CLEMSON -- During the season itself, Dabo Swinney was seldom if ever interested in talking publicly about the struggles of his offensive line.

And that's fine. It's natural and perhaps even sound philosophy to avoid scrutiny in the heat of battle.

It's also important to remember that a defining element in retrospect wasn't necessarily known to be a defining element as it was happening.

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Yes, the offensive line did get physically overwhelmed in the regular-season trip to South Bend (34 rushing yards, which ties the lowest total of his 12 full seasons as head coach).

The offensive line did struggle to block Boston College's front (106 rushing yards).

The offensive line did fall well short of the preseason pronouncements from the coaches that it would be better than its immediate predecessor and one of the best of the Swinney Era.

But it's not as if everyone knew all along that Ohio State would totally control the line of scrimmage in New Orleans. After the line performed well against Virginia Tech (238 rushing yards) and was much better against Notre Dame in the rematch (219 rushing yards), in the moment there was legitimate hope of that trajectory continuing into the playoff.