Paul Finebaum says Dabo Swinney 'talked himself out' of being Nick Saban's successor

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum has been outspoken on his criticism of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney this week, most of it pertaining to Clemson’s shocking, 27-21 overtime loss to the N.C. State Wolfpack on Saturday. But on Monday morning, Finebaum redirected his comments towards Swinney, saying the Clemson head coach is unfit to succeed Nick Saban at Alabama.

Saban, 69, agreed to an extension in August that would keep him coaching in Tuscaloosa through the 2028 season, with his $8.7 million salary set to increase by $400,000 annually. It remains unclear, however, if Saban will retire before his contract at Alabama expires. Swinney, a Crimson Tide alumnus and former walk-on under Gene Stallings, is considered one of many potential candidates to replace Saban when the time comes.

“I don’t think he’ll be the successor. I think Dabo Swinney has talked himself out of that [opportunity],” Finebaum said Monday on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “He’s never been able to let a question go without a long answer. And quite frankly, I believe he’s rubbed people the wrong way.”

Swinney arrived at Clemson in 2008, and the 51-year-old head coach could be a fit in Tuscaloosa, considering that the Birmingham, Alabama native once played wide receiver at Alabama. He also began his coaching acreer at Alabama; after graduating in 1992, Swinney served as a graduate assistant under Stallings from 1993-1995, then spent five seasons working as an assistant coach for Alabama’s wide receivers and tight ends, before he came to Clemson as the wide receivers coach in 2003.

“We all like Dabo,” Finebaum said to McElroy and Cubelic. “It’s a great success story. But I don’t see him at Alabama, I don’t. I think his success is fantastic, and if he never wins another football game, he still has two national championships and two wins over the greatest coach of all time. But that doesn’t necessarily qualify you for the Alabama job. And I frankly don’t think, if Saban leaves in three years, he would be a serious candidate.”

Swinney boasts a 142-35 record at Clemson, including a 10-7 record in bowl games and a 6-4 record in the College Football Playoff. He’s won seven ACC conference titles and two national championships — both over Alabama — in 2016 and 2018.

Finebaum buries Swinney, Clemson after loss to N.C. State

Finebaum did not hold back his criticism after Clemson’s loss to N.C. State.

“Dabo Swinney, for all of his charm, is a pretty lousy loser,” Finebaum said. “Nobody wants to hear his wine, nobody really wants to hear him say whatever he says. He’s a good winner — well, he’s not even a good winner. But he’s a terrible loser.”

With the loss, Swinney and Clemson picked up their second loss in just four games, and it fell to No. 25 in the AP top-25 poll. With the demotion in the polls, Clemson’s 97-week streak in the AP top-10 — which was tied with Alabama for the longest current run in college football and the second-longest in the history of the AP poll (behind just Miami’s 137 in the 1980s) — was snapped.

“I really do think it starts at the offensive line position,” Finebaum said of Swinney’s struggles. “I heard Dabo a month ago saying, ‘we are much better at the offensive line. I really like this offensive line.’ If he likes that offensive line, he likes bad football because they can’t block anything. They’re done for the season; it doesn’t matter who’s left.

“They have come so close, so many times. Four or five years ago they had the game won until the final four or five seconds,” Finebaum said of Swinney and Clemson. “I think the real question that has to be asked now is where does this Clemson program go? And I’m not suggesting the dynasty of the last six years is over. But if you’re a 17-year-old making a commitment, and you’ve got all the usual suspects, that program just doesn’t look the same today.”