CLEMSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Monday morning’s team meeting wasn’t about what Clemson’s seen on the other side of the field, it was about what the Tigers are dealing with on their own sideline.
Following a 34-21 loss to Syracuse that dropped Clemson to 1-3, head coach Dabo Swinney called, what players described as, one of the most emotional meetings they’ve been a part of.
It wasn’t a film session. It wasn’t a lecture. It was just Swinney and his players talking openly about the rough start to the season and how to move forward from here.
Junior safety Khalil Barnes said Swinney leaned on his faith.
“The first thing he told us was scripture, he kind of turned it into a sermon,” Barnes said. “It was emotional in there just because he truly does feel what we feel but times three because he’s not feeling it as a current player. He’s feeling it as a coach. He’s feeling it for his former players… and obviously for the community.”
Junior defensive tackle Peter Woods said the meeting was about bouncing back.
“It was great. It was needed. It was just about responding,” Woods said. “Nobody expected us to start the season off like this. This wasn’t in coach Swinney’s notes for the bye week, but it’s about how you respond.”
Greenville High School graduate and Tigers junior offensive lineman Collin Sadler knew it was a rare and meaningful moment.
“It was nice to just have him (Swinney) and the team in there, really just have a personal moment between our head coach and our players,” Sadler said. “Having that direct line of communication, especially when everyone in there feels like they can be vulnerable and real with each other, that’s really what’s going to bring our team together. It was really special to have a big reset going into a bye week, just kind of bear our hearts to each other. But it was awesome.”
Redshirt freshman tight end Christian Bentancur said the important voices were heard during the meeting.
“Obviously, not the start we wanted, but it was great to see the leaders on our team really step up and have encouragement for us in this time,” Bentancur said.
Sadler reflected on the responsibility he feels not only for this season, but also for the future of the team including younger players like Bentancur.
“I think about the seniors and the freshmen—guys in my room and the younger players watching us. I want to leave the best possible legacy for those guys,” Sadler said. “I don’t want to be known as a guy who quit, a guy who tapped out. I want to be someone they look back on and think, ‘yeah, he never quit. He pushed through to the end, set an example for us, and gave us momentum going into the next year.’”
For Swinney, the meeting was about perspective.
“We’re not going to win the national championship this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t win the season. Doesn’t mean we can’t finish well and doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the journey,” he said.
The Tigers now have a bye week before returning to face North Carolina. The program that entered 2025 with championship expectations now faces a different challenge; proving its culture can carry through a tough stretch.
According to Swinney and his players, Monday’s meeting was a step in the right direction.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with FOX Carolina. For more free content like this, download our apps.