Paul Finebaum says ‘It’s over’ for prominent CFB coach after Week 1 loss

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The LSU Tigers thumped the Clemson Tigers, 51-10, on Saturday night in the first game of the Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge. While Kiffin may just be getting started, at least one prominent college football voice thinks it is the end of the road for Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

On Monday’s episode of “Get Up,” Paul Finebaum said “it’s over for Dabo Swinney,” and that was pretty much the most positive thing he had to say about the state of the Clemson football program.

MORE: Dabo Swinney keeping Clemson quarterback options open after blowout loss

“First of all, if you think you’re going to go out and get Chad Morris from the dollar store reject base and think you’re going to save your program, you’re not going to. I am just in shock at some of Dabo Swinney’s moves. Bringing Chad Morris in. Going with the quarterback that he did. It’s over for Dabo Swinney. I know that sounds hyperbolic. I know that sounds like oh, there’s Paul Finebaum screaming from the lawn, but it’s the truth. It’s been trending for a number of years. This team played for the national championship six and a half years ago against LSU. And mostly it’s been the bottom since then.”

It hasn’t exactly been the bottom, but it’s far from the highs the program experienced in the late 2010’s.

MORE: Clemson’s Dabo Swinney calls team ‘bunch of nobodies’ at fall camp

Dabo Swinney’s resume and salary

Swinney took over at Clemson when Tommy Bowden stepped down after a 3-3 start to the 2008 season. The school won two national championships under Swinney in 2016 and 2018. They haven’t finished inside the top-10 since losing to LSU in the 2020 title game. Last season they were No. 4 in the preseason polls, wen 7-6 and finished the season unranked with a loss in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Clemson will play what they hope is a get-right game at home against Georgia Southern on Saturday night followed by a showdown against Bill Belichick and North Carolina a week later. If Clemson loses either of those games more people are going to start wondering if its time to move on.

According to USA Today, it would cost Clemson $57 million to fire Swinney this season. If they wait until the calendar turns to 2027 it would be just over $40 million.

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