Urban Meyer calls out failures of Dabo Swinney, Clemson over recent years

Urban Meyer called out Dabo Swinney and Clemson for the program’s failures in recent seasons.

The former Ohio State and Florida coach discussed the topic on Big Noon during halftime of Friday’s Wisconsin–Western Michigan game. But it wasn’t a passing statement, Meyer called out the biggest problems with Swinney and Clemson in this era of college football.

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Hence why the Tigers face an uphill battle in the eyes of many against Georgia to open the season Saturday.

“Clemson a double-digit underdog,” Meyer began. “Several years ago, they were at the top of college football, and I look at them for two reasons. Georgia has embraced the new age of football – the transfer portal, NIL. Clemson has not. It’s proven in the transfer portal, they’ve had zero starters come in as a transfer in the transfer portal for seven years. What does that mean? That means your weakness remains a weakness. You don’t fix it. 

“In free agency, you go find a left tackle. They’re not doing that. The second one, I think this is very important. The most undervalued people in a program – players are No. 1. But don’t devalue those assistant coaches.” 

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Meyer further explained why the coaches under Swinney were crucial and it’s been the program’s detriment.

“I’ve dealt with that, and Clemson was the cream of the crop of the NCAA for many years because their coaches wouldn’t leave,” Meyer said. “For six straight years, they had the same coordinators on offense and defense. You know what they did, Mark? They won two national championships with Tony Elliott and [Brent] Venables … six straight Playoffs. Since those guys left? They’re 0-for-3. They’re averaging over three losses a year. 

“So don’t devalue an assistant coach. I’ve dealt with that in my career. When you lose coaches, if you don’t replace them with a great coach, it’s like losing a great player.”

The roster building’s been the biggest criticism of Swinney the past few seasons. But, AD Graham Neff defended the longtime coach.

“Couldn’t be more convicted and supportive of Coach Swinney, two-time national champion head coach, and how he has built his current program and where he’s at,” Neff said. “And let alone where his strategies and nimbleness, quite frankly, is ahead.”

Neff’s conversations with Swinney have been about making sure that he has all the support he needs to build his roster the way he would like to, not about his need to increase use of the transfer portal.

“So yea we talk about it, but in a supportive way and an understanding vision and strategy and how do we continue to be adaptable in a changing landscape,” Neff said. “Sure that means roster management, but that particularly means a lot of things that we’ve talked about.”