Clemson's Dabo Swinney continues to blast refs after controversial pass interference penalty in loss to Duke

Three days removed from Clemson's 46-45 loss to Duke, coach Dabo Swinney remains up in arms over the officiating and a controversial pass interference call that played a key role in the Blue Devils' game-winning drive. Swinney, who ripped the officials over "one of the worst calls" he has ever seen, made big-picture arguments on Tuesday and called for reform. Specifically, the two-time national champion pleaded for more accountability from officials and a requirement that they be full-time employees.

Swinney this week received a public reprimand from the ACC over his postgame comments about the officials. The conference also hit Clemson with a $10,000 fine for what it deemed was a violation of league policy.

"Coaches get crucified, fined," Swinney said Tuesday. "Players get crucified, held to this unrealistic accountability standard. But refs have zero accountability. They do, but it's behind a curtain. They get to go home and drink a beer and get on with their life and just leave the carnage left behind that affects a lot of people -- people losing jobs. That system needs to change."

Dabo Swinney stands by bad officiating remarks following ACC reprimand, Clemson fined after Duke loss

Brad Crawford

Dabo Swinney: Refs should have 'public accountability'

The call that made Swinney irate came with less than a minute left in the Week 10 loss to Duke. The Blue Devils trailed by a touchdown, and on fourth down, quarterback Darian Mensah fired a deep ball that fell incomplete for what appeared to be a turnover on downs until officials flagged Clemson defensive back Avieon Terrell for a pass interference penalty that kept the drive alive and set up Duke's go-ahead touchdown.

Terrell took the brunt of the contact with Duke receiver Que'Sean Brown on the play and fell to the ground as a result of the collision. He wound up as the guilty party in a call that left Clemson players and coaches dumbfounded.

"They need to be full-time refs, and it needs to be a job," Swinney said. "There needs to be one leader and one voice. That's what it should be, number one. And then there should be public accountability. Period. You can't criticize them? They're the only ones in the arena that have no consequences publicly. God forbid you get to pay a fine because you criticize performance, but yet everybody else can be criticized. It's a bad system, the way it's set up."

After latest loss, Dabo Swinney says 'I may get fired ... can't say I'd blame him' with Clemson AD looking on

Brad Crawford

The questionable call and resulting loss presents another batch of adversity for a Clemson program that has fallen dramatically short of expectations this season. The latest defeat is the fifth on the year and sent the Tigers tumbling further to 3-5 on the year.

"We've got gambling issues going on, people being suspended, all that kind of stuff, right?" Swinney said. "Refs are people, too. It ain't just coaches and players. If they're a part of the game, then by God, they ought to be a part of the game. They ought to be a part of the accountability. They ought to be a part of the consequences, not just behind some shadowy curtain."

Tuesday's media availability was the third public appearance -- following his postgame press conference and Sunday's teleconference -- in which Swinney blasted the officials for the pass interference call.