Dabo Swinney's Future & Oregon's Disappointing Year

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Dabo Swinney’s Future and Oregon’s Disappointing Season

Dabo Swinney’s future at Clemson is a major question. Clemson entered the season outside the preseason top 25 for the first time since he took the job, reflecting a program that was already considered to be in decline.

Oregon has been the more disappointing team. The Ducks were ranked first or second in the preseason AP and coaches polls but have fallen well short of those expectations. Quarterback Dante Moore cannot take all the blame because the team struggled from the beginning. Oregon barely beat Boise State in the opening week, lost to Oklahoma State the following week and continued to decline from there.

Dan Lanning will likely receive more time, while Swinney’s situation is more complicated because of his standing with Clemson’s boosters and other influential people around the program. His emphasis on loyalty may no longer work in college football, particularly with a 14-team playoff coming.

Teams could follow Notre Dame’s approach by scheduling opponents such as Buffalo, Mercer or Stetson. If avoiding more than three losses is enough to reach the playoff, there may be little incentive to build a difficult schedule.