Swinney, Clemson take the podium in Charlotte

In recent years there were reasons to question Clemson’s place near the top of college football, and at the top of the ACC.

What a difference a bunch of talent and experience makes.

BECOME A TIGERILLUSTRATED.com SUBSCRIBER!

What a difference the last year makes after Florida State, the decisive pick to win the ACC last summer, was an unfathomable dumpster fire on the way to a two-win season (and one of those wins at the hands of mighty Charleston Southern).

Dabo Swinney strode to the podium today in Charlotte as he prepares for his 17th full season as head coach at Clemson.

ALSO SEE: Thursday Clemson Football Recruiting Insider | Recruiting Big Board: Linebacker | SUMMER UPDATE: Avieon Terrell | Our 1-on-1 interview with Clemson Football General Manager Jordan Sorrells – Part 2 | Our 1-on-1 interview with Clemson Football General Manager Jordan Sorrells – Part 1 | Clemson’s verbal commitments

The Tigers have won the ACC nine times over that stretch, and they’re favored to make it 10 in 2025.

Here are some of the more interesting themes from Clemson’s visit with the media in Charlotte. Swinney was joined by Cade Klubnik, Antonio Williams, Peter Woods and TJ Parker.

BULLET POINTS

— Swinney was asked about the questions in recent years about Clemson falling off.

“We did something last year that only four teams in 160 years of college football have done. Fourteen straight nine-plus win seasons. We’ve earned that through consistency. We’re not perfect but we’re incredibly consistent and that’s because we’re purpose-driven and relationship-driven. That’s reflected in every way within our program. … Education is the start of our purpose and the kids who come here align with that.

“After the craziest three years in college football we’re also tops in retention. We’ve been incredibly consistent not just in winning but how we’ve won. …

“They reason y’all are talking about how good we are is people stay. They choose to stay. Everybody has a choice. That just speaks to living daily, our purpose that we have in our program.”

— On all the veterans on this team: “Experience doesn’t come at a discount.”

“Our quarterback has had to manage success well and he’s had to manage failure well.

“These guys have to choose to come, but then they have to choose to stay. It says a lot about how we put it together on the front end with guys who want structure and family and accountability. These guys could’ve gone anywhere they wanted to go.

“Last year’s glimpse at the top of the mountain has given them a little fuel as they’ve gotten back to work. They have a very clear vision of how they want to finish. Now they’ve got to go do the work.”

— “This team has the ingredients to be a really good team but we’ve got to go do the work. Y’all can’t predict our way in it. We’ve got to go do it.”

— He says he’s most excited about presiding over a complete team when they begin practice in a week. They had so many guys missing from spring practice.

— “We like to say we are a leadership organization. We just play football doing it.”

— He said 81 percent of his players who have gotten a shot at the NFL have made a roster. 

“That’s incredible.”

— Woods said he feels the greatest he’s ever felt as far as being in shape.

— Klubnik said this is not a loud team. Not a lot of yapping about what they’ve done or what they’re going to do. They just keep their head down, persevere and try to be the best they can be.

— Dabo on Antonio Williams: “What a stud, man.”

— Dabo said Cade got here at 175 pounds and really wasn’t ready to play. I couldn’t get him to use his legs (in 2023). But if you’re made of the right stuff, it shines you up. And he’s got the right stuff.

“It was easy for me to say: ‘Hey man, you’re going to get better.’ I just believed in him. It’s easy now to compromise. I try to lead with conviction. That’s just how I go about my life. I had a lot of conviction that it was important enough to him to go get better.”

He says Cade is 207 pounds now.

“If the good Lord keeps him healthy we’ll always have a chance with that guy.”

— Dabo says Christopher Vizzina is “blooming.” He pointed out that Garrett Nussmeier sat behind Jayden Daniels and that’s not easy to do.

BECOME A TIGERILLUSTRATED.com SUBSCRIBER!

— Dabo on Tom Allen: “There were a lot of good coaches out there, but I was looking for the right leader.”

— Parker said Tom Allen has been perfect for him in large part because “I need to be coached as hard as possible. You can get in my face and tell me what it is.”

DISCUSSION: Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone Forum

He said Allen demands a lot more accountability than they’ve ever seen before.

DISCUSSION: Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on our off-topics forum

— Dabo said Woods and Parker are going to graduate in three years in December.