Dabo Swinney admits last play was not designed to be a RPO

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and quarterback Cade Klubnik have been answering questions every which way about the last play in their 28-20 loss to Miami. Both have acknowledged it was an error on Klubnik’s behalf. And the nature of his mistake was not running the play that was called.

“No, it was a handoff; 100 percent,” Swinney said this week when asked if the last play was an RPO. “And we didn’t hand it off. He just pulled it. I ain’t got no answer. I mean, he was trying to do too much. So, no RPO; it was a give. We just didn’t do it. Made a lot of plays, but again, we gotta play within the system.”

On Monday, Klubnik agreed it was his mistake.

“Yeah, like I said after the game, and I think Coach Swinney said it too, it was supposed to be a run. But, you know, I was just trying to make a play. Thought I saw something, but I was wrong. Kind of like what I said after the game,” said Klubnik.

Clemson’s Achilles heel against Miami was their emphasis on the running game, most notably attempting to use Klubnik’s dual-threat ability. The Clemson quarterback was credited with 14 carries for -27 yards, including the one to end the game.

Swinney shares recollection of 2021 loss to NC State

This week, the Tigers will travel to play at the NC State Wolfpack. For Clemson, it will be the team’s first time back there since losing a tough game in double overtime during the 2021 season.

Swinney still remembers that game clearly and he shared those memories of the 2021 loss ahead of this season’s meeting.

“I remember they made a couple of just unbelievable plays and found one more play than we did at double overtime,” Dabo Swinney said. “Was a tough, tough, tough loss for sure. Great win for them. They earned it, and again, we had opportunities but they made one more play than we did. So, I remember that. Heck of a game.”

Clemson lost the double overtime thriller by a score of 27-21. It had only been 14-14 going into overtime after both defenses played excellent games, and it was a defensive stop that won NC State the game.

One of the biggest reasons why Clemson struggled so much in that game was that the Tigers only went 2 for 11 on third down and didn’t convert the one fourth down they attempted. On top of that, 13 penalties against Clemson didn’t help either.