Clemson football enters the 2025 season with expectations higher than they have been in five years. The Tigers have a new feeling of optimism surrounding the program, a Heisman candidate at quarterback, are healthy, and head coach Dabo Swinney is ready to roll.
Swinney spoke to reporters at Clemson football media day and shared his candid thoughts on the state of the team, a tough schedule, and his excitement at the season which is fast approaching. The Tigers open the 2025 season at home on August 30 against blue blood LSU. Coach Swinney spoke about that game, and myriad topics from the Allen N. Reeves football complex.
“Fun time,” beamed Swinney. “I love this time of year. There’s a ton of energy. You can just kind of feel it on campus and it’s awesome.”
Dabo Swinney
Excitement may be an understatement. Clemson football is coming off its ninth ACC championship under Swinney and its first trip to the College Football Playoffs since 2020. On top of that, the Tigers return 80 percent of their production from a team that got increasingly better as the 2024 season progressed. Cade Klubnik, a Heisman frontrunner according to multiple pundits, returns to lead the offense. On defense, Clemson sports arguable the best defensive line in college football. There is much to look forward to.
It will also be the first time Clemson football has opened the season at home since 2019.
“We’ve got a tough opponent, but we could play the Cowboys,” Swinney quipped. “It’s just nice to be home for a change. It’s been a long time. When you think about an opener, we haven’t been here since ‘(2019) so I’m excited about that for our fans, our families and our team to be able to have such a great opponent in an opening game like we have. A lot of excitement with that.”
Dabo Swinney
And Dabo believes he has a team capable of taking the college football world by storm. Often in the years following its 2018 national championship, Clemson football has been written off and denigrated by analysts and doubters as the Tigers have not quite lived up to the lofty expectations set by Swinney. It is something he looks to change and has confidence in his squad.
“Got a good football team that I think is built to compete for our league,” he said. “I think everything starts there. If you can do great things in your league, then you have opportunities beyond that. It all comes down to just trying to finish up the summer the right way, have a great fall camp and get off to a good start.”
Dabo Swinney
What is more, the Tigers appear to be as healthy as they have been in some time. Clemson football has battled with injuries the past several seasons, with players not at 100 percent and others missing significant time. As of now, says Swinney, his team is healthy as it enters fall camp.
“We anticipate everybody being in camp,” Swinney explained. “I think probably only two guys, two ACL guys (Ari Watford and Jay Haynes), they’re doing great. They’ll be in camp, and we’ll probably have them on a progression that fits where they are with playing back to full speed.”
Dabo Swinney
And then there is Klubnik. The undisputed leader of the offense, and the team, has seen his numbers and productivity increase exponentially by the season. Against Texas in last year’s play-offs, he put together perhaps the most complete performance of any quarterback against the Longhorns all year. That steady improvement has been lauded by pundits and parlayed into Klubnik being predicted to compete for the Heisman Trophy.
Cade Klubnik | 2024 Highlights
But Swinney takes that high praise with a grain of salt and mild amusement.
“I mean, last year at this time, they said he’s terrible. So, he had to block that out. It’s the same thing. Of course, I see him as one of those guys because he had to do the same thing last year. He had to block out that ‘you suck.’ You’ve got to block out that, ‘Swinney should’ve went and got a portal guy over you.’ You’ve got to block out that ‘we’ll never win, you’re just not going to get it done.’ You’ve got to block that out, but you’ve also got to block out, ‘Oh, you’re the Heisman. Oh, you’re the greatest thing ever, literally 12 months later.'”
Dabo Swinney
At the end of the day, with each sunrise bringing Clemson football closer to the start of a crossroads season for the program, Swinney wants his team to forge its own path. A path that hopefully leads to another national championship. Clemson’s legendary coach impresses on his players to control only what they can and focus internally on the coming task.
“But just being a complete team,” added Swinney. Getting everybody out there where we can really put it all together. Just see a complete football team and then go do the work.”
