Dabo Swinney has a new deal with Clemson that will make him the second-highest paid coach in all of college football. The issue with the deal is what it says about Clemson. If I were Dan Radakovich, I would say the same things that he said when lauding Swinney for his work, but it makes me wonder how afraid they are that Dabo will leave for Alabama.
The press release was telling
Clemson told Dabo in their press release that his presence at Clemson reaches the whole community, and I believe that considering there is not much else going on around Clemson.
If you have never been to Clemson, South Carolina, I can tell you that there is not much there aside from the school. A successful football team is much of what that community relies on as is commonplace in the Deep South. Clemson needs this team to remain successful, but they are likely terrified that he will sprint to Alabama.
Will he go to Alabama?
Let us assume for a moment that Nick Saban retired right now. I have every reason to believe that Swinney would stay at Clemson. He is not really done with his work there as he must continue his string of success without Deshaun Watson. It would be easy for me to accuse him of riding the coattails of Watson, and there are many who may say the same thing.
Winning another national title or seriously contending for several years would cement his legacy at Clemson. It would be much like Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. He only won one national title, but he was competitive. That competitiveness made him a legend in Norman.
He leaves after his success
Waiting for a few years to build on his success would allow Swinney time to leave the honeymoon phase with Clemson.
The fans would be disappointed, but I bet many of them would understand. Swinney is an Alabama graduate who walked on at the school, and it would be a bit like going home for him. However, making Clemson into a national power would be a miracle that belies his beginnings as a coach at the school.
Taking over for Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden abruptly left Clemson several years ago, and this random assistant named Dabo Swinney was named the head coach. We did not know how to say his first name. We kept calling him Sweeney even though his last name is Swinney. We believed that Tommy Bowden was Clemson's best chance at success. We were wrong. Swinney was the perfect choice for the Tigers, and he has morphed into the perfect coach for this team and its football-loving community.
