Episode #378
David Hale
Last week, David Hale of ESPN published a comprehensive -- and rather scathing -- deep dive into the current state of Dabo Swinney's football program. Hale's article painted the picture of a program headed in the wrong direction. An excerpt: Clemson's downfall is not the result of one clear failure, according to more than a half dozen coaches, agents and pundits who spoke with ESPN about the program's status. Instead, it has been a death by a few dozen cuts. At the center of all of them, however, is the same culprit: Swinney's refusal to adapt -- or worse, to admit there's a problem. One source close to the program called Swinney's approach "stubborn," and lamented the coach's regular rebuffs of criticism, instead insisting the team was "just a few plays away" or offering reminders that Clemson made the playoff -- as the 12 seed -- just two years ago. "It's like there's nothing wrong [to him]," the source said. Or, as an opposing coach noted: "If you don't know the problems, you can't find solutions." Hale joins the podcast to discuss his reporting for the article and whether he's received any blowback from Clemson folks over the last week. And with the Tigers at 3-1, he also frets about a "Dabo was right" butt tattoo he promised if Clemson finishes 11-1 as Swinney said was still possible after a 41-point humiliation against LSU.
