Dabo Swinney says he needs to get back to doing what he believes in at Clemson.

The longtime head coach met with the media for his weekly press conference on Tuesday and was asked how hard it would be to sell to the fan base during the offseason that the disappointing 2025 campaign was more of a one-off instead of a sign that the Tigers’ program was in decline.

One of things things Swinney touched on in his answer was that he believed he had started to get away from some of the things that made the program so successful over the years.

“Honestly, as I evaluate myself, I have probably gotten a little bit away from my instincts,” Swinney said. “Not trusting some of my instincts, and that’s one of the things I have to get back to. Some people say I am stubborn, but I think I have conviction.”

When asked what some of those things were, Swinney chose not to get specific.

“I am not going to get into that, I just think one of my greatest strengths is my instincts,” Swinney said. “From a self-awareness standpoint, that is one of my greatest strengths.”

Swinney’s instincts did lead the Tigers to unprecedented success. Clemson made the College Football Playoff six consecutive years from 2015 to 2020, winning two national titles along the way. Swinney then led the Tigers back to the newly expanded playoff last season after a three-year absence.

However, the 2025 season just hasn’t gone as planned. After entering the year ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll, a favorite to win the ACC and return the the playoff, Clemson is currently 3-5 after losing to Duke at home on Saturday. It was the Blue Devils’ first win at Clemson in more than four decades.

Those types of seasons typically lead to change, and there have been rumblings that big ones are on the horizon. Whatever changes Swinney decides to make, the head coach vows to get back to relying on his instincts rather than others.

“The reasons we have been successful here is I have always leaned on that,” Swinney said. “Sometimes I can listen to too much, to too many people, and sometimes you get away from what you are convicted in.”

Photo by Bart Boatwright