Comparing Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban at the same coaching stage

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has always been a big proponent of what’s going on at Alabama and how the Crimson Tide have handled themselves during the insane amount of success experienced under the leadership of Nick Saban.

Saban just won his seventh overall National Championship and has won six total at Alabama. He is 7-2 overall in National Title games with his only losses coming to Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers in the 2016 and 2018 seasons.

As many are beginning to compare Saban to legendary Bama coach Bear Bryant, we thought we would take a look back at his first 13 years as a head coach and see how they compare to Swinney’s numbers.

Here’s a look at the basic numbers. Keep in mind that Saban spent his first season at Toledo and then went to Michigan State and LSU before ultimately winding up at Alabama following a run in the NFL. We’re counting strictly his first 13 CFB seasons and not looking at his NFL career.

Nick Saban (13 seasons– 1 with Toledo, 5 with Michigan State, 5 with LSU, 2 with Alabama)

Overall Record: 110-56
National Titles: 1
Conference Championships: 4
AP Top 5 finishes: 1

Dabo Swinney (13 seasons– all with Clemson)

Overall Record: 140-33
National Titles: 2
Conference Championships: 7
AP Top 5 finishes: 6

Dabo Swinney & Nick Saban are both elite coaches, without question

After Saban’s first 13 seasons, here’s how he would finish the next 12 years:

2009: 14-0, National Champion
2010: 10-3
2011: 12-1, National Champion
2012: 13-1, National Champion
2013: 11-2
2014: 12-2, SEC Champion
2015: 14-1, National Champion
2016: 14-1, National Title appearance (lost to Clemson)
2017: 13-1, National Champion
2018: 14-1, National Title appearance (lost to Clemson)
2019: 11-2
2020: 13-0, National Champion

The point of this isn’t to say what Dabo Swinney will or won’t be able to do in the next decade and what challenges he may take on.

The point is the fact that if you look at Saban in Year 13 and you look at Swinney in Year 13, the Clemson football coach is lightyears ahead.

That being said, you can’t talk about the legendary status of Nick Saban without talking about what he would accomplish in the next decade following his first 13 years as a head coach in CFB.

Can Swinney have a similar type of run?

Next. Why Alabama should give Clemson hope for future. dark

We always hear him talk about ‘the best is yet to come’ and Saban’s success certainly puts that into perspective. Swinney still has years of coaching ahead of him and nothing is going to stop him from continuing to develop, grow and excel at this level.

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