It’s a new year, and plenty will play out for Clemson’s athletic programs over the next 12 months.
Here are five storylines to follow in 2023:
Football’s intriguing spot
It’s strange to say given Clemson just finished its 12th straight double-digit win season, but it feels like Dabo Swinney’s program is at a bit of a crossroads.
The Tigers have failed to make the College Football Playoff two years running now after playing on the sport’s biggest stage six consecutive seasons. Their six losses the last two seasons are as many as they had the previous five combined. That speaks to just how high Swinney has raised the bar for success at Clemson.
The question now is can the Tigers reach it again?
It’s a different era with name, image and likeness as well as the transfer portal putting recruiting into overdrive. While the Tigers have been slow to play that game, Swinney is still bringing in blue-chip talent. But the on-field production, particularly at quarterback, hasn’t always matched the last couple of seasons.
With yet another conference title this season, Clemson proved it’s still the class of the ACC. But can the Tigers get back to being elite next season? Or has Clemson already peaked?
Brad Brownell’s future
The status of Clemson’s veteran men’s basketball coach is a polarizing topic for many Tiger fans. Brownell is the program’s all-time winningest coach in his 13th season at the helm, but the Tigers have earned just three NCAA Tournament bids during his tenure.
Brownell’s boss seemingly ratcheted up the pressure during the offseason when athletic director Graham Neff wrote a letter to ticket holders in which he made it clear the program’s latest NCAA Tournament miss wasn’t satisfactory. Brownell signed a contract extension before last season, but Neff, who took over as AD when Dan Radakovich left for Miami last December, wasn’t the one who gave it to him.
Clemson’s off to a solid start this season at 11-3 overall and 3-0 in league play heading into tonight’s road tilt with Virginia Tech, but there are still more than two months’ worth of ACC games still to play counting the conference tournament in early March. And with more than five Quad 1 opportunities still on the slate, the competition is about to stiffen considerably.
The scenario for the Tigers is pretty simple: Either they will take advantage of those chances more often than not and return to the Big Dance or they won’t. And if it’s the latter, it would make two straight NCAA Tournaments Clemson has missed out on, which could leave Neff with a difficult decision to make.
Erik Bakich’s debut
Neff has already made one coaching change in one of the big three sports. That happened last year when Monte Lee was relieved of his duties as head baseball coach and was replaced by Erik Bakich, a former Clemson assistant who spent the previous decade at Michigan.
The Bakich era will officially begin when Clemson opens the season against Binghamton on Feb. 17. Can he immediately get the Tigers back to a regional?
Clemson hasn’t played in one since 2019, and the Tigers have to replace some significant pieces in all-conference pitcher Mack Anglin and last season’s ACC Player of the Year, Max Wagner. But Bakich brought some transfers with him from Michigan and inked a top-20 recruiting class to help.
Softball’s trajectory
Two years ago, Clemson’s softball team made its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tigers followed that up with their first super-regional appearance last spring. Can John Rittman’s program keep that momentum going with the program’s first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series?
It’s certainly something to monitor this spring. Clemson has its share of experience and star power back from last season’s 42-win team, including two-way All-America Valerie Cagle and all-conference hurler Millie Thompson.
Clemson gets things started in Florida on Feb. 9 against host FIU in the Felsberg Invitational.
Lacrosse’s inaugural season
This year will mark the first season of competition for the women’s lacrosse team, one of two varsity sports the school added in 2021.
Coached by Allison Kwolek, the Tigers will kick off their inaugural season Feb. 11 against Wofford. Whether or not Clemson can be competitive immediately in the ACC remains to be seen, but it won’t be for a lack of trying. The Tigers have brought in double-digit transfers, so the roster won’t be void of experience.
Clemson will play its home games this season at Historic Riggs Field.
Dear Old Clemson has a limited number of replica road signs to our store. These have reflective properties just like real road signs. Will Shipley, Tyler Davis and Antonio Williams have signed road signs with their numbers.
Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 
Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.
Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”
Graham Neff:
“Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives need your support to help provide meaningful NIL opportunities for our student athletes. We are doing things the right way, the Clemson way with integrity as a non-negotiable and we fully support the mission of these groups.”
Join the Tiger Club or Lady Tiger Club to help these great student-athletes and help the Tigers compete at the highest level!
