Dabo Swinney goes scorched-earth on caller questioning his Clemson program

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney didn't appreciate how a caller painted his program in his call-in show.

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Oct 30 21:05:43 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney went on a lengthy rant after hearing a fan on his call-in show Monday accuse him of being prideful, arrogant and not earning his nearly $11 million salary.

On a show not usually filled with pointed critiques, the points from the caller drew Swinney's ire, to say the least.

"I've listened to enough of you, Tyler. You can have all your opinions that you want," Swinney said. "Alright, I don't know how old you are. Don't really care. Alright, but let me tell you something -- we won 11 games last year. And you're a part of the problem to be honest with you, because that is a part of the problem. It's people like you that all you do is -- the expectation is greater than the appreciation. And that's the problem. And so, we've won 12 10+ win seasons in a row. That's happened three times in 150 years...Clemson ain't sniffed a national championship for 35 years. We've won two in seven years. And there's only two other teams that can say that, Georgia and Alabama. Ok. Is this a bad year? Yeah, and it's my responsibility.

"I take 100% responsibility for it, but all this bullcrap that you're thinking and all these narratives you read -- listen man, you can have all the opinions that you want, and you can apply for the job -- and good luck to ya. Alright, but to answer your question, we're second in draft picks, we've graduated 98% of our guys. We're second in wins. Alright, you want to know why -- I'm telling you. We're not perfect...Frank Howard never had a bad year? Coach (Danny) Ford never had a bad year? Coach K never had a bad year in basketball? People have a bad year."

Swinney said there was something different about Clemson until some of what he's heard recently. He said on a recent call-in show that he appreciated 98.5% of the fanbase but said there is a 1.5% segment "that's part of the problem." That caller said he took exception to being cast in that segment.

"But part of the problem is the appreciation. I use to tell people all the time, they'd say what's the difference with Clemson," Swinney said. "I'm going to tell you. At some places there's an expectation but at Clemson there's an appreciation. What's happened at Clemson is we've won so much that even when we -- used to be the fun was in the winning -- now even when you win, people like you complain and criticize the coaches and question everything. It's people like you. When I hired Tony Elliott to be the offensive coordinator, who had never called a play in his life, I'm sure you were critical then and he took us to two national championships. People like you who've just loved to destroy people with your comments. I'm sure you've never made any bad decisions. I'm sure you've lived a perfect life. I'm sure you've led a bunch of people."

Swinney was taken to task multiple times by the caller over his salary, and the caller said he was not earning it and asked how he could square that and the team being 4-4 currently. The caller also criticized Swinney for hiring former players and teammates to a chunk of his coaching staff.

"I started as the lowest-paid coach in this freakin' business and I'm where I am because I worked my ass off," Swinney said. "Every single day. And I ain't going to let some smartass kid get on this phone and create this stuff. If you've got a problem with that, I don't care. I work for the board of trustees and the president and the AD, and if they're tired of me leading this program, all they've got to do is let me know. I'll go somewhere else where there is an appreciation. Alright, it's not just winning -- it's how you win. And this is a tough year, but we've had 12 -- 12 -- 10+ win seasons in a row. 12. We lost to Tennessee last year and they won 11 games for the first time in like 20 years. We've had eight 11-win seasons in 11 years or whatever. We've won two national championships.

"Clemson went 35 years -- probably from since before you were born, your whole frickin' life and we've won two in seven years. And we earned it. And we beat the best of the best to do it. The best of the best. Twelve 10+ win seasons, so if you want to know why -- that's why."

Swinney talked about what he has accomplished so far personally as well.

"Am I perfect? No. I'm far from it," Swinney said. "And I am a man of faith, absolutely. I'm 53 years, and there ain't one thing in my life -- I've been a part of failure many times, but there ain't one thing in my life that I've ever failed at, Tyler. Never. Ever. I wanted to get an education and I've got two degrees. I wanted to be the first college graduate in my family and I did it. I wanted to go play football at Alabama and I earned a scholarship, lettered three years and worked my ass off. Won a national championship. I wanted to get into coaching. I worked my way into being a head coach. And when I got this job, and I'm sure that didn't want me to get this job -- alright, and 15 years later, I'm still here. And I'd say the results are what they are and I stand on them. So, you don't ever have to call back. I wanted to get married. I've been married going on 30 years. I wanted to be a father and I've raised three great sons. If you don't like how I've run the program, don't be a fan. I don't care, but I'm the head coach and I'm going to do what I feel is right for the longterm of the program, what's best for the players and what I think is best for the moment. If you have a problem with that, it's fine.

"But I'm not going to sit here -- I don't give a crap how much money I make. You ain't going to talk to me like I'm 12 years old. You got to be freakin' kidding me."