Things have come full circle for Swinney returning to Gator Bowl

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney knows his way around Duval County.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sat Dec 09 07:00:07 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - The Gator Bowl is a familiar place for the Tigers, as this is their tenth appearance -- the most out of any bowl they have played. However, for head coach Dabo Swinney, going back to the Gator Bowl feels appropriate as that was his first bowl game as a coach and as a head coach.

“My very first bowl game as a coach was 1993. I was the GA at Alabama, and we played North Carolina. That was my first ever bowl game as a coach, and my very first bowl game as a head coach was in the January of 2009 against Nebraska,” Swinney said. “I haven’t been back since, so I’m super excited to be back. It’s a great bowl game, tremendous city. I recruited Duval County. That was my recruiting area when I was an assistant. So, I got a lot of familiarity there, and obviously, we got three great players with the Jags as well (in quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne and offensive lineman Tyler Shatley).”

In the middle of the season, when the Tigers were sitting at 4-4, not many people could have guessed Clemson would end up in the Gator Bowl this season. Turnovers were a major issue for most of the season, particularly losing fumbles. However, starting with the Notre Dame game, the Tigers were able to turn things around and get to this game, an accomplishment Swinney is incredibly proud of.

“So, just really excited about coming, and for our team to have the opportunity to experience the TaxSlayer game is the culmination of a great finish for us. I’m real proud of our team and how they worked to go from where he were mid-season to the Gator Bowl,” Swinney said. “That is a tremendous accomplishment for our guys, and I’m really thankful for that and excited for him to have this opportunity to have the experience.”

With Swinney as the head coach, the Tigers have been one of the most successful teams in college football. They have been in a bowl game every year he has been the head coach and won two National Championships in four trips to the game. Kentucky’s head coach, Mark Stoops, recognizes the legacy of Clemson with Swinney as the coach and is prepared to face explosive skill players and have a battle at the line of scrimmage.

“With Coach Swinney with Clemson, what you think about is very good football teams … Here’s a man trying to defend himself from going 8-4. That’s a pretty good football coach and a pretty good program. They’ve been unbelievably consistent,” Stoops said. “But, what you think about with Clemson is big, strong guys on the line of scrimmage and very explosive skill players. So, very well coached, very good teams, and it’s always been that way.”

The Wildcats and the Tigers each have several players who will not play in the Gator Bowl, as they enter the transfer portal or declare for the NFL Draft. Previously, playing in this bowl game would have counted as a game for redshirts and their eligibility. However, that is no longer the case, allowing both Stoops and Swinney to play their redshirt players to fill in the gaps left by players not playing in this game. Both coaches agree with this rule change and are taking advantage of younger players getting to play in this game.

“You definitely want to see some of your younger guys, and it’s definitely a time when all of us programs use it for some development of some young guys that maybe they didn’t get on the field as much as they’d like here this fall,” Stoops said. “So, the practices as we lead up to the game, you’d like to see them make some growth, and in the game, I’d like to see them participate as well, and at times, you’re going to need them. I think they made a wise decision letting the redshirt guys play in these games. It helps.”

In Clemson’s history, they have faced Kentucky 13 times, winning five of those games. The last time these two teams faced each other was back in 2009 in the Music City Bowl, where the Tigers won 21-13.