Dabo Swinney, Cade Klubnik on Clemson football’s final play vs Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Clemson football had fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard-line in the second overtime on Saturday against Miami, and the Tigers couldn’t score. They fell 28-20 at Hard Rock Stadium on a puzzling final play.
After Miami (5-2, 1-2 ACC) scored and got the requisite two-point conversion to start the second overtime, Clemson (4-3, 2-3) had the chance to force a third. On the Tigers’ last chance, quarterback Cade Klubnik kept the ball, and Miami’s Corey Flagg Jr. chased him down for a loss of eight yards and a Hurricanes win.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the final play was not an runay-pass option pl, and Klubnik was supposed to hand the ball off.
“I have no answer,” Swinney said of the play. “Just trying to do too much.”
Klubnik said he saw something from the defense that made him think he could make the play himself.
“If I had the play back, I’d have handed it off 10 times out of 10,” Klubnik said. “I take full responsibility for that one.”
Swinney said he considered opting for a “tush push” play and having some players push Klubnik across the goal line for the necessary score.
“We just felt like we liked the play we had,” Swinney said. “We’d just got about a yard or a yard and a half on the previous play, and we felt good about inches. I don’t have an answer.”
Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at [email protected].
