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Dabo Swinney screams at his Clemson defense after rough half

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 2:23 PM ET

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney went off on his defense after it allowed 28 points in the first half against the Duke Blue Devils.

Swinney was extremely animated on the sideline after the Tigers gave up a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the first half at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. While it was hard to make out precisely what Swinney was saying, he was so loud that the broadcast microphones could pick up some of it.

“They got 28 damn points on you!” Swinney can be heard saying at one point. There were also more than a few expletives.

Dabo Swinney has officially hit a breaking point. Clemson's head coach absolutely loses it on his defense, which has given up 28 first-half points to Duke… at home. pic.twitter.com/TJQTsnIjko
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2025

Clemson’s defense actually allowed 21 points in the first quarter, then tightened up a bit to allow Clemson to rally back from 21-7 down. However, they allowed Duke to go 75 yards on just seven plays before halftime, which culminated in a 43-yard touchdown to tie the game at 28.

Swinney certainly cannot be accused of being too relaxed about his defense’s struggles. There have been times this season that he looked downright defeated, but Tigers fans will probably be thrilled to see some fire from him.

Clemson entered play Saturday at just 3-4 despite being ranked No. 4 to start the season. Swinney has faced a lot of criticism as a result, and even some coaching legends are trying to encourage him to adapt and modernize his program and his methods.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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