Dabo Swinney has a message for every national media talking head daring to question if the game has passed him by: Not a chance. Our head coach is just getting started, and Tiger Nation.
The two-time national championship head coach is taking heat from every direction after a tough 7-6 season, but let’s be honest: most of it is lazy, outside noise. The Tigers started last year in the Top 5 and looked every bit the contender, but a rough 1-3 start had the doubters circling. Even after roaring back to finish 7-5, a tough loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl gave the critics more ammo. Now, the same old skeptics are out in force, claiming Swinney can’t keep up with the so-called 'modern era' of college football. Tiger fans know better.
But if these critics think Dabo is ready to pack it in, they clearly have no idea who’s leading the charge in Death Valley. Swinney is as fierce and competitive as they come, and he’s not going anywhere.
A New Acronym For Reclaiming Greatness
In a candid, must-read interview with On3’s Chris Low, Swinney radiated absolute optimism about the future of the program, completely shutting down the outside noise with a brand-new rallying cry for Tiger Nation.
“What I do know is that we’re taking Clemson back to the top. That’s right, ‘TCBTTT,’” Swinney told Low. “When I got hired (in 2009) and I said, ‘Hey, we’re going to win the national championship,’ everybody laughed at me. I’m sure they’re laughing now. But, again, it ain’t about what everybody says about you. It ain’t about what ESPN thinketh. It ain’t about what Paul Finebaum sayeth. It’s about what you see. A lot of people have always seen me as a (D-plus hire), but it’s about what we see. It’s about how we think.
“That’s the only thing that ever matters.”
Unrivaled Hardware on the Whistle
Unlike previous offseasons, where our Tigers received the benefit of the doubt in preseason polls, the national media is completely freezing Clemson out as fall camp approaches in a few weeks. The disrespect has reached a fever pitch, with some shock-jocks boldly suggesting it's time for Swinney to step away.
At just 56 years old, Swinney vehemently shut down that narrative, drawing a direct parallel to legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban to remind the world that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
“Hell no. I mean, I’m just getting going,” Swinney responded when asked if he was getting close to retirement.
“I’m right about the same age Nick (Saban) was when he got to Alabama. So I’m just getting going, man. I love a challenge, and again, all we’ve done is win. Sometimes, people want me to be like this guy or that guy, and I’m like, ‘What’s that guy done? How many championships has that guy won?’ I’ve got 11 championships. The next closest is Kirby, who’s got six. I’ve got seven playoff appearances. There ain’t another coach still coaching with seven playoff appearances. Maybe if I had some big personality on social media, I could push back on some of the absolute bull crap that people make up.
“But you don’t hear that from inside Clemson. People are happy here, and we ain’t close to being finished.”
Let the talking heads laugh it up all summer long. With 11 championships and an unshakeable belief in his plan, Dabo Swinney is ready to lead our Tigers right back to the top where we belong.
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