Aaron Murray claims Clemson, Dabo Swinney should be 'embarrassed' by struggles

Coming into the season, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t have Clemson as a favorite to win the ACC. In many cases, the Tigers were expected to even compete for a national championship. However, after starting the season 1-3, Dabo Swinney is searching for answers.

Among those frustrated by Clemson is Aaron Murray. The former Georgia quarterback appeared on Always College Football. There, he explained why Clemson has been such a surprise to open the 2025 season.

“I would say the big surprise,” Aaron Murray said. “The low-hanging fruit is Clemson. I picked Clemson to win the national championship. So, to sit back and see — I posted this. It just drives me crazy… But it’s the way they’re losing. I mean, they are getting just punched in the mouth upfront.”

Clemson opened with a respectable loss to LSU. After that, they’d earn a win against Troy before dropping their first two ACC games to Georgia Tech and Syracuse, respectively. In every game, Murray saw a defensive line not playing up to expectations.

“All these supposed first round picks at defensive line and now that, obviously, LSU hasn’t looked as good, you’re like, ‘Okay, you got pushed around by LSU and that new offensive line in Week 1.’ Georgia Tech beat them up at the line of scrimmage. Then, this past week, Syracuse. I saw Syracuse moving them to the second level. You’re talking about a defense that was supposed to have all this talent, all these first rounders up front,” Murray said. “And I love Georgia Tech and I love Syracuse and what Fran Brown is doing, but you’re supposed to be Clemson. You’re supposed to be this elite team with all this talent, and you’re getting blown off the ball in your home stadium.”

In all of this, Clemson needs to find a way to hit the reset button. This upcoming week, the Tigers will have a bye. After that, they’re set to play a similarly struggling North Carolina team. For Swinney, that needs to be the turning point in this season.

“Losses suck, but the way they’re losing is just mind-blowing to me. It’s embarrassing. I’d be embarrassed if I was a Clemson fan,” Murray said. “I’d be embarrassed if I was Dabo because you are what you put on tape. It’s been four weeks of that. I don’t know if you can really change it. You are who you are right now, and it’s not a physical team. The quarterback has been inconsistent throwing the football. All things I thought Clemson was going to be this year, they’re not. So, I’m surprised about that.”

Paul Finebaum calls Dabo Swinney ‘a laughing stock’ amid 1-3 start

Dabo Swinney is receiving criticism from around the country now. That includes from Paul Finebaum who is saying it’s time for the legendary coach to move on.

“My advice to Dabo, and I know he doesn’t like taking advice from people like me, is to get out of there. Be quiet. Quit talking. Because, he has no credibility now with his fan base. I mean, they’ve heard the whines before. He’s become a meme. He’s become, for a really good coach — and I do believe he’s a really good coach — he’s become somewhat of a laughing stock every time he opens his mouth,” Finebaum said.

“It’s time for him to do one of two things. It’s either consider another school, and I think he is hireable if he quits talking. Or, just get away from football and become a TV guy. He’s very funny, he’s very clever. He’s got more credentials than any other non-TV coach out there. And what I mean by that is Saban has already got a job. I’m not talking about him. I’m talking about of the people that can leave coaching and go into TV, he would be very coveted.”