"It's Over" For Dabo Swinney at Clemson, Paul Finebaum Says

Not long ago, Dabo Swinney was humiliating opponents. Now, they’re returning the favor, and Paul Finebaum has seen enough.

“Clemson is a shell of itself,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show.

That was the general verdict after Lane Kiffin and LSU handed Clemson a 51-10 spanking in college football’s first major primetime action, once again raising the question – and now perhaps finally answering it – of whether the program Dabo built is a thing of the past.

Paul: “It’s Over”

Paul Finebaum Calls for Firing of Major College Football Coach After Week 1 — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I’ve been critical of Dabo Swinney for a long time,” Finebaum added.

“And the reason I’ve been critical is because this program has been sliding into the abyss. I believe last year they had resurrected the program. You heard the same things I heard. They have not. It is over for Dabo Swinney.”

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Few coaches or teams were more feared on the schedule than Swinney and Clemson over the last 15 years, winning double digit games every year from 2011 to 2022, completing seven AP top ten finishes, and winning two national championships as one of the earliest College Football Playoff dynasties.

But after losing the national title to LSU to cap off the 2019 season, it’s been a steady decline, including consecutive four-loss seasons, and not having double digit wins in two of the last three years, culminating in an unranked 7-6 effort last fall. Clemson is just 26-15 since 2023 and 4-6 in its last 10 games against ranked opponents.

“It’s time for him to take a good, long look at himself. Quit the protestations every Tuesday when he shows up at the media [scrum]. Quit trying to remind people of what he once was. He is no more. The game has passed him by,” Finebaum said.

Could Clemson Actually Make a Move?

Despite everything, it’s still strongly unlikely that Clemson will fire Swinney. Not with his legacy, his presence in the program, and, most importantly, the exorbitant amount the school would have to pay.

Swinney’s contract with Clemson includes a flat rate buyout that decreases with every year, but the school would notably save around $3 million if they did fire him during the 2026 season, according to Sportico.

Swinney signed a 10-year, $115 million contract extension in 2022, and firing him would trigger the flat rate buyout of about $57 million, still one of the highest buyouts in college football history, but an amount that increases to $60 million if they waited until 2027.

So it would actually be cheaper for Clemson to part with Swinney by the end of this calendar year.

It then goes down to $48.5 million (2028), $37 million (2029), $22.5 million (2030), and $11.5 million (2031). Even his taking another job wouldn’t matter, as Clemson would still have to pay the entire amount.

Dabo Could Start Over, But Not at Clemson

“That doesn’t mean he can’t go someplace else and refresh. But comparing Dabo Swinney to Lane Kiffin yesterday was frightening,” Finebaum said.

“There is not that much difference in age, a couple of years. But it was almost tragic to look at how badly Lane Kiffin outcoached, outmaneuvered, and completely overwhelmed a guy who six years ago was facing the same team in the national championship game.”

(Finebaum)

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