Clemson's Swinney says Tigers must reset goals following 1-3 start to the season

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CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Still stinging from a devastating 34-21 home loss to Syracuse that dropped his team to 1-3 on the season, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said it's time to reset season goals heading into the bye week. He added that he doesn't anticipate making a change at quarterback or firing any of his coaching staff.

“We’re not going to win the national championship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t win the season," a subdued Swinney said Monday night on a Zoom call.

The Tigers began the season ranked No. 4 in the nation, were selected as the overwhelming favorite to win another Atlantic Coast Conference championship and one of the favorites to win a fourth national championship. The Tigers were returning the most experienced team in the country, which included first-team preseason Associated Press All-American quarterback Cade Klubnik.

But Klubnik and the rest of the Tigers have been awful.

After losses to LSU, Georgia Tech and Syracuse, the Tigers find themselves 0-2 in league play and all but out of the national championship picture. The Tigers were 17 1/2-point home favorites against the Orange, but were completely outplayed and trailed most of the game by double digits.

Television cameras showed Swinney fighting back tears as he stood with his players on the field at Memorial Stadium on Saturday as the Clemson band played the school's alma mater.

“Disappointed, painful, hurt,” Swinney said in his postgame media session Saturday. “I’m human. I’m not a cyborg. This is my life. I’ve been here 23 years. I love this place. I give this place the best I’ve got every single day."

Swinney said Monday that the Tigers will spend the week reevaluating the issues that have led to slow starts in all four games, including in their lone victory over Troy. Klubnik's starting job is safe for now, although Swinney emphasized that he and other players have to be better.

This is the first time Clemson has started 1-3 under its star coach and only a few thousand fans stuck around to watch the final few minutes of the Syracuse game.

“This is a tough moment for us, but it will make us better," Swinney said. "... We will rally. The open date is coming at a really good time for us.”

Swinney, who has led Clemson to eight of the past 10 ACC championships and is 181-50 in 18 seasons, was much more subdued than a week ago when he lashed out during a 14-minute rant that including talk of his future as Clemson's coach.

“If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way,” he said after his team's road loss to Georgia Tech. "I’ll go somewhere else and coach. I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I got a long way to go.”

The Tigers next game is Oct. 4 against North Carolina, another team that has failed to live up to expectations.

The Swinney-Bill Belichick contest was billed as one of the biggest on the college slate this season, but the game was recently listed in the noon Eastern time slot — something few could have imagined a few months ago — a reflection of each team's struggles.

The ACC normally saves its better games for prime time programming.

Swinney said he hadn't heard about Syracuse being fined $25,000 and publicly reprimanded for feigning injuries in the win over Clemson. He refused to comment on the news, saying that is something that is up to the officials. Instead, he praised Syracuse coach Fran Brown for the way his team competed.

For now, Swinney's only concern is on what is ahead.

“We just have to flush it, bury it and focus on what is in front of us,” Swinney said. "I have no doubt these guys will respond. ... We will come back stronger than ever.”

Swinney said there is no quit in his players and staff, while acknowledging how painful this season has been for everyone in the Clemson program — especially the team's seniors.

“We all have a job to do and it’s my job to make sure we are better," Swinney said. "We have not achieved what we expected to achieve. .... It’s not been what we have worked for.”

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