Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney Reflects on Team’s Disappointing Start

CLEMSON, South Carolina — Following a tough 34-21 home loss to Syracuse on Saturday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney expressed deep disappointment as his team fell to 1-3, its worst start since 2004.

“This is a bad, bad feeling. Terrible,” Swinney said. “When we don’t get the results we want, it’s a pain that’s hard to describe. But it comes with the territory. So we got to flush it. There’s no hope for a better yesterday.”

Clemson entered the game as a 17.5-point favorite but suffered its largest home defeat against an unranked opponent since 2001. With previous losses to teams like Duke and Florida State, Swinney’s squad now holds three losses in its first four games, a first in his 15 years as head coach.

After the game, Swinney admitted he was emotional during the playing of the school’s alma mater. “Disappointed, painful, hurt,” he added. “I’m human. I love this place, and when I don’t get the job done, I’m responsible. I feel the pain of everyone involved.”

Despite the team’s struggles, the coach remains optimistic. After a team meeting on Monday, he noted it was one of the best discussions he had ever experienced. “We’re not going to win the national championship this year, but we can still have a successful season,” Swinney said.

The Tigers have a bye week before their matchup against North Carolina on October 4. Swinney believes this break is beneficial for the team, which he described as “beat up emotionally and physically.”

Quarterback Cade Klubnik has faced challenges, completing just 60% of his passes so far. Swinney confirmed that Klubnik would remain the starter. “It’s a frustrating thing because we are a talented football team,” he said. “We’ve underachieved, and that falls on me.”

Reflecting on the team’s future, Swinney emphasized that it’s important to focus on what lies ahead and to not dwell on missed opportunities. “We have an eight-game season ahead of us. We have to fight to create momentum,” he explained.

As the alma mater played, Swinney stood emotionally with his players, reinforcing the bonds built over 23 years at Clemson. “I know there are better days ahead, and tough times will make us appreciate the good ones even more,” he said.