Dabo Swinney: 'We built this program in God's Name, Image and Likeness'

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was asked about Name, Image and Likeness during his press conference on Wednesday.

Swinney said that NIL has played a big role in Clemson’s program for a long time.

The NIL Swinney is referring to isn’t the Name, Image and Likeness that has exploded and led to deals being done around college football, though. Instead, he said Clemson has used NIL in building its program through God’s Name, Image and Likeness.

The first question was about how Swinney navigates NIL, before this follow up exchange:

Here is the full question and answer exchange:

Question: “There’s so much that happens with the conversations with the parents. I’m sure these parents come to you like, ‘What is this? How does my kid not end up in tax fraud? There’s so much more on your plate now.”

Dabo Swinney: “Yea, that’s what I was going to say is pre-NIL, that’s always been the focus. Now that we have NIL, it’s still the focus as far as, ‘OK, making sure that our roster, that guys here, they have all the resources if they want to participate. Some guys don’t even participate. They don’t want to. But for those guys that really wanna maximize their NIL, that we have the resources available to them. That we protect them, train them, educate them.

We just built an unbelievable facility. I don’t know if y’all have had a chance to tour that. A great facility. We hired an unbelievable, world-class NIL coordinator who has incredible knowledge. So it’s become just another part of the process.

So those conversations that you’re talking about, you have to have answers for those conversations.

But as far as using the NIL for a reason to come here, nothing has changed. It’s still a holistic approach for us. We’ve got some amazing people out there — Dear Old Clemson and Tiger Impact and just great programs that are available to our players here.

Again, that’s why you see guys staying here. Guys are maximizing their opportunities, and they know that they can do whatever they want to here. It’s really up to them.

But the focus has always been inside out.

And to be honest with you, as I’ve said many times, when NIL came, there’s nobody more equipped than us as a program with what we’ve been doing for 14 years now with Paw Journey from a financial literacy standpoint, tax education, you name it. Agents, everything. We’ve always had that approach.

Conversations have changed. There’s been more to talk about. Just like with applied science and nutrition and strength and conditioning and all those things. This is just another area that’s important. You’ve gotta make sure that you address it.

Honestly, I was thinking about it this summer, I was thinking through it, and honestly, for me, we built this program on NIL. We really did. It’s probably different than what you’re thinking, though. We built this program in God’s Name, Image and Likeness. That’s how I look at it.

As things have changed, God has always been the foundation of what I do. We’ve been dealing with his Name, Image and Likeness for a long time. I think as this new era has come forward, God just continues to bless us here at Clemson.”