Dabo Swinney's Future at Clemson Has Never Been Murkier

There was a time not too long ago where the Clemson Tigers were genuinely rivaling the Alabama Crimson Tide for the most dominant program in collegiate football.

Between the years of 2016 and 2019, Clemson made it to four National Championship Games, winning two of them. In fact, the Tigers beat Alabama in both of their title victories.

Head coach Dabo Swinney was the hottest thing in the sport at the time. He was crafty. He was innovative. His ability to recruit was nearly unmatched.

However, over the past several years, Clemson's program has begun to decline. It's still good for sure, but there is no question that Swinney has lost some of his luster.

Yes, the Tigers defeated South Carolina on Saturday, but they finished the regular season just 7-5. Sure, they qualified for a bowl game, but that's kind of a hollow victory for such a prestigious program.

It marks Clemson's third straight season with four-plus losses after having not previously lost four games since 2011. It also marks its second time in three years that it didn't register double-digit victories, which comes on the heels of the Tigers reaching double figures 12 campaigns in a row.

So, what exactly has happened, and what does the future hold for Swinney at Clemson?

Well, to be clear, Swinney should not be on the hot seat. He almost surely isn't losing his job. But there is no doubt that he is not quite as secure as he was a few years ago.

Swinney's refusal to dip into the transfer portal has resulted in the Tigers falling behind in this new NIL era that has been dominated by schools like Ohio State, Oregon and Georgia. Even risers like Texas A&M and Texas Tech have largely surpassed Clemson.

There is still time for Swinney to start getting with the times, and he may have to do that this offseason with quarterback Cade Klubnik — not to mention numerous other key players — departing for the NFL Draft.

Heck, you could even make the argument that Swinney's player development skills are not what they once were, with Klubnik, defensive tackle Peter Woods, edge rusher T.J. Parker and wide receiver Antonio Williams all having disappointing 2025 campaigns.

But at its core, this is really an issue with Swinney refusing to adapt, but perhaps this miserable season — which began with national championship aspirations but quickly fizzled out after a 1-3 start — will serve as a proper wakeup call for the 56-year-old.

Now, Swinney is facing more pressure than he has in years. He took over for Tommy Bowden midway through 2008 and almost instantly turned the program around, going 10-4 as soon as his third full season with Clemson.

That began a historic stretch for Swinney in which he established himself as arguably one of the best coaches in college football history.

But with the Tigers fading, Swinney may be breaking a sweat for the first time since he initially accepted the head-coaching position at Clemson.

Swinney needs to begin righting the ship in 2026 ... or else.