Dabo Swinney

Dabo Swinney
Swinney coaching the Clemson Tigers in 2015
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Clemson
Conference ACC
Record 107–30
Annual salary $5.75 million
Biographical details
Born (1969-11-20) November 20, 1969
Birmingham, Alabama
Playing career
1990–1992 Alabama
Position(s) Wide receiver
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1993–1995 Alabama (GA)
1996 Alabama (WR/TE)
1997 Alabama (TE)
1998–2000 Alabama (WR)
2003–2006 Clemson (WR)
2007–2008 Clemson (AHC/WR)
2008 Clemson (interim HC/OC)
2009–present Clemson
Head coaching record
Overall 107–30
Bowls 7–5
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
National (2016)
4 ACC (2011, 2015–2017)
6 ACC Atlantic Division (2009, 2011–2012, 2015–2017)
Awards
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year (2011)
ACC Coach of the Year (2015)
Home Depot Coach of the Year (2015)
Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2015)
Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award (2015)
George Munger Award (2015)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2015)

William Christopher "Dabo" Swinney (born November 20, 1969) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at Clemson University. Swinney took over as head coach for the Clemson Tigers midway through the 2008 season, following the resignation of Tommy Bowden. Swinney led the 2016 Clemson Tigers football team to a victory in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, capturing a national championship. Swinney has the 2nd most wins in Clemson history behind only Frank Howard.

Playing career

Swinney was raised in Pelham, Alabama, and attended the University of Alabama, where he joined the Crimson Tide football program as a walk-on wide receiver in 1989. He earned a scholarship and lettered on three teams (1990–1992), including the Crimson Tide's 1992 National Championship team. During his time as an undergraduate at Alabama, Swinney was twice named an Academic All-SEC and SEC Scholar Athlete Honor Roll member.[1] In three seasons at Alabama, he caught 7 passes for 81 yards.[2] He received his degree in commerce & business administration in 1993 as well as a master's degree in business administration from Alabama in 1995.

Assistant football coach

Alabama

In December 1995, Swinney received his MBA from Alabama and became a full-time assistant coach for the Crimson Tide, in charge of wide receivers and tight ends.[3] He was fired with all of head coach Mike DuBose's staff in early 2001.[4]

Swinney sat out the 2001 season while receiving his contractual payments from Alabama. His former strength coach at Alabama, Rich Wingo, had become president of Birmingham-based AIG Baker Real Estate and offered him a job. From April 2001 through February 2003, he did not coach and instead worked for AIG Baker Real Estate on development projects in Alabama.[4]

Clemson

In 2002, his former position coach at Alabama, Tommy Bowden, made Swinney an offer to become an assistant coach for the wide receivers at Clemson, and Swinney joined in 2003. He took over as Recruiting Coordinator from popular longtime coordinator Rick Stockstill. Swinney proved to be both an excellent wide receivers coach as well as recruiting coordinator, coaching ACC-leading receivers and being named one of the nation's top 25 recruiters in 2007 by Rivals.com.[4]

Head football coach

2008

Swinney was named the interim head football coach on October 13, 2008, after previous head coach Tommy Bowden resigned six games into the 2008 season.[5] The Tigers had started the year ranked #9 in the preseason polls, but then went 3–3 (1–2 ACC) in their first six games.[6] At the time he was informed of his promotion, he was working with the wide receivers on their upcoming game.[7]

With a reputation as a top-notch recruiter, Swinney was chosen over Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning (former head coach of Wyoming), and associate head coach Brad Scott (former head coach of South Carolina).[8] Swinney's first actions as interim head coach were to fire offensive coordinator Rob Spence and introduce a new tradition, the "Tiger Walk", where all players and coaches walk through the parking lot outside Memorial Stadium about two hours before a game as they head inside for final game preparations.[9] On November 1, 2008, Swinney claimed his first victory as the Tigers' head coach by defeating Boston College, breaking Clemson's six-game losing streak against the Eagles. On November 29, 2008, Swinney coached Clemson to a 31–14 win over South Carolina in the annual rivalry game, after which Clemson became bowl eligible. After a vote of confidence from athletic director Terry Don Phillips, Swinney was formally named as Clemson's 27th head coach on December 1, 2008. In his first game as the full-time head coach, he lost the 2009 Gator Bowl to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 26-21.

Swinney's recruiting reputation became evident when he produced five top-20 ESPN recruiting classes in a row, including top 10 classes in 2011 and 2012.[10] As a result, Clemson was one of only 10 schools to be ranked in the top 20 of recruiting five years in a row (along with LSU, Alabama, Texas, USC, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Ohio State, and Oklahoma), and as of 2014 Swinney was one of only four active head coaches at the time accomplish the feat (along with Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Bob Stoops).[10]

Despite his recruiting reputation, Swinney was an unpopular hire among some Clemson fans. Some fans and pundits criticized his lack of coordinator let alone head coaching experience, as well as the fact that he had been on the staff of fired coach Tommy Bowden.[11][12]

2009

During the 2009 season, Swinney's first full season at the helm, Clemson was able to achieve several accomplishments. The 2009 team finished the season with a record of 9–5 (6–2 in ACC) to win the Atlantic Division title of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The 2009 season included three marquee wins: a win over #8 Miami (FL) in overtime on the road, a 16-point win over Florida State at home, and a win over Kentucky 21–13 in the 2009 Music City Bowl. Swinney coached the Clemson Tigers to a #24 AP Top 25 final season ranking for the 2009 football season.[13]

2010

In 2010, Swinney led Clemson to a 6–6 (4–4 in ACC) regular season. Of the 6 losses in the 2010 season, 5 were by less than 10 points and 4 were by 6 points or less. The season included close losses to Cam Newton and the eventual national champion Auburn Tigers (27–24 on the road in OT), and the eventual division champion Florida State Seminoles (16–13 on a 55-yard, time-expiring field goal on the road). After the conclusion of the regular season, many fans called for the firing of both Swinney and athletic director Terry Don Phillips.[11] Swinney would say years later he expected to be fired after the regular season ended with a loss to South Carolina.[14] Don Phillips instead gave Swiney a vote of confidence and allowed him to return for the 2011 season.[15] Discontent with Swinney grew even more after a bowl loss to South Florida made Clemson's final record 6-7, Clemson's first losing season since 1998. Swinney, who was 19-15, entered the 2011 season widely considered to be a coach on the hot seat.[16] Despite a disappointing 6–7 record, the 2010 team featured one of the nation's top defenses and the Bronko Nagurski and Ted Hendricks award winner, Da'Quan Bowers.

2011

In 2011, Swinney led the Tigers to a 10–3 record that included an ACC Championship, the Tigers' first since 1991. They earned a trip to the Orange Bowl, their first major-bowl appearance since the 1981 national championship season. During a pre-game ESPN interview prior to the 2012 Orange Bowl, Swinney said, "Hopefully when this thing is over, people are going to be talking about the Clemson defense."[17] The comment proved to be prescient as #15 Clemson would go on to lose to the #23 West Virginia Mountaineers, 70–33, conceding an all-time record number of points scored in a quarter (35), half (49) and game (70) in the 109-year history of bowl games.[18] Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was fired after the game.[19]

Part of Swinney's success the past three years was the 2011 offensive coordinator hire of Chad Morris, who was originally seen as a risk as most of his coaching experience had been on the high school level. Morris brought in a fast-paced, up-tempo offense that shattered many Clemson offensive records.[20] Since then, Clemson's offense has averaged over 40 points a game and over 500 yards of total offense a game.[21]

Swinney was the 2011 winner of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award, which was established to honor the NCAA Division 1 football coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. The award is named for Bobby Dodd, longtime head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The award was established in 1976 to honor the values that Dodd exemplified.[22]

2012

In 2012, Swinney led Clemson to its first 11-win season since the 1981 national championship year, capping the year off with an upset victory over the #8 LSU Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.[23] The Tigers finished the year at 11-2, ranked 9th in the Coaches Poll and 11th in the AP poll. Swinney was a finalist for the third time in his career for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year.[24]

2013

In 2013, Swinney guided the Tigers to their third 10-win season in a row, the first time since 1989.[25] The highlight regular-season win came against #5 Georgia in the season opener. The Tigers won 38–35. Clemson's two regular season losses were to top 10 opponents, national champion Florida State and South Carolina. The 31–17 loss to the rival Gamecocks was a record fifth straight for the Tigers, the longest winning streak for South Carolina in the series.[26] The completion of the season marked 32 wins over three years for Swinney, the most ever in such a span in Clemson football history.[27] The Tigers received their second BCS bowl bid under Swinney with an invitation to play seventh-ranked Ohio State in the 2014 Orange Bowl.[28] The Tigers defeated the Buckeyes 40–35 to give the Tigers' their third Orange Bowl win in their history and their first BCS bowl victory. The 2013 season marked the first time Clemson had back-to-back 11-win seasons. After the game, Swinney recalled the Tigers' lopsided loss two years before in the Orange Bowl and the team's journey since then. "Hey, listen: Two years ago we got our butts kicked on this field. And it has been a journey to get back. We're 22–4 since that night. And we are the first team from the state of South Carolina to ever win a BCS game," Swinney said.[29] The win was Swinney's fourth victory over a top ten opponent as a head coach. The Tigers finished the season ranked in the top 10 in both polls (#8 in AP, #7 in Coaches), the first such achievement for Swinney as head coach.

Following the season, Swinney agreed to eight-year, $27.15 million contract and guaranteed if Swinney was fired in the next three years.[30][31]

2014

Under Swinney, Clemson had their fourth 10-win season in a row, making them one of only four schools to achieve the feat in the last four seasons.[32] The Tigers started the season ranked #16 but suffered early setbacks with losses to #13 Georgia and #1 Florida State.[33] However, with the emergence of freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Tigers only lost one more game to ACC Coastal Division Champion Georgia Tech. The regular season was highlighted with the finale against South Carolina in which Clemson broke a 5-game losing streak to the Gamecocks to win 35–17 in Death Valley.[34] Clemson received an invitation to play Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl on December 29, 2014. Led by Clemson's #1 ranked defense in the nation,[35] the Tigers routed the Sooners 40–6, holding Oklahoma to 275 total yards and forcing five turnovers.[36] Ironically, defensive coordinator Brent Venables had held the same position with the Sooners until coming to Clemson in 2012. The Tigers finished 10–3 for the season and ranked 15th in both the AP and the Coaches Poll.[37]

Swinney's last three bowl wins have been over college programs that have all won national titles since 2000.[32]

2015

Swinney completed his best season as Clemson's head coach in 2015, leading the Tigers to a 14-1 record with an ACC championship and an appearance in the national championship game. Clemson fell short to Alabama in the title game 45-40 after Nick Saban, the head coach of Alabama, surprised Clemson with a successful onside kick.[38] The season marked Clemson's best run since the 1981 national championship season. The Tigers defeated #8 North Carolina 45-37 to win their 15th ACC championship. Clemson also defeated #4 Oklahoma 37-17 in the Orange Bowl for its first college playoff appearance.[39] Swinney was named Associated Press Coach of Year, Walter Camp Coach of the Year, Home Depot Coach of the Year, and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.[40] The 2015 Tigers set a record for single-season wins under Swinney with 14. Clemson ended the season ranked #2 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls.[37]

2016

On April 12, 2016, Swinney signed a six-year contract extension with the Tigers.[41] Swinney once again recorded a banner season as Clemson's coach, leading the Tigers to a 12-1 regular season record and another ACC Championship, the third in Swinney's career.[42] Clemson posted big wins during the 2016 season over #3 Louisville at home and #12 Florida State on the road. Swinney punctuated the regular season with a 56-7 home victory over arch-rival South Carolina, the largest margin of victory over the Gamecocks in Swinney's career and the largest in over 100 years in the history of the storied rivalry.[43] Following Clemson's ACC title win over #19 Virginia Tech, the Tigers secured the #2 seed in the College Football Playoff. On Dec 31, Swinney and the Tigers defeated #3 Ohio State 31-0 in Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer's first career shut-out to set up a rematch of the 2015 National Championship against #1 Alabama.[44] On January 9, 2017 Swinney led the Tigers to a 35–31 comeback win over Alabama in the National Championship.On January 9, 2017, Leggett was part of the Clemson team that defeated Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship by a score of 35–31.[45]

2017

Coming off of the national championship season from the year before, Clemson and Swinney looked to fill big shoes with the loss of many offensive starters, including standout quarterback Deshaun Watson who entered the NFL draft. However, the Tigers once again rose to national prominence with a 12-1 regular season record and their third straight ACC championship in a row. Clemson dominated #7 Miami 38-3 in the ACC championship game and secured the #1 seed in the College Football Playoffs.[46] The Tigers also posted big wins in the season with a 14-6 win over #13 Auburn,[47] a 47-21 victory over #14 Louisville,[48] and a 31-17 win over #12 Virginia Tech.[49] Swinney capped off the regular season with another convincing win over rival South Carolina, 34-10, marking his fourth win in a row over the Gamecocks.[50] The Tigers faced #4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl for the first round of the playoffs. Alabama defeated Clemson 24-6.[51] Clemson finished #4 overall in the final standings and were ranked in the top 10 throughout the entire 2017 season.

Personal

Swinney's nickname "Dabo" was given to him as an infant by his parents when his then-18-month-old brother would try to enunciate "that boy" when referring to Swinney.[52] He married the former Kathleen Bassett in 1994 and has three sons, one of which is a wide receiver for Clemson.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Clemson Tigers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2008–present)
2008 Clemson 4–3[A 1]3–2T–3rd (Atlantic)L Gator
2009 Clemson 9–56–21st (Atlantic)W Music City24
2010 Clemson 6–74–4T–4th (Atlantic)L Meineke Car Care
2011 Clemson 10–46–21st (Atlantic)L Orange†2222
2012 Clemson 11–27–1T–1st (Atlantic) W Chick-fil-A911
2013 Clemson 11–27–12nd (Atlantic) W Orange†78
2014 Clemson 10–36–22nd (Atlantic) W Russell Athletic1515
2015 Clemson 14–18–01st (Atlantic)W Orange†, L CFP NCG†22
2016 Clemson 14–17–1T–1st (Atlantic)W Fiesta†, W CFP NCG†11
2017 Clemson 12–27–11st (Atlantic)L Sugar†44
2018 Clemson 6–03–0(Atlantic)
Clemson: 107–3064–16
Total:107–30
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  1. ↑ Took over midseason from Tommy Bowden, who resigned on October 13, 2008

Coaching tree

Head coaches under whom Swinney served:

Assistants under Swinney who have become head coaches:

References

  1. ↑ Clemson University Athletic Department, Dabo Swinney Biography
  2. ↑ "Dabo Sweeny Stats". Sports-Reference.com.
  3. ↑ "Advisory Board". Kevin Turner Foundation. Archived from the original on June 8, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Jon Solomon, Former Alabama player, assistant Dabo Swinney will face beloved Tide on Saturday Archived September 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine., The Birmingham News, August 27, 2008, Accessed October 13, 2008.
  5. ↑ Clemson's Bowden steps down, Associated Press, October 13, 2008, Accessed October 14, 2008.
  6. ↑ Mark Schlabach, Bowden ousted at Clemson; coach 'deserved' to be fired, QB says, ESPN.com, October 13, 2008, Accessed October 13, 2008.
  7. ↑ Heather Dinich, Swinney ready to move forward at 'full speed' Archived October 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine., ESPN.com, October 14, 2008, Accessed October 14, 2008.
  8. ↑ Heather Dinich, Clemson turns to Swinney for remainder of season Archived October 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine., ESPN.com, October 13, 2008, Accessed October 13, 2008.
  9. ↑ Interim Clemson boss Swinney introduces 'Tiger Walk', Associated Press, October 16, 2008, Accessed October 17, 2008.
  10. 1 2 Adelson, Andrea (February 14, 2013). "Clemson now a Top 15 recruiting mainstay". ESPN. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  11. 1 2 Brenner, Aaron (January 6, 2017). "Swinney survived rocky start as head coach to build football powerhouse at Clemson | Sports". postandcourier.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  12. ↑ "ESPN's 2008 Rating of Clemson's Hire of Dabo Swinney is Hilariously Bad". 12up. January 12, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  13. ↑ "2009 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 16 - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  14. ↑ Eric Boynton. "After losing season in 2010, Swinney thought run was over - News - GoUpstate - Spartanburg, SC". GoUpstate. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  15. ↑ Connollymconnolly, Matt (January 4, 2017). "After 2010 loss to USC, Swinney received vote of confidence". The State. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Five Prominent College Football Coaches On the Hot Seat For 2011". The Big Lead. January 19, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  17. ↑ Merriman, Sean. "Chick-fil-A Bowl 2012: Les Miles and Dabo Swinney's 5 Best Presser Moments". Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  18. ↑ "West Virginia routs Clemson in record-setting Orange Bowl". ESPN. Associated Press. January 4, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  19. ↑ Dinich, Heather (January 12, 2012). "Kevin Steele out at Clemson". ESPN. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Chad Morris Biography". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  21. ↑ Wallace, Greg (December 23, 2013). "Clemson Football: How Has Chad Morris' Offense Evolved in the Last 3 Years?". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation - Past Winners". Bobby Dodd Foundation. Archived from the original on December 9, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  23. ↑ "LSU Tigers vs. Clemson Tigers - Recap - December 31, 2012". ESPN. December 31, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Dabo Swinney Biography". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. January 14, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  25. ↑ "2013 Clemson Football Media Guide & Supplement". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. July 26, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  26. ↑ "South Carolina makes it five in a row against Clemson". Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  27. ↑ Lassan, Steven (December 9, 2013). "Ranking All 35 College Football Bowls for 2013: From Must-See to Must-Miss". AthlonSports.com. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  28. ↑ Brenner, Aaron (December 8, 2013). "SOLID ORANGE: No. 12 Clemson or No. 7 Ohio State will redeem themselves in Orange Bowl clash". Post and Courier. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes - Recap - January 03, 2014". ESPN. January 3, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Clemson, coach Dabo Swinney agree on eight-year, $27.15 million contract." Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. SportsIllustrated.com. Retrieved 2014-Jan-18.
  31. ↑ "Dabo Swinney gets 8-year deal". ESPN. January 9, 2014.
  32. 1 2 Author (December 29, 2014). "Clemson vs. Oklahoma Notes". TigerNet. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Clemson Tigers College Football - Clemson News, Scores, Stats, Rumors & More - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  34. ↑ Final (November 29, 2014). "South Carolina vs. Clemson - Game Recap - November 29, 2014 - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Clemson will enter South Carolina game with nation's top-ranked defense". Greenvilleonline.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  36. ↑ Final (December 29, 2014). "Oklahoma vs. Clemson - Box Score - December 29, 2014 - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  37. 1 2 "2016 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 16 - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Alabama Crimson Tide outscore Clemson Tigers 45-40, win national title - College Football Nation Blog- ESPN". Espn.go.com. January 12, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  39. ↑ Wine, Steven (December 31, 2015). "Oklahoma's season ends with semifinal loss to Clemson". Collegefootball.ap.org. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  40. ↑ Wire, SI. "Dabo Swinney named AP Coach of the Year". Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  41. ↑ Tristin Mckinstry (April 12, 2016). "Dabo Swinney and Clemson agree on extension – The Athletes Hub". Athleteshub.wordpress.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  42. ↑ Moriarty, Morgan (December 3, 2016). "Clemson beats Virginia Tech to win the ACC and punch its ticket to the Playoff". SBNation.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  43. ↑ Associated Press (November 27, 2016). "South Carolina vs. Clemson - Game Summary - November 26, 2016". ESPN. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  44. ↑ Crouse, Karen (December 31, 2016). "Clemson Pounds Ohio State to Set Up a Rematch With Alabama". Retrieved May 22, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  45. ↑ "College Football Championship - Clemson vs Alabama Box Score, January 9, 2017". Sports Reference. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  46. ↑ "Clemson Dominates Miami to Win the A.C.C. Crown". December 3, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  47. ↑ "Auburn vs. Clemson - Game Summary - September 9, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  48. ↑ "Clemson vs. Louisville final: Tigers contain Lamar Jackson in big road win". Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Clemson at Virginia Tech score, highlights: Tigers make a legit case for No. 1". Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  50. ↑ "Clemson dismantles Gamecocks, again". Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  51. ↑ "Alabama Beats Clemson to Set Up All-S.E.C. Championship Game". January 2, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  52. ↑ Paul Strelow, Family Tides break upon Clemson coach, TheState.com, August 20, 2008, Accessed October 12, 2008.
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