Clemson football: 3 things Dabo Swinney needs to fix to save the season

Dabo Swinney’s Clemson football team must pick up the pieces after Week 1’s loss to Georgia.

There was nothing pretty about the Clemson football team’s performance vs. the Georgia Bulldogs last week, and Dabo Swinney is well aware of this.

While Clemson still controls its College Football Playoff destiny, that crushing 10-3 loss to Georgia in Charlotte revealed a few red flags when it comes to this team’s construction. Yes, the Dawgs have one of the best front-sevens in all of college football, but Clemson could do next to nothing offensively vs. Georgia. Fortunately, Clemson has the time to make the necessary adjustments.

Here are three things Swinney must fix on his football team if Clemson wants to make the playoff.

Clemson football: 3 adjustments Dabo Swinney must make after Georgia loss

3. The Tigers have to get healthier if they want to win it all

No doubt it was a tough, physical battle vs. Georgia, but Clemson needs to get healthier if the Tigers want to avoid an ACC loss, which will essentially be a season-ending defeat. They lost safety Lannden Sanders to a shoulder injury for the year vs. Georgia. While wide receiver E.J. Williams is expected to return, defensive lineman Bryan Bresee did not look 100 percent in the opener.

2. The running game cannot be this abysmal in conference play

Clemson had a grand total of two rushing yards vs. Georgia. That’s it, and that’s not acceptable. While they are replacing the greatest running back in ACC history in Travis Etienne this season, Will Shipley and Kobe Pace’s 1.8 yards per rush did not cut it vs. Georgia. Oddly enough, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott only gave Lyn-J Dixon one carry. That has to change the rest of the way.

1. Not sure what can be done, but the offensive line must improve

This was going to be Clemson’s weak point all season long. While everybody seemed to know that Georgia had a ferocious front-seven, why did we collectively overlook Clemson’s porous offensive line? Historically, this has not been a position group of strength under Swinney, but the Tigers have done just fine. What is important is for the front-five to develop continuity here in ACC play.

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