​CLEMSON — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney knows last season was a complete failure.So much so, Swinney no longer dwells on Clemson finishing 7-6 to miss the ACC championship and College Football Playoff despite being favorites to make both.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”We’re way past that. That page is turned,” Swinney said at Clemson’s media day on July 14.Still, Swinney blamed himself throughout the offseason for Clemson’s struggles in 2025 as the Tigers had their second-worst year in his full 17 seasons.With no preseason expectations to win the ACC or make the CFP in 2026, Swinney said Clemson’s top goal is to win more than the Tigers did last year.”Just get the arrow pointed back where it needs to be,” Swinney said. “I don’t know if we’ll get all the way to the top of the mountain, but we need to get it pointing back in that direction.”1 / 35Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris speaks with media during Clemson football media day at the Allen N. Reeves football complex in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, July 14, 2026.(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)Swinney fired offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and replaced him with Chad Morris, who was the team’s offensive coordinator from 2011-14. Morris helped save Swinney’s job when he was hired after Clemson went 6-7 in 2010.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFifteen years later, Swinney is in a similar position. He wasn’t fired after the disappointing 2025 season, even receiving an endorsement from athletic director Graham Neff after the regular season, but another poor year could heighten hot-seat talk.Swinney also added 11 transfers, a single-season program record. This total exceeded the number of portal players landed from 2019-2024.Notable transfers Clemson landed include SMU running back Chris Johnson Jr., Penn State cornerback Elliot Washington II, Southern Miss safety Corey Myrick and Old Dominion safety Jerome Carter III.MORE: Why Tajh Boyd believes Christopher Vizzina will be ready for Clemson opener at LSUAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSwinney envisions those defensive back additions to be a boon with returning starter Ashton Hampton for Clemson’s pass defense after the Tigers allowed 251.2 yards per game (120th nationally).”You got to be on the same page, and that’s the biggest thing defensively,” Swinney said. “It’s just that simple. We got to be better on pass defense if we’re going to be better. Period.”None of those 11 transfers were a quarterback or offensive lineman. Clemson did not land any despite the Tigers losing three-year starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and three offensive line starters.Swinney is optimistic that fourth-year quarterback Christopher Vizzina can lead Clemson’s offense despite having started just one game in his career. Vizzina is competing with freshman Tait Reynolds.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat confidence exists in his young and inexperienced offensive line, too. Harris Sewell and Collin Sadler are retur