Dabo Swinney ‘paying too much attention to the media’: Desmond Howard

Dabo Swinney’s head is seemingly scrambled, at least according to one former Heisman Trophy winner.

College football fans and the media pegged Clemson as a national championship contender this offseason. Yet, after the Tigers lost two of their first three games to start the 2025 season, it’s been open season for criticism against Swinney and his team.

The head coach, who has been at the helm of the program since 2008, hit a breaking point this week with a full-fledged rant during a press conference.

He turned a question about Clemson’s offensive struggles into a monologue about the ungratefulness of the Clemson fans, which convinced ESPN’s “College GameDay” panelist — and former Michigan star — Desmond Howard that Swinney pays too much attention to the media.

“The most disappointing thing is that most coaches always tell their players, ‘Don’t pay attention to the media. Don’t pay attention to social media,” Howard said. “When he answered that question, he answered to get something off his chest. The question was, ‘What’s the one offensive play you would like to have back in the Georgia Tech game?’ And then he gave that 13-minute rant … so, he obviously has something he wanted to get off his chest because he’s paying too much attention to the media.”

Swinney’s “rant” went on for 13 minutes.

“What’s so bad about our program? What’s so bad about it?” Swinney said this week. “Like, what’s so bad about the worst season — 14 years, how many programs in college football would sign up for, and only once in 14 years, nine wins. Why are we held to a different standard to all these other teams out there who ain’t ever won nothing? We’re not perfect. And we may suck this year. We may lay a freaking egg and go 6-6, but I don’t think so.”

“If they want me gone, if they’re tired of winning, they can send me on their way,” Clemson’s head coach continued. “Because that’s all we’ve done is winning. If they’re tired of winning, we’ve won this league eight out of the last 10 years. Is that not good? If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way. But I can go somewhere else and coach. I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I’ve got a long way to go.”

Swinney has set a standard for the Clemson program that fans now expect every year.

The Tigers won a national championship in 2015, and Swinney has won two ACC Coach of the Year awards. On top of that, the Tigers haven’t been below .500 since 2010 with a 6-7 season.

“Dabo seems resistant to that change, and that’s why people are starting to come at him,” Howard added. “Because he wants to do things his way. I have a lot of confidence, respect for Dabo and the way he goes about his business. But, obviously, he set a particular standard there in Clemson. That’s what his fans are used to. And they haven’t reached that point so far this season.”

Clemson fell in its season opener to LSU, and Swinney had some choice words with coach Brian Kelly. The Tigers also lost last week on the road to Georgia Tech in a walk-off field goal.

Clemson responded to the tough conference loss with an uninspiring first half Saturday at home against Syracuse, trailing, 24-14 before a lightning delay ahead of the second half.