Clemson athletic director asked about his confidence in Dabo. What he said
After Clemson football’s worst regular season in 15 years, coach Dabo Swinney and his program are facing more scrutiny than they have in well over a decade.
One person firmly in Swinney’s corner: Clemson athletic director Graham Neff.
Speaking on a Zoom interview to preview the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl, Neff gave a strong public endorsement of Swinney on Tuesday, praising his football coach as an excellent leader and describing him as an “incredible fit” at Clemson.
“That’s been shown for two decades that Coach has been at Clemson, and I expect that to continue for many, many years ahead,” Neff said Tuesday.
Clemson was the preseason No. 4 team in the country after making a 2024 College Football Playoff appearance and was widely expected to break through and make a run at the national championship in 2025.
But the Tigers looked all out of sorts from the jump and were 3-5 and 2-4 in the ACC after eight games. Swinney’s group rebounded for four straight wins to end the season, including a big season finale win at rival South Carolina.
Still, the final numbers weren’t pretty. Clemson’s 7-5 regular-season record was its worst since going 6-6 in 2010 (Swinney’s second full season as coach). The Tigers finished 4-4 in the ACC for the second time in three years, narrowly avoiding their first sub-.500 finish in conference play since 1998.
And Memorial Stadium, once home to a 40-game winning streak that ranked among the 10 longest in college football history, lost its edge. Clemson lost its first four home games against power conference teams in 2025 and was on the verge of its longest ever home losing streak to P4 teams (seven) before beating Florida State.
Neff evaluates Clemson football’s 2025 season
Neff on Tuesday admitted that Clemson going for an eight-win season isn’t the annual standard at the school. But he complimented Swinney for rallying Clemson from a 3-5 start and getting the Tigers into a bowl game.
Clemson plays Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York on Dec. 27. With a win, the Tigers would finish 8-5 and on a five-game winning streak. They’d also become only the third program to win eight or more games in each of the last 15 seasons (Georgia, Alabama).
Asked directly about his confidence level in Swinney going forward, Neff said it went “without question” that he had “full confidence” in Swinney’s leadership of Clemson football going forward and he was excited about “the path ahead.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to watch the ’25 Tigers, while certainly pointing ahead to the ’26 Tigers and beyond,” Neff said.
“Coach’s ability ... just to connect with our players and to continue to lead and be an incredible leader and developer of men in college football going forward is unmatched and without question,” Clemson’s AD added.
Neff did not dive into specifics of what “pointing ahead” looks like. Swinney himself has foreshadowed major changes to Clemson going forward, including increased transfer portal usage and potential staff changes.
Neff, who rarely weighs in on the inner workings of Clemson football in public, made headlines earlier this fall when he told a panel the program could probably strike a “better balance” for staff composition. (Swinney employs a number of assistants and off-field staffers who are either former players and/or have minimal experience at other FBS schools, which has drawn criticism.)
A strong public endorsement after a strong finish
It wasn’t a surprise to hear Neff fully endorse Swinney on Tuesday, during a Pinstripe Bowl Zoom interview that also featured Swinney, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft and Penn State interim coach Terry Smith.
But it was still notable. Neff, as Clemson athletic director, is Swinney’s direct supervisor, and his words carry weight. Tuesday was also the first time Neff took questions from the media in a formal setting since mid-August.
Swinney, 56, is the winningest coach in Clemson and ACC history. He’s repeatedly taken the blame for Clemson’s struggles this season and promised fans the Tigers will get back to their winning ways and win “more championships,” as he puts it.
One of only two active coaches with multiple national championships, Swinney is making $11.25 million in total salary this season and ranked top five nationally in total pay entering the 2025 season. This is his 17th full season at Clemson.
Swinney also expressed optimism about Clemson football’s future Tuesday, describing the Pinstripe Bowl as a “special opportunity” to build momentum.
“Everybody wants to take momentum. ... I think any time you can finish your season with a win it’s a great thing,” Swinney said. “The same for Penn State. A huge game, huge opportunity, and I know our team will be excited about it.”
2025 Pinstripe Bowl: Clemson vs. Penn State
- What: 2025 Pinstripe Bowl
- Who: Clemson (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6)
- Where: Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York
- When: noon Saturday, Dec. 27
- TV: ABC
- Betting line: Clemson by 3 points
- Tickets: Visit pinstripebowl.com
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM.
