With Brian Kelly's departure from LSU, Dabo Swinney is now the second-winningest active coach in major college football. His reaction to the milestone? A powerful reflection on faith, failure, and a moment he was sure his Clemson career was over before it ever truly began.
'It's God's Plan'
When asked about his new status behind only Kirk Ferentz, Swinney immediately deflected any personal praise, attributing his longevity to a higher power and the people around him.
“That’s good to know. We’ve actually won some games," Swinney said. "It’s God’s plan for my life. It’s nothing I’ve done. God has put the right people in my life. I would have never dreamed that I’d be the winningest coach in the ACC or Clemson. I never thought about it. I just go to work and put my head down. I don’t think about it. It’s God’s plan. He gets all the credit for that. I’ve had great coaches and unbelievable support in the administration. I’m thankful for that."
'Shaped From Failure and Pain'
For Swinney, facing a tough 3-4 season, his past struggles aren't a burden; they're his credentials. He explained that his success is built on a foundation of adversity, which is why he "relishes" the current challenge.
“I’m also encouraged by that, especially when you’ve had a tough season," he said. "I’m built from failure and it’s how I’m shaped. I’m shaped from failure and pain. That’s why I’ve been successful. When you get into situations like this, you stay the course and have confidence. For me, I relish these opportunities because I’m getting a chance to teach. I love to teach and mentor. I use the game to build and equip young men. We haven’t had many of these opportunities.”
'We Think We're Getting Fired'
To illustrate his point, Swinney recounted a story from his first year as an assistant at Clemson in 2003. After a devastating 45-17 loss at Wake Forest dropped the team to 5-4, he was convinced his job was gone.
“My first year here, we lost 45-17 to Wake. Kathleen drove up and had all the boys up. I’d never been to Wake Forest. I was like, this ain’t good. We were 5-4 and we were destroyed. We think we’re getting fired," Swinney recalled. "Me and Billy were supposed to go recruiting the next day... and we came back and it was like, ‘OK, I guess we’re good.’ Will and Drew got baptized that Saturday. Sunday we were back in the office. Monday came and we were still here.”
'It's Never Too Late'
That moment of uncertainty became a turning point. The team famously rallied to finish the season, upsetting a Top-10 Florida State, dominating Duke, and crushing South Carolina 63-17 before winning the Peach Bowl.
“We were playing Florida State. We had a group of people who didn’t quit, a group of people that came together and still had faith in the end of the story and we won 27-10. It was one of the greatest moments I’ve ever been a part of," Swinney said. "We just got hot. So it’s never too late to become the best version of yourself. Then we beat Duke 40-7 the next week and then we beat the Gamecocks 63-17. Next thing you know you go from possibly getting fired to going to smoke Tennessee in the Peach Bowl. Coach Bowden gets coach of the year. We didn’t let failure define us."
'Battle Everyday'
Swinney is leaning on those memories as his current team sits at 3-4 with five games to play. He sees a chance to forge a new path, just as his teams did in 2008 and 2023, by winning in November.
“Right now we have to find a way to win November. We have to find a way to beat Duke," he said. “We can fight for these seniors and we can have a blast fighting for Clemson. We have one of the longest postseason eligibility streaks in college football history. We can still accomplish some things. Where you focus is where your energy flows. We’re going to battle everyday.”