Clemson’s start to the 2024 college football season couldn’t have gone any worse. The Tigers were blown out by their SEC rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, 34-3, Saturday afternoon.
And social media wasn’t kind to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
Swinney has not embraced the evolution of college football’s transfer portal, which has allowed programs to improve quickly by bringing in new talent each year.
After seeing the results Saturday, fans immediately pointed to that as the reason for Clemson’s lack of success against the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
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Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)
Swinney responded to a question about the transfer portal after the loss.
“People are going to say whatever they want to say,” Swinney said, via ClemsonWire. “It doesn’t matter what I say. People are going to say whatever they’re going to say. And when you lose like this, they’ve got every right to say whatever they want to say. So, say whatever you want to say, write whatever you want to write. That comes with it. That’s just part of it.”
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made comments about Swinney’s program-building strategy a few days prior to their matchup, saying “I’m like Dabo” in that he wants to keep his entire roster. However, Smart has done a good job of utilizing the transfer portal since its inception, leading to great Bulldogs teams the past few years with national titles.
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Swinney’s thought process wouldn’t matter if Clemson, the No. 14-ranked team in the country entering the year, performed better against Georgia. But that wasn’t the case, and fingers were pointed directly at him by critics on social media.
“Dabo Swinney’s job is to do everything he can to assemble a team that can compete at the highest level of college football,” one X user tweeted. “He’s not doing his job and will be criticized accordingly and it’s completely fair.”
Another X user wrote, “Dabo Swinney’s refusal to use the transfer portal, negative stance toward NIL is on full display today. The talent Georgia has compared to Clemson is night and day. Swinney is a VCR stuck in a Blue (sic) Ray world.”
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney reacts on the sideline during the second half of the Aflac Kickoff Game against Georgia in Atlanta Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (IMAGN)
There was much more, with social media users posting memes to convey their thoughts about Swinney.
While Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik struggled, going 18-for-29 for 142 yards, one interception and no touchdowns, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was electric for the Bulldogs.
Beck, expected to be a Heisman Trophy candidate this season, threw for 278 yards on 23-for-33 with two touchdowns. Running back Nate Frazier also scored on the ground, leading the Bulldogs in rushing with 83 yards on 11 carries.
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts after a call by an official during the first quarter of the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Sports)
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Clemson’s start was less than ideal, but it will have a chance to bounce back next week in its home opener against Appalachian State.
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