A year ago, Dabo Swinney bristled at the suggestion his team lacked something necessary to win a title. When the questions came after a lackluster win at Auburn, a sluggish performance against Troy and a near miracle to beat NC State, he argued that this was merely an indication of how tough it is to win, rather than a sign of some inherent flaw in Clemson’s game plan. Given the ultimate result, he was probably right.
But this year, as the doubts seemed even more reasonable following the departure of Deshaun Watson and Mike Williams, Ben Boulware and Wayne Gallman, Swinney has a different approach, one his team showcased with zealous enthusiasm at Louisville this past Saturday.