Orlando, Fla. - Dabo Swinney knows very well what everyone outside Clemson is saying about his program, and really, they can talk all they want about whether the end is near now that the Tigers are in college for the first time. Have missed the football playoffs in seven years.
Here's what Swine will tell you. On October 1, he went to the team meeting with a list. His team's record was 2-2. No player, who started his Clemson career with two losses in September, had ever looked back.
In his list, Swine wrote over 30 teams, all with two losses. "We're going to find out a lot in the next two months about who we are," he told his players.
Only two teams on that list finished the regular season with nine wins: Clemson and Utah. So, yeah, this wasn't the season Clemson gets used to. But no, Swine is not disappointed with his players and is not ready to admit that his program has taken a step back.
Because when the Cheez-It Bowl begins Wednesday night (5:45 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN apps), Clemson (9-3) is facing Iowa State (7-5), the Tigers in 11th straight Going on to a 10-win season. Only two teams have reached double-digit victories in 11 consecutive seasons: Florida State (14 from 1987 to 2000) and Alabama (14 from 2008 to 2021).
"You're sitting at 2-2 in September with a lot of disappointment, a lot of negativity, a lot of noise," Swain told ESPN. "And you really saw the foundation of our program shine through and win the day. I'm really proud of how it's come together and how these people have been together and gotten better and better."
Still, opponents point out that Swinney is just trying to put a spin on a season that began with a No. 3 preseason ranking but ended without a championship for the first time since 2014. The offense certainly resembled non-Clemson for a long time, starting with quarterback DJ Uigalelli, who struggled at times to find any rhythm, throwing just nine touchdown passes with nine interceptions this season.
But some of that can be attributed to major injuries on running backwards and receivers. By the final week of the season, Clemson was without seven scholarship recipients.
"All the young players I have from Deshaun [Watson], Trevor [Lawrence] make mistakes, but we were much better around them and it covered those things," Swain said. "We weren't as good as we should have been around DJs early on, and so it exacerbated his mistakes. But it magnified everything that I think is really going to pay off because he's on his own." through livelihood."
The offense wasn't the only part of the team that was dissected this season. Swinney was criticized for not using the transfer portal, which lacked depth in several areas, starting from the offensive line.
Asked about transfers in October, Swain said, "I wouldn't do anything differently." "[To add a transfer] means I don't take one of our kids here. You can only sign so many players."
There has been more criticism in recent weeks after offensive coordinator Tony Elliott (Virginia) and defensive coordinator Brent Venables (Oklahoma) both walked away for head coaching opportunities. Instead of a wholesale change in philosophy, Swinney preached from within. Offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter and co-defensive coordinators Wes Goodwin and Mickey Coon will debut in their new positions on Wednesday.
Swinney has done a lot to defend his schedule and his way of working, and he firmly believes that the adversity his players have faced this season will benefit him in the long run.
"I think some things have been reset with these guys," Swinney said. "You win so much, sometimes you don't really appreciate it.
"Especially the seniors, what kind of adversity do they have? You lose a playoff game. It's not adversity. It was six straight championships, a bunch of big wins along the way, a rhythm: 'This is what we are' We do.' It's nice to engage with them differently because of some challenges, especially in the early days, and then to show the right things. That's what we say: 'It either shines you or grinds you down.' ,
As for the question of whether this marks a turning point for Clemson's dominance, Swinney avoids all this and uses Alabama as an example. Clemson beat Alabama for the 2018 national championship, and in 2019, the Crimson Tide failed to make the playoffs, instead playing Michigan in the Verbo Citrus Bowl.
"I remember when this was going on," Swinney said. "They all said, 'They're done.' No, no. It's a new challenge every year. They come back next year and win the national championships because they are a good event. We are the same. We are a good program. We have never won the ACC championship. Every year we Been here. We've won it seven out of the last 11 years. I wish I could say we won 11, but in those years we didn't, we just went back to work. We'll continue to be one of those teams. For those who are in the hunt because we have a great program, and it's very rooted and established."
Swine can point to his seniors and draft-eligible players for proof. Despite not making the playoffs, none opted out of the bowl game. Swine mentored tight end Davis Allen, who had recently lost his grandfather, but insisted on returning to Orlando to be able to play in the game.
"I think it's the culture of this team," sixth-year linebacker James Skalsky said during a pre-bowl news conference. "We're in the playoffs and the big stages, but for us, we get to play a game again. We all just love playing ball. We like to be together, so it wasn't even an opt-out, like , What? It doesn't matter."
Neither was missing from the playoffs. Clemson is hoping to avoid making that "one thing" for years to come.