Dabo Swinney on Clemson's consistency: 'We've always battled back'

Clemson's 2023 season began with an unexpected jolt as they stumbled to a 28-7 defeat at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils. It was a shocking start for a team that has been a perennial powerhouse in college football, and head coach Dabo Swinney didn't mince words when addressing the loss during his weekly Tiger Calls Coaches Show.

"The start has been written, but the finish hasn't," Swinney said, his voice filled with determination. "It's still all out there, and we've got to stay focused on the things that we control. That's just going back to work today, getting back to practice, setting our eyes forward, and putting our head down-- go to work."

Swinney's optimism about the season ahead remains unwavering despite the early setback.

"The good news is we've got a really good team. I know that it's easy to say, and it's all about results, and it is, but we've got a really good team,” Swinne noted. “We've got a group of guys that are really talented, and they care. When you've got those two things, you're going to get better."

The Tigers now look ahead to their upcoming matchup against Charleston Southern, where they look to bounce back and shake some of the cobwebs from the Duke loss.

Swinney emphasized the importance of the upcoming game, "Regardless of what happened in that game last week, we need to win this week. There's really not anything off the table for these guys. We needed to play a game. Hopefully, that's our one bad game. We did a lot of really good things in the game."

Reflecting on losing the season opener, Swinney drew from Clemson's rich history of resilience. "I mean, there have been three 15-0 teams (in the history of modern college football). The only thing I know is we can't be 15-0. We've been a great and consistent program around here because we've always battled back. This team will battle back. They're made of the right stuff."

Addressing the disappointment fans felt across Tiger Nation after the shocking loss; Swinney empathized with their sentiments.

"It's incredibly disappointing, especially when you're a fan, because you look forward to it, just like we do as a team. It's disappointing,” Swinney stated. “I would say, like we have to do, let's flush it, move on, and put everything we got into this next one. Let's go win this week."

Swinney also called upon the Clemson faithful to make Death Valley an intimidating environment for their upcoming three-game homestand, concluding on September 23 against Florida State.

"Let's make it the best game day environment in the country. We've got three weeks here in the valley, and let's freakin bring it. We've got recruits coming in. We’ve got a beautiful group of freshmen and sophomores on this team that we're super excited about. They're pumped up-- a bunch of these guys to get the first opportunity in the valley. Just keep with us. It's a long ride ahead. I think when it's all said and done, it's gonna be another great year for the Tigers."

With Swinney's confidence unwavering, the Tigers are determined to turn the page on their opening loss and make a statement the rest of the way. The journey has just begun, and there is plenty of football left to play.

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