Eric Mac Lain isn’t ready to write off Clemson, even after a season that left plenty of outsiders talking like the Tigers were slipping.
The ACC Network analyst, who knows the program from the inside after playing under Dabo Swinney a decade ago, pushed back on the idea that Clemson is suddenly a team in decline. Speaking last week at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, the former Clemson offensive lineman - and the winningest player in school history - said the program’s recent dip looks a lot different when you zoom out.
When 680 The Fan radio station asked him whether Clemson was on the decline, Mac Lain answered plainly: “I don’t think they’re a bad program on the decline,” he said. “What they’ve been able to do has been tremendous. I mean, you don’t win two national championships playing the game four or five times and not know how to adjust, not know how to get better.”
Clemson’s seven wins last season marked its lowest total since 2010, and the Tigers are now two seasons removed from a College Football Playoff appearance. Mac Lain acknowledged that the recent stretch has not gone the way Clemson wanted.
“Now, has that been a little bit of a curve, and have things not gone favorably for them? Absolutely,” he said.
Still, he made clear that plenty of programs would gladly trade places with Clemson over the last several seasons.
“But, I look at their last four years or five years, wherever you want to say the decline started, and there’s probably 90% of the country that would kill to have those five years on their plate right now.”
Mac Lain also pointed to the talent Clemson still had on last year’s roster, including the NFL Draft picks who came off the board in April. In his view, the Tigers still have enough quality in place to push back toward the top.
He said he’s paying attention to the staff changes, including the return of former offensive coordinator Chad Morris, and he wants to see how the program responds to last season’s disappointment.
“This guy is the best at what he does, very talented team, just had nine guys drafted, just couldn’t get it done for whatever reason,” he said. “So, what did you learn from last year? How do you make sure it never happens again?”
Clemson opens 2026 at LSU in Week 1, which means the answers will have to come fast. Mac Lain said the mix of coaches and transfers gives the Tigers a chance to reset, but he also made it clear this is a prove-it season.
“So, what it all look like this year is going to be fascinating, and we will know in a hurry, right?”
In Other News...
Another Former Clemson Starter Is Back Inside The Program
Ryan Linthicum is back around Clemson in a different role, joining the football staff as an offensive player development intern with a focus on the offensive line. It is a familiar move for a former starter who spent five seasons with the Tigers, then left school with a resume that included 27 straight starts across his final two years and plenty of game-day experience in the middle of the line.
His return also fits a broader pattern inside the program, where several former Tigers are already on staff and helping shape the next wave of players. Linthicums path from recent starter to coach came after his playing career wound down, and his presence adds another layer of Clemson continuity to a staff that keeps leaning on people who know what the standard looks like inside the building. [Read more 🡒]
Former Clemson Linebacker Just Added Intrigue To The LSU Opener
T.J. Dotterys path has already made him one of the more interesting side stories around Clemsons season opener at LSU. The linebacker, once known as T.J. Dudley in Tigertown, moved from Clemson to Ole Miss and then followed Lane Kiffin to LSU, putting him in position to see his old program again in a game that already carries plenty of weight for both teams.
Dottery has spoken positively about Clemson even after his dismissal, and he also touched on the chain of transfers that helped shape his own journey, including Luke Ferrellis move from Cal to Ole Miss via Clemson. For Clemson, it adds another layer to a trip to Baton Rouge that was going to draw attention anyway, with a familiar face now on the other sideline and a little extra context attached to the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Coach Fires Back Again In Clemson Transfer Controversy
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding took questions again at SEC Media Days and made clear he sees the Luke Ferrelli transfer issue through the lens of a recruiting system he believes is under constant strain. Golding pointed to his compliance department and framed the situation as part of the competitive reality of college football, where programs are forced to navigate rules that can feel murky even before a dispute reaches the public stage.
For Clemson, the broader significance is less about one coachs defense and more about the unresolved tension surrounding the move and the scrutiny now attached to it. Golding acknowledged the ongoing investigations involving Clemson, Ole Miss and the NCAA, while also using the moment to argue that the current recruiting landscape puts schools in a difficult spot when they are trying to keep pace with everyone else. [Read more 🡒]