The Clemson Tigers season has not been what their fan base, players, or head coach Dabo Swinney was hoping for at 4-4 now through nine weeks, and headed into Week 10, they're taking on the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at home.
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Appearing on a radio show, Dabo Swinney had numerous comments about the team and matchup. Jon Blau of The Post and Courier reported multiple updates with Swinney's comments.
Dabo Swinney's radio show pre-Notre Dame starting up. Says the Fighting Irish might be the "most complete" team Clemson has faced this season.
"Hopefully this will be the week we take care of the ball. If we do, we'll have a shot."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
To start, Swinney named Notre Dame as the most complete team. Of course, Clemson played against No. 4 Florida State earlier this season.
As mentioned, the Tigers are 4-4 this season. Swinney attributes their lack of success to a lack of confidence. He said that a win over Florida State or in Week 1 against Duke would've changed the team's trajectory.
Interesting bit from Dabo Swinney, says a lot of Clemson's problem in 2023 is a lack of confidence.
Says a win over Duke or FSU might have changed everything.
"You start pressing, you try to do too much, everybody's terrible, fire all the coaches, all this negative stuff."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
"You start pressing, you try to do too much, everybody's terrible, fire all the coaches, all this negative stuff," Swinney said.
Swinney also mentioned that all coaches have bad years now and then, citing Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and former Fighting Irish head coach Knute Rockne, who passed away in March 1931.
Swinney says every coach has a bad year, mentioning the likes of Saban and Rockne.
"If you coach this game long enough, you're gonna have a year where it's kinda crazy ... I figure I got at least 15 left. We'll look on this down the road and we'll be like 'Yeah, that sucked.'"
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
"If you coach this game long enough, you're gonna have a year where it's kinda crazy ... I figure I got at least 15 left. We'll look on this down the road and we'll be like 'Yeah, that sucked," the Tigers head coach said.
To this point, Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,929 yards, 13 touchdowns, five interceptions, and 13 turnover-worthy plays, per Pro Football Focus.
Now 4-4 with Klubnik's subpar play, he was asked about the prospect of playing backup Hunter Helms.
First caller asks if Dabo Swinney might consider playing backup QB Hunter Helms over Cade Klubnik at some point.
"Not that it couldn't happen ... but we haven't had a situation where we felt, hey, we need to sit this guy down."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
Again, Klubnik hasn't played poorly, and the Tigers are still two wins away from being bowl-eligible.
"Not that it couldn't happen ... but we haven't had a situation where we felt, hey, we need to sit this guy down," Swinney said regarding playing Helms over Klubnik.
Then, during the show, a caller came in with a red-hot question for the 53-year-old coach.
The second caller is going in Dabo Swinney.
"Why are we paying you $11.5 million to make 4-4."
Swinney is fiery in response.
"You can have all your opinions you want. I don't know how old you are, don't care. We won 11 games last year and you're part of the problem."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
"Why are we paying you $11.5 million to make 4-4," the caller asked.
Swinney responded fiercely, saying, "You can have all your opinions you want. I don't know how old you are, don't care. We won 11 games last year and you're part of the problem."
On the subject of his salary, Swinney added, "I started at the lowest paid business in this frickin' business and I'm not gonna let some smart ass kid get on this phone and create this stuff."
Swinney says Clemson has won so much people have lost an appreciation for winning.
On his salary, he says, "I started at the lowest paid business in this frickin' business and I'm not gonna let some smart ass kid get on this phone and create this stuff."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
Swinney says to the caller "15 years later I'm still here and I'd say the results are what they are and I stand on them. You don't ever have to call back."
"You ain't gonna talk to me like I'm 12 years old. You be frickin' kidding me."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
After those feisty responses, Swinney, the Tigers head coach since 2009, settled in and calmed down.
He cited this season as a "reset."
"There's gonna be a lot more winning ... We might win another championship next year, it might be six years like the last decade .. but I guarantee you, it won't be 35 years."
Swinney, calmer now, talking to another caller about frustrations. Says this season can be a "reset."
"There’s gonna be a lot more winning ... We might win another championship next year, it might be six years like the last decade .. but I guarantee you, it won’t be 35 years."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
He finished talking about the youth along the offensive line and mentioned a few freshman he liked on the squad in general, including Collin Sadler, Olsen Patt-Henry, and Jay Haynes.
On the offense, Dabo Swinney says freshmen like TE Olsen Patt-Henry and RB Jay Haynes are players he expects to key pieces in the future.
"There’s a lot of things that aren’t showing up on game day just yet that I know are going to be paying dividends for us."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) October 31, 2023
