Paul Finebaum calls Dabo Swinney a “laughingstock”

Paul Finebaum calls Dabo Swinney a “laughingstock” originally appeared on The Sporting News

So many questions abound after Clemson’s latest loss to the Syracuse Orangemen Saturday, including the future of head coach Dabo Swinney, who some should consider retirement after this season, including Paul Finebaum.

"My advice to Dabo, and I know he doesn't like taking advice from people like me, is to get out of there," Finebaum said on "The Matt Barrie Show" Sunday. "Be quiet. quit talking because he has no credibility now with his fanbase. They've heard the whines before. He's become a meme.”

Finebaum added, "For a really good coach ... he's become somewhat of a laughingstock, every time he opens his mouth, and it's time for him to do one of two things: it's either consider another school, and I think he's hirable if he quits talking, or just get away from football and be a TV guy. ... I think it's over at Clemson. Let's quit trying to sugarcoat it, Matt. Sometimes it's very difficult to get it back when you've lost it."

Even some of Swinney’s ex-players are questioning the team’s effort on Saturday, wondering if they had given up. 

Former defensive end Xavier Thomas, who played at Clemson from 2018-23, posted on X: "At this point, it's not even an upset anymore.”

Thomas continued, "Not once would I ever & have ever spoken down on Dabo. But, the Standard will always be the Standard, & it's not being upheld."

This almost sounds like what Alabama went through after their loss to Florida State. Many ex-players calling out coaches and current players for their lack of effort and wondering if they were upholding the standard set by former head coach Nick Saban.

Although the landscape of college football has changed, Dabo Swinney has not, and it’s starting to catch up with him in a big way.