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On Saturday, October 28, 2023, in Raleigh, North Carolina, during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, head coach Dabo Swinney of Clemson reacts along the sidelines. (Photo by Karl B. DeBlaker/AP)
It’s understandable that Dabo Swinney is a little tetchy these days.
Once upon a time, he was the most attractive college football coach in the country, with the potential to unseat Nick Saban as the best player on the sidelines.
Now, after finding it difficult to adjust to the quickly changing times, old Dabo is in charge of a Clemson program that appears remarkably normal.
Therefore, the coach displayed how fragile he has become when a fearless fan challenged the Tigers’ declining situation on Swinney’s radio show this week.
“Listen, man, you have the right to apply for the job and express your opinions as much as you like. And I wish you luck,” Swinney yelled at a caller who was only identified as “Tyler from Spartanburg.”
Although it’s true that a “what have you done for me lately” mentality is the worst thing that can happen to collegiate athletes, Tyler from Spartanburg was spot on when he criticized Swinney’s once-dominant program.
The Tigers have a 25-11 overall record but only a 5-5 record against ranked opponents since winning the 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference championship and earning their sixth consecutive invitation to the College Football Playoffs.
The body of work Clemson has produced in the past year is more concerning.
The Tigers are a.500 team with seven wins and seven losses after opening the 2022 season with eight straight victories. This is definitely not what the orange-clad supporters would expect from one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport.
As Swinney is in the second year of a ten-year, $115 million contract that will keep him at Clemson until the 2031 campaign, Tyler from Spartanburg was not amused by the coach’s attempts to explain what went wrong.
He even made the ultimate jab, equating Swinney’s perspective with that of his heavily criticized predecessor.
“It had a striking resemblance to Tommy Bowden,” Spartanburg resident Tyler commented. “And let me tell you something: Tommy Bowden’s income isn’t the same as yours.”
That’s a sad blow, to be sure, given Swinney’s resume that includes two national titles, two more appearances in the championship game, eight ACC titles, and twelve straight seasons with ten wins.
However, Swinney seemed to be unaware of this when he unleashed what he would later refer to as “an Old Testament response” to “some idiot” who attempted to “go Old Testament on me.” The degree of expectation rises in direct proportion to the number of zeros on the paycheck.
“Am I flawless? Nope. Far from it!” yelled Swinney. “I have frequently participated in failures. Tyler, there isn’t a single thing in my life that I haven’t failed at. Never, ever do that.
Fans like Tyler from Spartanburg, according to Swinney, are “part of the problem.”
The coach remarked, “The expectation is greater than the appreciation.” “That is the issue.”
It is imperative that Swinney conduct a thorough introspection regarding the issues plaguing the Tigers, beginning with his unwillingness to utilize the transfer portal, which is a vital necessity in the current recruiting landscape.
The Tigers will continue to lag behind if Swinney doesn’t, at the very least, make some adjustments to his long-standing preference to develop players that he selects from the high school ranks.
Only two players—scout-team quarterbacks who added depth during the week but were inconsequential on Saturdays—have been signed by Swinney in the portal era.
Athletes can now earn millions of dollars through name, image, and likeness deals, so Swinney’s well-known opposition to paying players has undoubtedly come back to haunt him on the recruiting trail.
If collegiate athletics begins to resemble professional sports too much—which, of course, they already do, save for that annoying aspect of paying real salaries to players who put in a lot of work on the field—Swinney has threatened to resign as coach.
He comes across as utterly conceited and out of touch from his posture, especially in light of his bank account.
And lastly, his coaching staff. Rather than searching outside the program for more competent candidates, Swinney has always been far too devoted to the assistants and former players he already has, elevating them to positions they aren’t ready for.
Most significantly, Brandon Streeter was Swinney’s internal replacement for Tony Elliott, the longtime offensive coordinator who left to take a position as head coach at Virginia. After the Tigers lost three of their final six games in 2022, including a stunning home loss to rival South Carolina, the former Clemson quarterback left his new position after just one year.
The absence of a star quarterback has been Clemson’s biggest problem, despite the fact that Streeter undoubtedly appeared overmatched.
The Tigers finished with a 77-8 record, filled the trophy case with a variety of memorabilia, and undoubtedly became a little spoiled over the course of three seasons with Trevor Lawrence starting behind center and three more with Deshaun Watson taking the snaps.
After that, DJ Uiagalelei struggled for nearly two years as the starting pitcher before Cade Klubnik took his place. This season, the Tigers have been held to 20 points or fewer in four out of eight games, with Klubnik in charge and Garrett Riley taking over as coordinator.
Clemson is ranked 49th in total yards, 45th in passing yards, 63rd in scoring, and 66th in rushing yards among the major offensive categories.
Is this year unlucky? Yes, and I’m accountable for it. Admit full responsibility for it,” Swinney said to Spartanburg resident Tyler. Coach continued, though, saying, “I don’t give a crap about how much money I make.” You won’t address me as though I’m twelve years old.
Before playing at home on Saturday against No. 12 Notre Dame (7-2), the 53-year-old head coach and the Tigers need to split their remaining four games in order to qualify for bowl games.
