Will Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney determine the 2027 coaching carousel?

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A $57 million buyout makes replacing Dabo Swinney an expensive proposition. But ESPN’s Pete Thamel sees Clemson’s more pressing question as what changes the program makes around him.

The Tigers’ coach appeared in Thamel’s examination of six buyouts that could shape college football’s coaching carousel, ranking behind only USC’s Lincoln Riley. His inclusion came with a clear distinction.

“Clemson is not firing Swinney,” Thamel said. “Let’s start there.”

Thamel pointed to Swinney’s championship résumé, his connection to the university and the financial cost of a dismissal. Still, keeping the coach leaves Clemson with decisions about how to restore a program that once regularly competed for national titles.

At 3-2, the Tigers have opportunities to build a respectable season. Their losses to LSU and Miami, however, have exposed a gap that another winning record alone would not erase.

Thamel’s analysis raised questions about the coaching staff, Clemson’s personnel operation and how aggressively it will pursue transfers. The Tigers added 10 defensive transfers last offseason but just one on offense.

One particularly significant decision could involve freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds. Clemson could invest in his development or pursue a proven transfer, with Thamel estimating that a top quarterback could cost at least $5 million.

“But there remains a vexing gap to close to catch up to the sport’s elite,” Thamel wrote.

The discussion also included two coaches awaiting Clemson later this season: Florida State’s Mike Norvell and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer. Their buyouts stand at approximately $51 million and $22.5 million, respectively.

Clemson visits the Seminoles on Oct. 31 before hosting the Gamecocks on Nov. 28.

For Swinney, the immediate task is preparing for Charleston Southern on Oct. 17. The broader challenge is showing that Clemson can turn its next round of decisions into meaningful progress.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Will Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney determine the 2027 coaching carousel?

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