CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dabo Swinney doesn’t use the NCAA transfer portal, prefers to promote from within his staff, and once said he’d quit coaching if players were paid, which has come to pass in the name, image and likeness era — the payments to players, not the end of his time at Clemson.
Still, the longest-tenured football coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference, labeled behind the times by his critics, has stayed on top in the league. The Tigers will soon begin the quest for their eighth ACC title in a nine-year stretch and ninth overall under Swinney’s direction.
Swinney took over as interim coach in October 2008 and was named head coach two months later. He credits steadiness in building a strong culture that has kept the Tigers out in front within the ACC, and they also won national championships for the 2016 and 2018 seasons while making the College Football Playoff’s four-team field four of five times from 2015 to 2019.
“Football is a marathon and it’s not a sprint,” said Mickey Conn, Clemson’s co-defensive coordinator. “Sometimes a sprint’s easy. But if you want to win and have a successful program like Dabo has built here, you’ve got to be in it for the long term.”
Swinney has cultivated success in his own way. The 53-year-old coach brushes aside concerns about the big picture and simplifies his program’s success.
“Just got to win. All that stuff is a lot to talk about, but it still comes down to what you do on the field,” he said Thursday at the close of ACC media days.
Clemson figures to get a strong push from rising Florida State when the ACC preseason rankings are released. A true reckoning of who’s better should come when the Tigers host the Seminoles on Sept. 23. Having the Seminoles back in the league title chase may not be good for Clemson, “but it is definitely good for the ACC,” Swinney said with a smile.
It’s been a while since Clemson was pushed in the league. Since Florida State won the ACC title in 2014, the Tigers have gone 100-13 overall and 66-5 against ACC opponents.
It took Swinney time to develop a powerhouse. Coordinators Chad Morris on offense in 2011 and Brent Venables on defense in 2012 touched off a recruiting boon that included NFL standouts such as quarterback Trevor Lawrence, receiver Tee Higgins and defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins.
North Carolina coach Mack Brown watched Swinney’s long-term build, doing so as both a TV analyst and an ACC rival. He said the mindset at Clemson is staying the course.
“They’ve got a plan for each coming year,” Brown said. “They might tweak it a little bit, but they won’t change it.”
Swinney has added only two transfers since 2014, both to bolster experience at quarterback as neither David Olsen in 2014 nor Hunter Johnson in 2022 played significant roles in games.
Roster spots were at a premium this year, especially with seven draft-eligible players, including All-ACC defensive tackle Tyler Davis, returning for another college season. Clemson center Will Putnam said knowing your coaches aren’t seeking to supplant you through the portal is a big selling point at Clemson.
“As a player, it’s definitely respected,” he said. “Really trusting guys who buy into him. He rewards that by giving them the opportunity they deserve.”
Swinney was a vocal opponent of paying players, going as far as to say he’d quit the game if it came to pass. These days, Swinney, who will make $10.75 million plus incentives this season, believes NIL opportunities have been a “net good” for the sport.
The problem, Swinney said, is “there’s no order, there’s no structure. It’s different rules at different places. The biggest thing I would like to see is just some continuity.”
Swinney can change his style when he feels it’s necessary. He subbed in reserve quarterback Cade Klubnik for ineffective starter DJ Uiagalelei early in the ACC championship game. Klubnik sparked the Tigers to the 39-10 victory after trailing 7-0. Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State, with Klubnick now the starter.
Swinney, known for promoting from within, made the uncharacteristic move of dismissing former Tigers quarterback and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter after last season and luring Garrett Riley of TCU to take over.
That’s not so unusual, Swinney said. After all, he benched starting quarterback Kelly Bryant in 2018 in favor of Lawrence, who would become the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL draft but was just a freshman at the time.
As far as adding Riley to lead the attack, Swinney pointed out he had no relationship with Venables — now entering his second season as head coach at Oklahoma — before hiring him after the 2011 season. Venables’ defensive schemes helped the Tigers earn six ACC titles and two national championships.
Said Swinney: “Sometimes, you have to have a different voice from time to time.”