CLEMSON — In 2003, Clemson had one of the greatest runs to end a football season in the program’s history.

Following an unexplainable 45-17 loss to Wake Forest, a game in which Clemson fans were chanting “fire” then head coach Tommy Bowden, the Tigers were 5-4. No one saw what was coming next.

The very next Saturday, Clemson knocked off No. 3 Florida State 26-10 at Memorial Stadium. It ended an 11-game losing streak to the Seminoles at the same time. The Tigers followed that up with wins over Duke (40-7), South Carolina (63-17) and No. 6 Tennessee (27-14).

After the season, Bowden got a raise. Clemson fans were ecstatic about the future. Life was good in Tigerland.

Projections for 2004 were through the roof, especially with the return of Charlie Whitehurst, who was starting his third season at quarterback.

The Tigers were ranked No. 15 in the preseason polls and were considered one of the favorites to challenge for an ACC Championship.

All during the off-season, all anyone could talk about was what the season could be, how great the program was and how Clemson was finally back.

Clemson opened the season with an overtime win over Wake Forest, getting revenge from what happened the season before. What happened next is unexplainable.

In Week 2, the Tigers blew a 10-point lead to Georgia Tech twice in the final four minutes of the game, which included Whitehurst sliding a yard short of what would have been a game-clinching first down, and then two failures on third-and-one.

On fourth down, the long snapper sent the ball over his punter’s head and Tech took over at Clemson’s 11-yard line with just seconds remaining. On the next play, future Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson introduced himself to American football fans and the Tigers lost 28-24.

In the weeks to follow, Clemson got hammered at Texas A&M (27-6), humbled at Florida State (41-22) and then got beat up at Virginia (30-10).

Why am I bringing the 2004 season up?

This is the last time a Clemson team started a season 1-3. It is also the last time Clemson had a horrific start to a season when there was so much promise in the preseason.

I know 2008 was a disappointment too, but the 2008 squad opened the year 3-1. What happened after that we can discuss later.

Why is Clemson in this position? How did we get here?

Swinney told you—Clemson fans—to donate money to the 110 Society. Get them to July, he said, when revenue sharing begins.

You listened. You helped Clemson get to July successfully.

The Tigers were able to retain and pay quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive end T.J. Parker, defensive tackle Peter Woods and others like linebacker Wade Woodaz.

All of them were paid handsomely for their services, and as a result Clemson returned 75 percent of its production from last year’s College Football Playoff team.

In the preseason, everyone, including me, was claiming Clemson to be a legitimate national title contender due to the fact it returned a three-year starter at quarterback in Klubnik. Due to the fact it returned four starters on the offensive line. Due to the fact Williams, Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore were back at wide receiver. Due to the fact, Parker and Woods returned on the defensive line and drew defensive end Will Heldt out of the transfer portal. Due to the fact, Woodaz and Sammy Brown were back at linebacker, and Clemson also got linebacker Jeremiah Alexander out of the portal from Alabama. Due to the fact, Clemson returned safety Khalil Branes and corners Avieon Terrell and Ashton Hampton in the secondary. Due to the fact, kicker Nolan Hauser was back, as well.

Oh, let’s not forget you fired Wes Goodwin, the supposed problem on defense in 2024, and brought in Penn State’s Tom Allen to run the defense.

Everything was in place to be the runaway favorite in the ACC. Everything was in place to be the preseason No. 4 team. Everything was in place to make another run at a national championship.

What happened?

Following Clemson’s loss to Syracuse on Saturday, the Tigers dropped to 1-3 for the first time since the 2004 season I explained about above.

Whose to blame in the Tigers’ historic fall from grace?

Is it Cade Klubnik’s?

Is it Tom Allen’s?

Is it offensive line coach Matt Luke’s?

Is it offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s?

The answer. It’s all the above, but more specifically, it’s the head ball coach himself.

Dabo Swinney is the one to blame. Swinney has told anyone that will listen that he can win his way. He can still win by recruiting high school players, developing them and making them better men and football players.

And though that is admirable and is probably the way things should be in college athletics, it is just not the singular way a team can win in this new world of college football.

If Swinney, who I know is hurting today, wants to get Clemson back to the top of the mountain, he must adjust. He must start using the transfer portal more than he is right now. He must start paying more money to 5-star recruits and those talented players in the transfer portal or he is going to continue to fail.

And, also, Clemson needs to continue to find ways to help him do all these things.

We have tried Swinney’s way in this new world of college football, and it failed. I was hoping it wouldn’t, but it has.