Dabo is 'really done' at Clemson this time, Paul Finebaum says

The critics are out in force against Dabo Swinney and his performance at Clemson the last few years, and especially after his team's ugly Week 1 loss to Georgia.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney remains the target of intense criticism after Saturday's ugly loss to Georgia, and the general trend of his program since 2020. / Ken Ruinard - USA TODAY Sports

There was cautious optimism around Clemson coming into the 2024 football season, but after coming out the wrong end of a 34-3 decision against No. 1 Georgia, head coach Dabo Swinney is once again in the crossfire as critics have raised their concerns around his handling of the program.

Loud among those critics is long-time college football commentator Paul Finebaum, who used his platform on ESPN to effectively declare that the end is nigh for Dabo at Clemson.

"Sadly, it seems like Dabo, this time, is really done at Clemson," he said.

"Sadly, it seems like Dabo is really done this time at Clemson...Clearly, he has screwed up badly, refusing to go into the portal."

- Paul Finebaum on Dabo Swinney. pic.twitter.com/e3uUpHwokn

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 2, 2024

"We have been writing them off for some time, but they've been hanging around. But they were up against the best kid on the block on Saturday, and they got manhandled, and there's nowhere to go for Dabo Swinney.

"He can complain about the criticism, he can say he's going the right thing, but clearly he has screwed up badly, refusing to go into the portal."

Clemson was one of four FBS schools to not sign any players in the transfer portal this season, as Swinney has confined his talent acquisition to recruiting and in-house development.

That tactic has aroused plenty of criticism, or at least skepticism, from commentators as schools have used the portal liberally since it was introduced, with thousands of players making moves the last few years.

Clemson has not qualified for the College Football Playoff since it was a semifinalist in 2020 and lost to Ohio State, and underwent notable coaching changes among its high-profile assistants shortly thereafter.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables departed the program to become head coach at Oklahoma in 2022, the same year offensive coordinator Tony Elliott left to take over the Virginia program.

Finebaum believes one fact that proves Swinney's increasing irrelevance is the fact that Alabama didn't interview him for the head coaching position after Nick Saban's retirement.

That's despite the fact that Swinney was born in the state and played on the Crimson Tide's national championship team in 1992.

"My point here is that the top schools don't want anything to do with him," Finebaum said.

"For this reason, he will not bend. He can stay at Clemson for a long time, although I hear from Clemson fans, they're frustrated, too. No, they're not firing Dabo Swinney, but they're fed up with his stubbornness.

"All he has to do is adjust," Finebaum added, "and that program can return to the top of the ACC. But as long as he is stubborn, they will not. They will not return to prominence."

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