Dabo Swinney on what Clemson needs to do to return to the College Football Playoff

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program were a staple of the College Football Playoff during its inception, but the Tigers have been on the outside looking in the past few seasons.

It’s been three seasons since the Tigers have been to the CFP, after going to six straight. When asked about what the Tigers need to do to make a return to the new 12-team playoff, Swinney touched primarily on the offensive side of the ball. He believes Clemson needs to get the big plays back and fix their issues in the red zone.

“The difference between 2015-’20, when we were great, we were number one in those close games. We were eighty-two percent,” Swinney said. “We were like 18-4 or something like that. In 2021, 22 and 23, we are twenty-seventh in the country and sixty-five percent. We have not won the close games.”

Clemson had 22 turnovers in 2023, way too many for a successful team. The 13 fumbles between Tigers’ players was one of the worst marks in the country. With a more veteran offense in 2024, the Tigers can clean these things up.

“You are talking a few plays, and the narrative is different,” Swinney said. “That is how close it is when you are trying to make a College Football Playoff Final Four. When we were great, we won those close game, we made those plays.

“We were really, really good when it came to finishing and scoring in the red zone and not letting people score. It is the fundamentals of what we do,” Swinney said. “It is recruiting. It is us coaching, it is all of it together. It’s guys getting better. Some of it is good luck. Luck is a part of it too. Sometimes, things just bounce your way. We have had a lot of good fortune over the years.

“It would be different if we were 9-4 and getting our teeth kicked in. But that is not the case.”

Can Clemson fix these issues in 2024? They’ve got a great shot with Swinney at the helm.