‘Dabo’s dynasty is done’ at Clemson, Paul Finebaum says
ESPN personality Paul Finebaum made a declaration Tuesday morning in the wake of Clemson football’s stunning road upset to Duke to open the 2023 season.
“Dabo’s dynasty is done. What else can anyone say?” Finebaum said when speaking on ESPN’s “Get Up” morning TV show.
Duke defeated Clemson 28-7 on Monday night in Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. It was a game in which the Tigers made at least four critical mistakes on offense
It was also Clemson’s 59th game under Swinney in which the Tigers had more than 200 rushing yards (213) and 200 passing yards (209), but the first time the Tigers lost when reaching those marks. Clemson is now 58-1 under Swinney — and 108-1 all-time — when breaking 200 yards in both stats.
It was the Clemson program’s third loss in four games dating back to the 2022 season. And it marked three seasons in a row in which Clemson (0-1) lost a game to an unranked opponent.
“It’s really been teetering for a couple of years,” Finebaum said of the Clemson program. “What happened last night is simply unexplainable. ... They didn’t lose to a Florida State or a Notre Dame or an Alabama or a Georgia. They lost to Duke, which has a very good quarterback nice program — ‘nice’ being the operative word.”
Clemson made College Football Playoff appearances and won two national championships from 2015 to 2020, but the program has missed out on the CFP the last two seasons. No team with two losses has made the playoffs.
“They have nowhere the go, and Dabo’s nonsense after the game isn’t going to impress anyone,” Finebaum said. “This program is flat-lining.”
“Get Up” host Mike Greenberg asked Finebaum — a noted Swinney critic — what was nonsense about the coach’s postgame remarks. Swinney called it “the weirdest game I’ve ever been a part of” and said, among other things, “The only thing we know is we can’t be undefeated, but we can have a great great year.”
“What was nonsense is ‘Dabo speak,’ “ Finebaum replied. “This is an old trick of his. It used to work. It’s not working anymore. It’s not resonating in that locker room. Those players right now, I think, are just looking him and going, ‘Try a different act, Dabo. We’ve heard this one before.’ ”
The Tigers return home to face Charleston Southern this Saturday at 2:15 p.m. (ACC Network).
What they’re saying about Dabo, Clemson
A selection of reaction and analysis from national pundits on X, formerly known as Twitter:
Brandon Marcello, 247Sports national reporter: “I’ve said it the last three seasons: Clemson’s problem is/was not DJ Uiagalelei.”
Barrett Sallee, CBS national pundit: “This is an upset, but only because of the point spread. Duke is the better team ... by far. If they play this game 10 times, the Blue Devils would probably win eight of them. ... Sallee went on to write that “the Clemson coaching staff doesn’t trust QB Cade Klubnik.”
Heath Cline, former Columbia radio host: “Dabo’s stubborn insistence that his way is the right way — not using the portal, relying on inexperienced position coaches because of their familiarity with his approach — never made sense if you wanted to stay competitive at the highest level. A new OC wasn’t going to fix that.
Bud Elliott, 247Sports national reporter: “Prediction: This loss prompts Clemson to use the portal in 2024. Admin and those invested won’t let Dabo continue to use bottom roster spots for OKG (our kind of guy) types.”
Stewart Mandel, The Athletic: “It’s not the only reason, but Dabo’s refusal to adapt to the portal era is coaching malpractice. It’s Clemson! They could get Keon Colemans! It’s like Blackberry’s CEO when the iPhone came out. “Who would possibly want a phone without a keyboard?””
This story was originally published September 5, 2023 at 8:21 AM with the headline "‘Dabo’s dynasty is done’ at Clemson, Paul Finebaum says."
