Clemson coach Swinney’s vow: ‘We’ll win more championships’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he and his Tigers aren’t done winning championships.

The evidence? The way Clemson finished the season with four straight wins including a satisfying, 28-14 victory over rival South Carolina on Saturday.

“We are going to achieve great things. We’re going to win more championships,” Swinney said. “Why I can say that is we’ve done it over and over and over.”

The resume tells the story of Swinney’s 17 full seasons: two national titles, nine Atlantic Coast Conference championships and 13 seasons with 10 or more wins.

And expectations for the defending league champs were as high as ever heading into the season. But the Tigers lost four of their first five home games, including a prestige matchup with LSU, to fall from the conference and national title picture at 3-5.

Swinney heard the critics about he’s lost touch with modern college football, maybe a different job might be best for he and Clemson. The coach and his players laughed off much of it.

Some of the outside noise was “toxic stuff, really nasty,” Swinney said. His players, though, tuned it out and got down to the business of improving week by week. It culminated with a closing performance at their rivals’ home where the Tigers made their share of mistakes — Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik threw an interception in the end zone and fumbled the ball and picked it back up on what turned into a 3-yard TD run — and still came out on top.

“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” Klubnik said. “I wouldn’t want to have ever played for anyone else.”

This year’s run was similar to 2023 when Clemson and Swinney won their final five games after a 4-4 start. That time, the players rallied for another memorable November with wins over Florida State, Louisville and Furman before the Gamecocks.

“What you saw this year with this team is unique,” Swinney said.

Swinney, 56, remains enthralled with turning prospects into top players and people. After another bowl trip — the 16th of his tenure — he’ll get to work on improving the team. Clemson is sure to lose several key performers. Wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, and cornerback Avieon Terrell are all likely high picks in the next NFL draft.

Klubnik and tailback Adam Randall also won’t be back. There are sure to be some players entering the transfer portal, although Swinney is hopeful those losses are minimal.

Those who stay for spring practice will get his best after the hurdles he saw his team overcome to finish so strongly.

“It’s inspiring to me as a grown man,” he said. “To know that you’ve got future generations of young people that are wired like that.”

Swinney’s contract runs through 2031 and he expects to bring Clemson more football success in those seasons.

“It’s been in a lot of fun to be in the fight with them, try to help them, try to teach them,” Swinney said. “I’ve grown a ton in this year in what I’ve learned from these guys. Just watching how resilient they are.”

It’s a quality Swinney knows will serve the Tigers well going forward.

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