CLEMSON, S.C. — Fresh off a disappointing season-opening loss, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney met with reporters Tuesday morning at the Smart Family Media Center to set the stage for Week 2. Moving past the opener, Swinney outlined a dual-quarterback plan, took full coaching accountability for line-of-scrimmage issues, paid tribute to former athletic director Terry Don Phillips, and passionately shut down early-season roster criticism ahead of Saturday night’s home opener against Georgia Southern.
“Week two, as I said, obviously a disappointing first game for us, and it did not like we expected it to go, wanted to go, any of those things,” Swinney said. “But yeah, we’re moving on, and we got we got we get we get 11 more, and then we’re gonna count them all up at the end. So everything is about right here, right now, and having a great Tuesday practice, getting ready for Georgia Southern this week, and man, we got a night game in the valley, and I’m super excited about starting our our home schedule.”
‘Just Got to Go Win Games’: Swinney Responds to Program Narratives
Addressing national chatter about whether the book has closed on Clemson being an elite college football program, Swinney kept his focus straightforward.
“Just got to go win games, man. Just got to win games. Long season, you know,” Swinney said. “Narratives come and go, and it’s all about what you do. I mean, we yeah we we earned that. I mean, we played really poor football, and I thought LSU played great football.”
Recalling previous adversity throughout his head coaching tenure, Swinney noted that early setbacks do not define an entire season.
“We ran into a bus off, just that simple. And and and we did not respond,” Swinney admitted. “Well, I mean, I think it’s all about how you’re responded… I know we’re better than the way we played. I know we’re better, and we’re going to be better… You go win games one week at a time, and you just try to try to get better.”
Swinney added that veteran leaders on the roster—highlighting players such as Sammy Brown, Will Heldt, Jahiem Lawson, Jeremiah Alexander, Harris Sewell, Brayden Jacobs, and Olsen Patt-Henry—showed up with the right mindset to turn the page.
Quarterback Competition: Both Vizzina and Reynolds Will Play
With Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds listed as co-starters on this week’s depth chart, Swinney confirmed that both signal-callers will see action on Saturday, though he declined to detail specific series arrangements.
“Yeah, not we’re not. I’m not going to get into specifics of how we’re going to manage the quarterbacks, other than they’re both going to play,” Swinney said. “And again, it’s just where we are, where we came out of the competition. We just need to go play games, you know, and you know we we had to go to LSU on an opener… So we but we didn’t really come out of the game with like true clarity, you know, just wasn’t enough.”
Expanding on the dynamic between the two QBs, Swinney noted that Vizzina held a slight edge during camp but emphasized the critical value of live reps for Reynolds.
“We put him in the game because we just didn’t have anything to do with any. We were going to put him in the game, regardless, because he needs to play, and he’s earned that,” Swinney explained. “But you know, I thought you know CB graded a little bit better, and and that’s he was ahead in camps when he started, but not so much to where like we don’t need to give Tate an opportunity to place it. So it’ll work itself out as we as we go.”
Line of Scrimmage and Defensive Accountability
When asked to grade the performance along the lines of scrimmage, Swinney placed the responsibility directly on the coaching staff, including offensive line coach Matt Luke.
“Nobody graded. Nobody was terrible. Terrible,” Swinney stated. Asked what he attributed the struggles to, Swinney was direct: “Coaching us? All on us. Kids played hard. We we didn’t we didn’t get it done as coaches. So I attribute to.”
Looking ahead, Swinney stressed that setting the edge and stopping the run will be non-negotiable defensive requirements.
“Defensively, we got to stop the run. I mean, you’re not going to win games if you don’t stop the run,” Swinney said. “So you know, some of that is some some technique things that we got to clean up. Some of it’s tackling, some of it is some scheme stuff that we’ve got to help with.”
On the injury front, Swinney confirmed that defensive lineman Markus Strong will undergo surgery on Thursday and “he’ll most likely be done for the season.” However, the Tigers expect to regain defensive line depth as Kourtney Kelly works back from injury and Vic Burley continues his reacclimation process. Swinney also highlighted defensive back contributions from Elliot Washington II, Ashton Hampton, Corey Myrick, Jerome Carter, and Corian Gipson, as well as wide receiver play from Bryant Wesco Jr. and running back touches for Christopher Johnson Jr.
Scouting Georgia Southern & Honoring Terry Don Phillips
Turning focus to Georgia Southern, Swinney expressed high praise for Eagles head coach Clay Helton and starting quarterback Max Johnson, alongside receivers Alex Taylor and Andre Greene Jr.
“Max is a Max is a is first of all he’s an he is an unreal competitor,” Swinney noted. “He is a very poised quarterback, and he he’s almost like a coach out on the field. Incredibly smart, very accurate with the football. Really throws a nice deep ball.”
In addition to the matchup, Clemson will formally honor former athletic director Terry Don Phillips and his wife Trish during the contest.
“He’s one of those people in my life that that you know he changed the course of my life. I think he changed the course of Clemson, Terry Don Phillips,” Swinney reflected. “Terry Don Phillips was a man of of really true conviction, and just really you know believed in what he believed… I hope that the valley will truly, I hope his family will feel the valley, put their arms around them, and and honor Terry Don Phelps because he he is truly, you know, just he’s one of the best.”
‘You’re the Gotcha Guy’: Swinney Rejects Offseason Roster Regrets
The press conference closed on a fiery note when local reporter Chapel Fowler asked Swinney if he regretted any aspect of his offseason roster construction following the Week 1 loss.
“Chap. Will you come with all these questions? You’re the you’re the gotcha guy,” Swinney fired back. “No, I don’t. I don’t, man. I regret being zero and one right now. I regret that. But no, we’re we’re. Well, can you ask that at the end of season? You know, season and over. Then we got one game. Got 11 more. What if we go 11 and one? Promise me you ask me that. Then okay, good. I’ll answer it.”
Swinney pushed back against drawing sweeping conclusions off a single matchup against a top opponent.
“We played one game. One game, right?… They give you 12 games, and at the end of the year you count them up, all right? And you know, that’s when that’s when those type of questions are fair to me. They’re not after one game. To maybe the best team in the country, maybe the best team in the country,” Swinney concluded. “We got 11 more games to go to go by. We’ll count them up. Then you can ask me whatever question you want.”
