Dabo Swinney reflects on 'amazing journey' entering 15th season as Clemson head coach

Clemson took a huge chance on Dabo Swinney when it made him the interim head coach and eventually the permanent head coach in 2008. It’s safe to say that the gamble has paid off.

Eight ACC Championships, six College Football Playoff appearances and two national titles later, Swinney is now entering his 15th season as the Clemson head coach.

The 53-year-old reflected on his time leading the Tigers program at the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff event last week.

“This will be my 15th year full-time as the head coach, which is crazy. It really is crazy. It’s been an amazing journey,” Swinney said. “A lot of good years, some great years and some tough years. We’ve had a little bit of everything along those 15 years. But just so many great people, great relationships along the way. It’s been a blast, for sure.”

Dabo Swinney grew up in Alabama and ended up playing college football for the Crimson Tide. He started his coaching career as a grad assistant at Alabama, before eventually being hired as the Clemson receivers coach in 2003.

While Swinney was all Crimson Tide during his childhood, he did get some exposure to Clemson at a young age. That includes meeting legendary Clemson head coach Frank Howard.

“I met Frank Howard when I was a kid. He was the only football coach I met as a young kid. … Which is crazy. And then Hootie Ingram was the one who had just become the head coach at Clemson. He was a great player at Alabama. He planned some things and changed the [Clemson] logo or whatever and hired this company to do all this stuff and ended up settling on the [tiger] paw. Coach Howard I guess signed off on it and said ‘OK let’s do it,’” Swinney explained. “But the crazy thing about that is when I go to Alabama, Hootie Ingram was my AD. He was the Athletic Director while I’m a player and starting my coaching career. It’s kind of a weird connection, as well.”

Dabo Swinney remarks FSU’s rise good for the ACC, not sure if good for Clemson

Dabo Swinney covered a number of other topics at ACC Media Days, including the rise of Florida State.

Expectations are as high for Florida State as they have been in years entering the 2023 college football season. The Seminoles are coming off a 10-3 season in Year 3 under Mike Norvell and return plenty of talent on both sides of the ball.

Clemson and FSU are viewed as the clear top two teams in the ACC heading into the season, after the Tigers held that distinction by themselves for the better part of the last decade.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney spoke about what the rise of Florida State means for the Tigers and the ACC at the 2023 Football Kickoff event last week.

“I mean, I don’t know if it’s good for Clemson. It’s definitely good for the ACC, having as many good teams as we can have,” Swinney said.