Dave Clawson expresses confidence in Clemson returning to national prominence in 2025

Going into the 2025 season, the question is whether Clemson can recapture the magic from earlier in Dabo Swinney‘s tenure. The Tigers have a veteran returning starting quarterback and a loaded roster.

If there’s ever a time to take charge in the ACC and push for another College Football Playoff spot it’s now. The Tigers will be itching to do so, and one who has seen the ACC up close and personal over the years thinks they’re poised to do it.

“I think they’re the cream of the crop,” said former Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson on the College GameDay Podcast. “And just watching Clemson at times a little too up close over the last 11 years, we never quite got them. They are getting back to the offensive skill level that they had when I first got to Wake.”

Cade Klubnik is where it starts, but Clemson also has really good skill position talent. Bryant Wesco, Antonio Williams and TJ Moore will lead an excellent group of pass-catchers.

To Clawson, the talent is reminiscent of the mid 2010s at Clemson. He broke it down.

“They had Deshaun Watson, they had really good wide receivers,” Clawson said. “And then for a while the defense kind of carried them. But I think if you look at Klubnik and their offensive skill level, they’re back to being an elite receiver group.”

Clawson has also been impressed by another element of Clemson’s current roster construction. It’s mostly homegrown talent.

All that has Swinney set up to have a big year. It’s been building.

“A lot of people were critical of Dabo’s not using the portal,” Clawson said. “But what he did is he’s built such a great culture there that he’s retained all of his best players. And now you add a kid like Will Heldt from Purdue that was very highly sought after. We recruited him out of high school and had a great career at Purdue. And now he can pick and choose and add pieces to fill in any holes.

“That is one of the places I visited in the spring, and I think they have a chance to get back to the Clemson that did compete and win national championships.”