Dabo Swinney admits last play was not designed to be a RPO

The Clemson Tigers’ head coach, Dabo Swinney, and quarterback, Cade Klubnik, have been inundated with questions regarding the final play of their 28-20 loss to Miami. Both have acknowledged that it was a mistake on Klubnik’s part, as he failed to execute the called play.

“No, it was definitely a handoff,” Swinney stated when asked if the last play was a run-pass option (RPO). “And we didn’t hand it off. He just pulled it. I don’t have an answer. I mean, he was trying to do too much. So, it wasn’t an RPO; it was a handoff. We just didn’t execute it. We made a lot of plays, but we need to stay within the system.”

Klubnik admitted on Monday that it was his mistake.

“Yeah, like I mentioned after the game, and I think Coach Swinney said it too, it was supposed to be a run. But, you know, I was just trying to make a play. I thought I saw something, but I was wrong. It’s similar to what I said after the game,” Klubnik acknowledged.

Clemson’s Achilles heel against Miami was their heavy reliance on the running game, particularly utilizing Klubnik’s ability as a dual-threat quarterback. Klubnik ended up with 14 carries for -27 yards, including the final play of the game.

Swinney Shares Recollection of 2021 Loss to NC State

This week, the Tigers will be traveling to face the NC State Wolfpack. For Clemson, it will be their first visit since experiencing a grueling double overtime loss during the 2021 season.

Swinney vividly remembers that game and he shared his memories of the 2021 loss leading up to this season’s meeting.

“I remember they made a couple of unbelievable plays and found one more play than we did in double overtime,” Swinney recounted. “It was a tough, tough, tough loss for sure. A great win for them. They earned it, and although we had opportunities, they made one more play than we did. So, I remember that. It was a heck of a game.”

Clemson succumbed to a score of 27-21 in the thrilling double overtime match. The game was deadlocked at 14-14 at the end of regulation after both defenses put on exceptional performances, and it was a defensive stop that ultimately secured NC State’s victory.

One of the main reasons for Clemson’s struggle in that game was their poor performance on third down, converting only 2 out of 11 attempts. Additionally, they were unsuccessful on the one fourth down they tried. Furthermore, Clemson was penalized 13 times, which certainly didn’t aid their cause.