Lawrence Raves About Swinney

Trevor Lawrence, entering his fifth season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025 under his third head coach (Liam Coen), recently reflected on his college coach, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, during an interview on "Pardon My Take." Lawrence played for Swinney from 2018 to 2020, winning three ACC Championships, making three College Football Playoff appearances, and securing the 2018 national title.

Lawrence expressed deep admiration for Swinney, describing him as authentic and unfazed by criticism. He emphasized Swinney's genuine personality, stating, "He doesn’t put on a fake personality," and recalled how Swinney remained honest in the media despite backlash. Lawrence highlighted Swinney’s motivational skills over technical expertise, noting that lengthy team meetings held players' attention because Swinney instilled unwavering confidence, making the team believe "we’re gonna kill these dudes" regardless of opponents.

Lawrence also praised Swinney’s recruiting prowess, attributing it to his ability to sell Clemson’s family atmosphere—a promise Lawrence confirmed was fulfilled. He called Swinney "a stud" and maintains monthly contact with him. Under Swinney, Lawrence became Clemson’s winningest quarterback (34-2 record), a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2020, and set program records for career winning percentage (.944), pass efficiency rating (164.3), yards per passing attempt (8.87), and wins against Top 25 teams (nine).