a team that has media personalities split on where they stand. However, On3 and ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate remains bullish on the program.

On his podcast, Josh Pate’s College Football Show, he was asked about where the Tigers stand, with some already counting the program out following an omission from the AP Poll. Not only does he give the team credit, but he believes that head coach Dabo Swinney should not be in rumblings of being fired if another poor season occurs.

“I hadn’t put Dabo Swinney on the hot seat,” Pate said. “Maybe other people have; maybe you’ve heard other people say that. I haven’t done that. I think that’s dumb.”

2025 had issues that led Clemson to its 7-6 record, but Swinney was quick to make changes to those parts of the program throughout the offseason. He brought in offensive coordinator Chad Morris while reshaping the secondary with both new staffers and transfers alike.

Those woes from last season will need to be changed heading into a year where there could be a changing of the guard in the ACC.

“They couldn’t run the ball. They couldn’t defend the pass,” Pate said. “They were 105th in rush yards per game. They were 120th in pass yards allowed per game. So, did that change? I think so.”

Despite the pressure, the analyst said that there’s “a lot to like about Clemson” going into the season. The main interests involve the key returners, but some other signings and changes that the Tigers have made throughout the process of erasing 2025.

“That wide receiver room is really, really good,” he said. “Will Heldt is one of the best edges in the country. They added good portal pieces in the secondary. I’d say Ashton Hampton, who’s a homegrown guy, maybe one of the best corners in the country this year.”

Pate also brings up an interesting point involving, arguably, the most important position for Clemson next season: quarterback. He expects Christopher Vizzina to win the job, and that’s what things look towards happening ahead of Sept. 5, but he has a different type of chemistry than the program’s previous starter, Cade Klubnik, had.

“The one thing I’d be really excited about, from an intangible standpoint, is I can say the team will fight for Chris Vizzina,” he said. “. . .I don’t know if I would have said that about the quarterback position at Clemson last year, and that matters.”

The players around him, too, on the offensive line, will be an x-factor going into the season. Again, Pate thinks the coaching staff within the trenches won’t make the amount of new starters coming into the fray a worry.

“It sounded kind of up and down to me in fall camp so far, but I’ll tell you this: if anybody’s going to get it out of them, I think Matt Luke’s a guy I would trust, so I wouldn’t write them off.”

Of course, Clemson has to find these answers pretty quickly with LSU on the horizon, but Pate isn’t writing off the Tigers just yet. After all, we won’t know anything until the ball is kicked off in Baton Rouge in Week 1.

But it’s only two weeks away.

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