Tony Elliott Emerges as Clemson's Top Dabo Successor After 51-10 LSU Rout

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Tony Elliott was cast as Clemson’s leading fallback if it moves on from Dabo Swinney, with the case sharpened by Saturday’s 51-10 loss to LSU and the program’s broader slide.
46-year-old Elliott has raised Virginia’s ACC win total every season, delivered an 11-win campaign and ACC title-game berth in 2025, and opened this season with the Cavaliers back in the AP Top 25.
His Clemson ties strengthen the fit: Elliott is a former Tigers player and spent seven seasons as Swinney’s offensive coordinator, helping win two national championships.
The argument rejects a splashy outside hire, pointing to uneven results from big-name bets such as Jimbo Fisher, Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley as Clemson weighs how to navigate the NIL era.