Booger McFarland criticizes Dabo Swinney, Clemson program after 34-3 loss to Georgia

Clemson entered the 2024 season with high hopes and left Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with a an increasingly familiar taste in its mouth after a 34-3 loss to Georgia. And the product on the field looked too similar to what Clemson’s fielded in recent years for head coach Dabo Swinney to escape immediate criticism.

The defense was stout but tailed off against the physicality of Georgia as the offense failed to muster any sustained success with Cade Klubnik at the helm. For ESPN analyst Booger McFarland, it helped make clear with Clemson faithful have grown impatient with Dabo Swinney and his ways as the Tigers have slipped from dominating the sport to being just another quality ACC team over recent years.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

“Well it’s a couple of issues for Clemson,” McFarland said in the ESPN studio after the game. “I’m afraid to say it’s the same old things: No creativity on offense. It’s been the same, stale offense for four or five years. The quarterback, Cade Klubnik, no ability to push the football down the field. And if you’re a Clemson fan, you have to ask yourself: When are we going to change? When are we going to be able to be creative when we don’t have the explosive players that you’ve already heard of? The Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, when you don’t have those generational players, the creativity has to change already. The defensive line was outstanding the first half. But they just couldn’t hold up all game long, when the offense doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain.”

And McFarland of course couldn’t ignore that Clemson has continued to not utilize the transfer portal in the offseason, with no transfers making a start for the Tigers since 2018.

Watch College Football Games Live -Try for Free Fubo! Click HERE NOW

The Tigers have recruited well enough to not need portal overhauls, but Swinney’s refusal to fill in gaps with veteran players on the transfer market was something McFarland called out, too.

“Well it’s doing it Dabo’s way,” McFarland said. “And I think that’s what’s ruffled the Clemson faithful about how Dabo wants to do it. When it’s good, it’s going to be good. But every recruiting class is not going to hit on every player. So the transfer portal allows you to go in and if you need a wide receiver, if you need a safety, if you need some quarterback competition for Cade Klubnik to bring someone in. Dabo choses not to. Therefore, you’re going to have those lulls in the program and I’m afraid right now they have a little bit of a lull. No explosiveness on the outside, defensively the front is good, but where are your guys on the second level, defenders, the linebackers and the safeties, they struggled at Clemson to develop those guys for the last few years and they’re still struggling.”