CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney said Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., made the best play of his career at Miami last week and it had nothing to do with anything on the field.

Following the Tigers’ double-overtime loss to the Hurricanes last Saturday, Trotter got up in front of the team and let them know he was not pleased with what had just happened.

Clemson (4-3, 2-3 ACC) blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead before losing the game in the second overtime. The loss all but ends the Tigers’ hopes for a repeat championship in the ACC or any shot at a New Year’s Six Bowl Game as well.

“It was really good to see Trotter assert himself that way,” Swinney said about his All-ACC linebacker. “It was awesome, honestly. He is not a guy that says a whole lot. He leads by example and is one of the more respected guys on the team.

“But that was pretty awesome and that is the most he has said since he has been here. He is just about his business all the time. You don’t ever have to worry about that guy.”

Trotter’s message to the team is one Clemson hopes inspires the Tigers as they head to Raleigh, N.C. Saturday for a 2 pm showdown against NC State.

Clemson entered the season with dreams of winning a national championship, but fumbles at the one-yard line, plus mistakes on defense and blunders on special teams have cost the Tigers dearly in losses to Duke, Florida State and Miami.

Now the Tigers hope to salvage what is left of the 2023 season and close out the year with a five-game win streak and put themselves in position to keep the program’s streak of 12 consecutive 10-plus win seasons alive.

“Those are the positive of getting in adverse situations,” Swinney said. “Sometimes, it brings the worst out of them and sometimes it brings the best out of them.”

It brought out the best in Trotter and he wanted his teammates to know how much he cares and how much he wants them to care, too.

“He is a grinder. He is a worker. He is coachable. He leads by example. He knows everything,” Swinney said. “(The postgame speech) was out of his comfort zone, but was probably one of the better plays he has made at Clemson. It was really cool to see.

“He was fiery, but very poised. He was matter of fact and right on point.”

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