Paul Finebaum: Dabo Swinney's time as elite coach, Clemson's days as program that matters are over

Paul Finebaum said the time of Dabo Swinney being an elite coach in college football is over. Clemson might as well move on at this point, per the ESPN analyst.

Well, not necessarily fire him of course. But it might be time to start thinking about what Clemson can look like in the new era of college football with a coach that’ll adapt to the times.

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Finebaum said this, of course, on the heels of Clemson’s demoralizing 34-3 loss to Georgia to open the season.

“I knew what was going to happen, and so did you Matt, and you know, it’s as much about how well Kirby Smart has control of that program as to say Dabo Swinney’s time as an elite coach is over,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show.

“Clemson is a good program. They’ll compete in the ACC, but their days as a program that matters, their days as a program that is spoken with reverence, are gone. Everyone knows what they’ve done, but they’re not doing it this year, and I don’t see them ever doing it again, as long as Dabo Swinney is there.” 

The biggest criticism of Swinney these days is the reluctance to add via the transfer portal. Sure, Swinney is a known top tier recruiter. But even those days are waning.

Other than the service academies, Clemson was the only team to not add via the transfer portal this last cycle.

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“And I don’t mean that the program isn’t capable, but his approach to college football doesn’t work any longer, and he’s been slow to move for everything,” Finebaum said. “He now has that reputation as ‘Grumpy Dabo’ and I frankly think Dabo Swinney would be smart to start planning an exit strategy. I’m not saying they’re getting rid of him. They’re not. They’re stuck with him. He’s part of it. He’s part of who they are. 

“But he would be better to look elsewhere to find another way to do it because it’s simply not going to matter. He may find ways into the playoff in the future, but he’s not going to find a way to hold up the trophy any longer, not the way he’s running that program.”