Dabo Swinney finally got a much-needed win on Saturday, but it might have cost him some peace and quiet at home.
In a season defined by frustration, Swinney reached deep into his bag of tricks against Florida State. After Clemson (4-5) marched 75 yards on their opening drive, capped by a Cade Klubnik touchdown run, the head coach didn't send out the kicker. He sent out the Swinney family.
In a gutsy fake extra point, Dabo's youngest son and team holder, Clay Swinney, took the snap and ran it into the end zone for a two-point conversion and the first points of his career.
The play was a massive momentum boost, setting the tone for a 24-10 win. But Swinney had kept the call, which he made on Tuesday, a secret from one very important person: his wife, Kathleen.
“She didn’t know anything about it,” Swinney said Monday on his weekly radio show. “In fact, she was mad at me. She’s like, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’”
His answer was classic Dabo.
“She’s on a need-to-know basis only,” he joked.
When asked again on Tuesday why he kept his wife in the dark about their son's big moment, Swinney just smiled.
“There’s a lot I don’t tell her," he said. "I try not to bring work home. I try to just go home, and I don’t really get much into game plan with Kath. It’s probably a good thing.”
The play continued a remarkable family tradition. Clay is the third Swinney son to serve as Clemson's primary holder, following his brothers Will and Drew. In fact, a non-Swinney hasn't been the primary holder on a placekick for the Tigers since the game-winning touchdown of the 2016 National Championship.