Latest news with #DaboSwinney
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dabo Swinney Flaunts Clemson Achievements Amid Changing College Football Landscape
Dabo Swinney Flaunts Clemson Achievements Amid Changing College Football Landscape originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The college football landscape in 2025 is vastly different than the one Dabo Swinney saw when he was named Clemson's 27th head football coach in 2008. Advertisement In 2018, months before Swinney led Clemson to its third national title in program history, the NCAA introduced the transfer portal, launching a new era in player movement from one program to another. This change in player mobility was followed by the start of the "NIL era." Beginning July 1, 2021, players could profit from their name, image and likeness like never before. This changed the function of many college football "blue bloods" and attracted top talent from around the country. But not Clemson. Entering his 17th season as the Tigers' coach, Swinney continues to position himself as an NIL skeptic who is leaning into his reputation as an elite recruiter. Swinney became more entrenched in his stance after he guided Clemson to a surprise ACC Championship Game win and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Advertisement "We're top in the country in retention, and we also have the highest graduation rate," Swinney said on ESPN's "College Gameday Podcast." "We've been in the Playoff seven times in 10 years, and we've won the league eight out of 10 years. It's all been driven by a purpose, and that's what we stay committed to. That's our north star." Swinney and Clemson did bend their "rules" a bit to secure Cade Klubnik on a $3.3 million NIL contract. But Klubnik's growth in 2024 helped the Tigers return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. It may prove to be the best $3 million spent in school history if Klubnik can deliver a national title in 2025. Related: Cade Klubnik's Emotional Reaction To EA Sports College Football 26 News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Clemson's Dabo Swinney has ‘secret sauce' to take down Bill Belichick's UNC ‘Patriots'
Clemson's Dabo Swinney is set up for an NFL-fueled ACC challenge next year, which he has described as facing the 'New England Patriots.' The Tigers will be visiting the Bill Belichick-led North Carolina on Oct. 4, followed by Boston College, coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. In a joint interview of Swinney and Belichick by ESPN's Rece Davis, Swinney admitted he isn't fazed by the changes in the conference since Belichick's arrival. Advertisement 5 Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers looks on during the spring game at Memorial Stadium on April 05, 2025 in Clemson, South Carolina. Getty Images for ONIT 5 Head coach Bill O'Brien of the Boston College Eagles reacts during the second half of the game against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. Getty Images 'We play the New England Patriots this year,' Swinney said light-heartedly. 'We go to North Carolina, and then we go to Boston College to play Bill O'Brien. So, I feel like I'm playing the whole Patriots organization in about a two-week span there.' Advertisement Swinney also joked the Tigers have a 'secret sauce' to beat them, that secret being former Patriots punter Ryan Allen, who is currently Clemson's specialists coach. 'We're going to lean on him heavy to figure out how to defeat y'all's punt block team or whatever else,' he added of Allen. 5 Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels coaches at Kenan Stadium on April 12, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Getty Images 5 Clemson's Dabo Swinney (l.) and North Carolina's Bill Belichick (r.) during an interview with ESPN's Rece Davis. YouTube/ACC Network Advertisement Swinney has won 14 games over the Tar Heels since coaching at Clemson, starting in 2008. Their last meeting came in 2023, and the Tigers took a 31-20 victory. North Carolina is on a six-game losing streak against Clemson. In their last 10 meetings, the Tar Heels are 1-9, and they hold a 15-34-1 overall record against the Tigers. Swinney also holds an impressive 39-5 record against teams from North Carolina overall. 5 Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers looks on with Cade Klubnik #2 during the spring game at Memorial Stadium on April 05, 2025 in Clemson, South Carolina. Getty Images for ONIT Advertisement Even so, North Carolina is the least of Swinney's worries for 2025, as Clemson has struggled to compete for a championship. Their most recent national championship win was in 2018 with Deshaun Watson under center.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where does Texas HC Steve Sarkisian rank in CBS Sports 2025 Head coach rankings?
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is ranked No. 4 in the CBS Sports 2025 Power Four head coach rankings, according to the latest list released by the network's college football experts. The annual rankings, which poll a panel of CBS Sports and 247Sports analysts, place Sarkisian just behind Georgia's Kirby Smart (No. 1), Ohio State's Ryan Day (No. 2), and Clemson's Dabo Swinney (No. 3). Sarkisian's rise to the No. 4 spot comes after guiding the Longhorns to back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinal appearances and nearly winning the SEC in their first season in the conference. The panel credits Sarkisian for reestablishing Texas as a national contender, noting that he 'robbed us of our ability to make 'Texas is Back!' jokes. Because Texas is back among the elite' If you were to ask our panel of voters about which coach without a national title would be the next to win it, Steve Sarkisian would win the poll. I know this because we've done it! In the words of my Cover 3 Podcast co-host and fellow voter Chip Patterson, the best way to summarize what Sark has done in Austin is he's robbed us of our ability to make "Texas is Back!" jokes. Because Texas is back among the elite. It nearly won the SEC in its first season and is the favorite to do so in 2025. He's always been one of the best play callers in football, but now he's added the ability to run a program to the resume. I'd bet on him remaining a mainstay in our top 10 for the entirety of his run at Texas. Advertisement CBS Sports experts also identified Sarkisian as the most likely Power Four coach without a national title to win one soon, highlighting his reputation as one of football's top play callers and program builders. With former top recruit Arch Manning set to take over as quarterback, expectations remain high for Texas heading into the 2025 season. The Texas Longhorns will face the same opponents as they did last year in the SEC, just flipped home-away schedules. The Longhorns will begin their season on August 30 in Columbus against the defending national champions the Ohio State Buckeyes. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Where is Texas HC Steve Sarkisian ranked in CBS Sports latest rankings
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
ESPN ranks Clemson among the top offseasons in college football
Clemson football has quietly put together one of the most productive offseasons in the country — and ESPN has taken notice. In a new set of rankings evaluating offseason performance across the Power 4 conferences, ESPN slotted Clemson at the top of the ACC and No. 5 nationally. The list takes into account player retention, staff continuity or upgrades, and roster additions through the transfer portal and recruiting. Advertisement 'The Tigers lead the nation in returning production and potentially made an upgrade at defensive coordinator. That's a pretty good offseason!' ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote. 'The only thing holding them back here is a merely fine recruiting haul. It's good that Swinney is using the transfer portal now, but he's still only barely using it.' Clemson was the only ACC program to crack the national top five, joining LSU (No. 1), Texas Tech, Penn State, and Oregon. Miami came in at No. 2 in the ACC and No. 8 overall, followed by Duke, Florida State, and Virginia to round out the top five in the league. Stanford landed in last among the 17 ACC teams. Several of Clemson's 2025 opponents earned spots in the ACC's offseason rankings as well: Louisville (No. 6), Georgia Tech (No. 7), SMU (No. 8), North Carolina (No. 12), Boston College (No. 13), and Syracuse (No. 14). Florida State and Duke also appear on Clemson's 2025 slate. ESPN credited head coach Dabo Swinney for adjusting his approach in key areas, most notably with staff and portal usage. 'Coach Dabo Swinney's aversion to transfers often made Clemson an unlikely candidate for a top offseason,' Connelly wrote. 'But this winter, Swinney went to the portal for defensive end Will Heldt and others. Clemson also kept quarterback Cade Klubnik, talented defensive linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods and a dynamic group of receivers from the ACC championship team. He also upgraded the defensive staff with coordinator Tom Allen.' Advertisement Elsewhere, South Carolina ranked No. 10 in the SEC's offseason rundown. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions. This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: ESPN landed high in ESPN's college football offseason rankings
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Clemson Lands Inside Top 10 of ESPN's 2025 Rankings Before Blockbuster Season Opener
Clemson has officially entered the summer as a top-10 team in ESPN's updated SP+ rankings, coming in at No. 8 overall-a sign of strong program stability, efficient roster retention, and confidence in Dabo Swinney's ability to develop and reload without diving into the chaos of the transfer portal. This year's SP+ projections are built on a refined formula of returning production, recent recruiting, and program history, and Clemson checks enough boxes to remain firmly in the national spotlight. The Tigers return key pieces on both sides of the ball, including projected Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Cade Klubnik and his elite wide receiver corps, as well as defensive end T.J. Parker and defensive lineman Peter Woods. The SP+ model isn't about reputation or hype-it's about sustainable efficiency, adjusted for tempo and opponent strength. That's why Clemson's consistency, elite recruiting base help explain their standing. They've also benefited from stability at the coordinator spots for the first time in several years, with Garrett Riley entering Year 3 guiding the offense. What makes this ranking even more compelling is who sits directly behind Clemson: LSU, the Tigers' Week 1 opponent. Brian Kelly's squad enters at No. 9, creating a highly anticipated top-10 matchup to kick off the season. The outcome will offer early clarity on which Tigers-Death Valley's or Baton Rouge's-are more primed for a College Football Playoff push. With the transfer portal averaging over 19 moves per team this offseason, Clemson remains one of the rare elite programs building more from within. That identity is being tested in the modern landscape, but if these projections are any indication, Swinney's model still works-and might just thrive in 2025. Related: Clemson vs. South Carolina Rivalry Called 'Laughably One-Sided' by National Outlet Related: Clemson Surging in Battle With Georgia, Ohio State for Elite 2026 LB Related: Trevor Lawrence Makes Honest Admission About Travis Hunter's Impact on Jaguars Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
