CHARLOTTE — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney and his players know the Tigers weren't as bad as their record showed in 2023.

Clemson went 9-4 last season, winning their fewest games since 2010 and missing the ACC championship and the College Football Playoff for the third straight season. Yet, the 16-year Tigers coach recognizes how close his team could have been to 12-1.

Outside of Clemson's 21-point season-opening loss to Duke, it dropped three one-possession games, including overtime matchups to Florida State and Miami. Ill-opportune plays and poor ball security caused the Tigers' "frustrating" 2023 season.

"We were good last year, (but) there was a lot of meat left on the bone," linebacker Barrett Carter said.

So much so, Swinney is optimistic about Clemson's chances in finishing games in 2024.

One reason is how Swinney's team finished its 2023 season. Following the 4-4 start, Clemson won five straight — including two one-possession games — to conclude its season with notable victories over Notre Dame, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Tigers relied on a combination of freshmen and veterans to average 31.6 points while holding opponents to 21.2 in the final five games.

"That momentum, confidence, experience and adversity all combined together has really driven this group," Swinney said. "Guys came back because they wanted to finish on their own terms, if you will. We've recruited well. We've got some guys that got some experience last year that are going to be better."

Another reason is how the Tigers' offense will perform in the second season under coordinator Garrett Riley's system. Clemson ranked last in the conference in passing yards per attempt with 6.3 last year, but the offense is expected to improve with quarterback Cade Klubnik having a chorus of physical and speedy athletes surrounding him.

The Tigers' offense returned 10 starters, and running back Phil Mafah and tight end Jake Briningstool highlight the skill position players. Antonio Williams, Tyler Brown and Troy Stellato lead the wide receivers room with two dynamic freshmen, Bryant Wesco Jr. (four-star) and T.J. Moore (five-star), potentially having an impact. The offensive line should be better and healthy, too, with seven to eight players being comfortable to start if needed.

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"It almost feels like the longer you're in a system, you know how to get through progressions faster, cancel out yes-no pre-snap progressions, know when you're hot off of blitzes (and) know the protections better," Klubnik said. "That, obviously, comes with getting the ball out of my hand quicker."

Clemson has missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, but Swinney's team hasn't been horrible. It has posted a 30-10 record. The issue is that its standard of competing for national championships has diminished.

When the Tigers were a mainstay in the College Football Playoff from 2015-20, they secured a 79-7 record and two national championships. With the CFP expanding to 12 teams this season, Clemson has a better chance to land a bid.

Clemson eyes a return to the playoffs and aims to prove it is ready to return to the national stage.

"We see everything. We keep receipts," Carter said. "We're tired of the disrespect. We know we had dudes the past couple years, and we've fallen short in those years. It's time for us to really show what Clemson is about and really bring Clemson back up to the top."

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney: Clemson football coach says Tigers are back for 2024