What Dabo Swinney had to say after Clemson football’s 2025 Orange and White spring game

Another Orange and White Game for Clemson football under coach Dabo Swinney is in the books.

Entering his 17th full season and 18th overall as Clemson’s head coach, Swinney offered a lot of praise after Saturday’s final spring practice as the Orange defeated the White, 33-15. Among those garnering Swinney’s praise was junior wide receiver and transfer portal addition Tristan Smith.

Smith caught five passes for 137 yards, including a long 72-yard touchdown catch-and-run. After the game, Swinney noted that Smith was nervous before playing in front of a packed Memorial Stadium after joining the Tigers from Southeast Missouri State this offseason.

“His confidence will grow,” Swinney said. “He’s never played in front of a crowd like that probably. Spending his first couple of years at a junior college and then obviously at SEMO. So it’s a big deal.

“We’ve got six core guys in that group that I think can all start. They can all play at a really high level for us, but Tristan was the guy that we really needed,” Swinney later added. “You know, we had to kind of get him going. He’s the new guy, and it’s been a lot of pressure on him, so for him to go out and do what he did today, that will really boost his confidence.

“I’m just proud of him,” Swinney continued. “He puts his head down. He’s just a humble kid that doesn’t say much. He just works. As y’all can see when you get up on him, he is long. Just from what I saw on tape, I was like, ‘This is the guy. This is what we need,’ and he’s just come in and bought in. That whole little group has really kind of clicked well together. They’re going to need each other and we’re going to need all those guys.”

Dabo Swinney opening statement after 2025 Clemson spring game

“First of all, just appreciate our fans coming out. It was awesome, they stayed. We had a great crowd. I think there were some people here at like 7:00 a.m. They had the surplus sale this morning. There was a bunch of people here and Tiger Walk was awesome. It’s always fun to do that, especially now that we’ve got the little ceremony there where we unveil the captains in the Tiger Walk concrete. That was special and we had a great team meeting this morning, so just an awesome day. Got to see a bunch of former players, a bunch of guys in town. Had several of them actually come to our team meeting this morning, so that was a real treat.

“Grady Jarrett being one of them. I just think that’s really cool. He’s been gone since 2014 and he just makes it a priority to come back here every single year and I really appreciate that. But just an awesome, awesome day. I thought we were able to get the amount of plays that we needed to get. The whole thing I think was an hour and a half when we really kind of wrapped it up, and we got a chance to get everybody in the game and again get the snaps. Without having it on TV, we were able to kind of cut out all the delays and the time and all that, so it was it was actually really good and fun.

“A lot of guys flashed and did some good stuff, but just an awesome day and I appreciate our fans giving us that environment. I cannot overstate or appropriately quantify how special that is to be able to have an environment and an opportunity to have a game feel. That’s the best we can do, and we won’t get that again until we play LSU. So to be able to put a lot of those guys out there in that situation. You saw a lot of young players out there.

“Big Brayden Jacobs out there at left tackle. Seeing these young guys out there flying around. Seeing Tristan (Smith), receiver, new guy. He’s never played at this level. Now all of a sudden, it’s the confidence that can come from that. That can really grow so I don’t take it for granted because I know it’s not that way everywhere. So I really appreciate our fans for giving us a great environment. I hope everybody had fun.

“And then also, last night at the All In Ball was amazing. We were right about $1.45 million, and it was just an amazing night. So many generous people that really just get on board with the All-In Team Foundation to serve. Many people in our community, in this state, so that was special last night to be a part of that, as well. So it’s just been a great weekend and just thankful for a really good spring.

“I’m proud of how the guys worked. They’ve been very businesslike all spring really, just about the work, and that’s been good. A lot of guys took some good steps forward that we needed to see as coaches, and then guys that we feel need to be guys for us, they showed what they needed to show this spring. Then some young guys, they kind of got exposed and they know what they need to do to kind of take another step this summer.

“So, good spring from all those standpoints, but we’re not far from a complete team. We had a bunch of guys out this spring with mostly postseason surgery type stuff. We had a couple get hurt in the spring that ended up having to miss some time, but if everything goes well like we project, when we get it back on that field late July, we should have all hands on deck.

“When we get it all put together, we’ll be a team that has a chance, and that’s all you can ask for. So, just got to go do the work and put our head downs and be about it. But really proud of them. Appreciate this team, a lot of fun. I thought our staff did an awesome job of coming together. There’s always a reset this time of year. It’s been great energy all spring, so just need to build off that.

“Take that into what we call the transformation phase this summer. Come back in August and everybody be the best version of themselves that they’ve ever been. Whether you’re a fifth-year guy, a guy that’s been here six months, or a coach that’s been here going on 23 years. So, we need to all be the best we’ve ever been come August.”

Watch Swinney’s full press conference after Saturday’s Orange and White Game below.