Overreaction Monday: Gauging the truth to some of the biggest questions for Clemson.
Clemson fans are experiencing something they haven't in a long time. The last time the Tigers lost three games before November was in 2010, Dabo Swinney's second season as head coach. Since then, the Tigers have been on a run of success that's only been surpassed by Alabama's historical dominance under Nick Saban.
For a long time, Clemson fans were living every college football fan's dreams. Now, they're living their reality. But it's easy to look into the void after a loss and see only despair, and, usually, it's not that bad. So what's truly broken and what is just shaky?
Cade Klubnik threw for over 300 yards at Miami but turned the ball over twice in the loss.
Overreaction or fair?
College football has passed Dabo Swinney by.
Let's get the obvious out of the way. This is an overreaction of the highest sorts. There are a plethora of reasons as to why Clemson has dropped three games this year, but Dabo Swinney forgetting how to coach isn't among them. Sure, you can question his transfer portal policies, but what position groups could've truly been upgraded by the portal? Wide receiver and kicker, maybe? In hindsight, another veteran quarterback wouldn't have been a bad thing, but this was always going to be Klubnik's team. Clemson is down, but Swinney deserves the benefit of the doubt because they're only down from the pinnacle he created.
Cade Klubnik might not be special.
This one is fair. This is certainly not a shot at Klubnik; being compared to Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson, and Trevor Lawrence isn't a fair standard for any quarterback. With that said, Klubnik came in with as lofty of expectations and acclaim as any of them. Sure, he's thrown for a bunch of yards (1,684), but they're mostly hollow, coming between the 20s. He has still yet to lead a defining drive and the turnovers are starting to become a calling card. Sometimes five stars don't pan out, it happens. The verdict is still out on Cade Klubnik.
Garrett Riley isn't ready for primetime.
Also fair. The Riley name is synonymous with great offense, but when has that great offense ever produced results at the highest level? Lincoln Riley, Garrett's older brother, made several College Football Playoff appearances at Oklahoma but never won one. Last year, his USC squad dropped the Pac-12 Championship Game and then lost to Tulane in the NY6. As for Garrett, his SMU team lost four out of their last five conference games in the American in 2021. The next year, at TCU, the Horned Frogs made it to the Big 12 Championship after winning five of their conference games by one score or less. They'd lose that title game to Kansas State. Yes, they then went on to upset Michigan in the CFP, but two defensive touchdowns from the Horned Frogs were the difference. Then, against Georgia in the title game, Riley's offense mustered just seven points and turned the ball over twice in the most lopsided bowl game in history. The point is, for as much flash as these offenses have produced, they don't win when it matters the most. At least they haven't as of yet. Clemson operates at the top of the sport and will continue to get every team's best shot. So far, Riley hasn't answered.
