Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was still hot at his weekly press conference, days after his team lost to LSU, 17-10, in the season opener, Swinney reviewing over and over many of the plays that could have changed the course of Saturday night’s showdown.

He called out quarterback Cade Klubnik in a way most coaches don’t, the honesty appreciated by all parties in a program that is as genuine as they come. He was unhappy with some playcalling by offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. He pointed out drops by receivers Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore.

Tons of top prospects were in Death Valley for the primetime event. None mentioned – or seemed to care – that Clemson lost.

All of them cared about the insane environment and their interactions with the players and coaches throughout the night.

Clemson lost the battle. It could end up winning a lot of recruiting wars.

“The atmosphere at Clemson was amazing, nothing I ever have seen before,” said 2027 four-star safety Jayden Aparicio-Bailey from Birmingham (Ala.) Oak Mountain. “It was good seeing all the coaches and the love they showed me. This will definitely not be the last time I’m there and looking forward to building these relationships. They are one of the top schools in my recruiting.”

Milton, Ga., top 2027 four-star tight end Grant Haviland said: “The environment in Clemson was unreal. Even with the loss, you could feel how much the fans care and how electric it was the whole game. I really did appreciate being there because it was one of the best games of the weekend and you don’t get that kind of atmosphere everywhere. The coaches’ message has been consistent. They’ve told me they believe in their culture and what they’ve built and that I could have a big role in it. They’re definitely in a strong spot with me right now.”

It was a star-studded night at Clemson, a defensive battle on the field where the Tigers’ offense was not necessarily showcased all that well – and that was Swinney’s main gripe this week – but recruits didn’t seem to mind.

They were soaking in the environment, the pageantry and everything else Clemson has to offer. Defensive prospects especially seemed to love what they saw on the field as LSU’s explosive offense scored just 17 points, only three in the first half.

More than any performance, though, was how recruits felt and how the coaches are making them top priorities.

Raleigh (N.C.) Millbrook 2027 four-star edge rusher Rashad Streets absolutely loved his time at Clemson.

“Something I saw at Clemson that I haven’t seen anywhere else is they actually let the current commits come out with the team before kickoff and I thought that was really cool,” Streets said. “The message that I have been getting from coach (Chris) Rumph is that I am a guy that they feel has an elite skill set and someone they want at Clemson who fits well with what they do on the edge but they are patient in their recruiting and offer process because if they put out an offer it’s committable immediately and they make sure they do their due diligence on everyone, and that’s something I really respect because I know a lot of people with ‘offers’ who can’t really commit when they want.

“After talking with coach Swinney you can tell he is a leader of men and someone I can definitely see myself playing for in the future. Clemson has been a school that I have always been interested in but after this visit and even with the close loss my interest has only gone up. I would put them right at the top of my board and when I trim my list down they will definitely be right there near the top.”

Raleigh Millbrook teammate Quinton Cypher said despite Clemson’s loss, the Tigers are still one of his favorites. Top 2027 five-star target Joshua Dobson from Fort Mill (S.C.) Catawba Ridge said the environment was great and the game was even better. The coaches made it clear he remains a top in-state priority.

Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes running back David Segarra, Denver (N.C.) East Lincoln tight end Jaxon Dollar, Irmo, S.C., edge rusher Jaiden Bryant and Ridgeland (S.C.) Bluffton receiver Amare Patterson all made similar comments.

Frankly, no one seemed to care all that much that Clemson lost a game. The environment outweighed the outcome – except for Swinney, of course, who sounds more motivated than ever after the LSU defeat.

“I know more about my team now than I did before,” Swinney said. “I got more confirmation than doubt. I got a lot of confirmation on who our football team is. I’d rather have this feeling and this situation than if we won 50-3 against somebody. I got a lot more confirmation on what our team is and what they’re going to be, not what they can be, what they’re going to be.

“I love it. I know more about my team because now I have confirmation. I know what I’m looking at. This is what I do for a living. I got confirmation on what this football team is going to be.”