Finebaum Sounds off on Swinney After Latest Loss

ESPN personality Paul Finebaum sounded off on Dabo Swinney again after the Tigers’ latest loss.

Finebaum joined The Matt Barrie Show and discussed Swinney’s future following yet another loss for his team, this time at the hands of Duke, 46-45, last Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Finebaum had a message for Swinney, saying the longtime head coach should “get outta” Clemson and start over somewhere else.

“Every time I talk about Dabo, somebody takes it the wrong way. But nobody here is suggesting Dabo Swinney be fired,” Finebaum said. “I am strongly suggesting Dabo Swinney get outta there, though. It’s gotten so bad, and I hate to see a Hall of Fame coach act that petulant and that poorly.

“I don’t have any doubt he can find a job, and sometimes you just have to move on. We’ve all been there or known someone who has been there. And I think his agent should look around and say OK, which one of these openings would be fun for me? Where can I go, meaning Dabo Swinney, where I can just hit the restart button?”

With the loss to Duke on Saturday, the Tigers’ season has hit a new low point. Swinney’s team drops to 3-5 on the season, 2-4 in ACC play, and there are now serious questions regarding whether this team will even become bowl eligible. All this after Clemson came into the season ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll with expectations of being a national title contender.

Finebaum says Clemson fans won’t put up with another terrible season next year under Swinney.

“And quit being a cranky, get-off-your-lawn guy and make these self-deprecating jokes about getting fired, when everybody knows he’s not getting fired,” Finebaum added. “Although, if he’s not careful though — and if this season ends the way it obviously is, and next season doesn’t go well — his fan base will want him fired. That’s the new normal in college football.”

Swinney’s team will try to get back in the win column this Saturday when the Tigers take on Florida State (4-4, 1-4 ACC) this Saturday at Memorial Stadium (7 p.m., ACC Network).