Dabo Swinney Wants To Clean Up “Soft” Clemson Problem After Playoff Hopes Nearly Ended

Clemson’s Week 2 game against Troy was a rollercoaster, especially on defense, where they struggled early. Despite the eventual win (27-16), the Tigers’ defense looked extremely underwhelming. It gave up too many big plays that had fans on edge. From the get-go, Troy marched down the field with ease, cruising 75 yards in just five plays, including a lightning-fast 44-yard touchdown bomb from their quarterback Will Crowder to Trey Taylor. That set the tone, and Clemson’s defense looked flat and disorganized.

And this game, as Swinney explains, “I think we had more mistakes than last week, but the name of the game is points. We’ve played two games and we’ve allowed three touchdowns.” During the second half, in the week 1 game against LSU, Clemson started showing cracks. LSU’s defense held Clemson to a mere 31 yards on 20 carries all game, which made Clemson’s offense painfully one-dimensional and predictable. That predictability allowed LSU to key in on Clemson’s passing game effectively. LSU’s quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, wasn’t flashy but efficiently picked apart Clemson’s defense with a crucial touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal.

But this problem is becoming a recurring thing for the Tigers walking into the 2025 season. And it can, in turn, give a slight edge to the Clemson rivals. “Some things we need to clean up,” Dabo Swinney said. “We were a little soft on the perimeter, need to clean some things up technique-wise … we didn’t do a good job on third downs.” The week 2 matchup saw Clemson’s defense inviting trouble right on the perimeter. Troy’s big 44-yard touchdown play wasn’t just luck; it exposed gaps in Clemson’s coverage and lack of physicality outside their usual strongholds. See, when a cornerback lines up far off a receiver, it’s not always about laziness or weakness.

It’s usually a strategic choice. By giving the receiver some breathing room on short routes. The defense is actually forcing the offense into tricky, longer throws. Now, this can seem frustrating because, yes, it allows the offense to pick up some “cheap” yardage short of the sticks. The goal is to keep everything in front, avoid being beaten deep for a quick score. Then there’s the third-down problem. In those pressure moments, defense has to step up and stop the offense cold. But Clemson struggled to do that. Against LSU, especially in those second-half drives, the Tigers dropped crucial third-down stops. Knowing opponents will watch that tape, if a defense can’t hold on third downs, it means easy extended drives for opponents and more chances to wear down your defense.

The defense’s struggles didn’t just stop with allowing big plays. The Tigers gave up a total of eight big plays throughout the game. The Tigers’ secondary especially got picked on. And that happened with Crowder dissecting them until the second half when Clemson tightened things up. The defensive front also had some flashes. There were four sacks, including ones by DeMonte Capehart and Avieon Terrell. But those moments were too few and far between to counterbalance the earlier damage. By halftime, Clemson was down 16-3, and the crowd was booing. But in classic Clemson fashion, the defense found some redemption in the second half.

The second half was a breather at Death Valley

“Just a really weird game. A lot of adversity to have to overcome early, but the guys stayed together and really proud of them for battling,” Dabo Swinney said. “They really put a good second half together offensively to get it going.” Offensively, Cade Klubnik, who had been shaky early on with timing issues and forced throws, suddenly steadied the ship.

The guy settled in beautifully, going 18-of-24 for a solid 75% completion rate. Klubnik orchestrated five straight scoring drives, moving the chains methodically like a pro. The red zone? No problem; Clemson went a perfect three-for-three there, squeezing out nine crucial points off turnovers. But the real story was the resilience. The Tigers ripped off 27 unanswered points in the second half. They, in turn, took over the final 30 minutes of game time.

Adam Randall, shifting into a running back role, played his longest stretch back there and ignited the run game. Beyond offense, special teams were another magic ingredient. Swinney couldn’t stop praising guys like Jack Smith, who averaged 45 yards on punts with a booming 50-plus yarder, and Robert Gunn, who nailed a deep onside kick that flipped the field and rattled the Trojans.