Dabo Swinney opens up on what it means to him to face Tony Elliott

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and Virginia head coach Tony Elliott have been close for 20-plus years. Elliott played for Swinney when he was the receivers coach at Clemson back in 2003, before joining Swinney’s staff a few years later.

Now the two will face off this Saturday leading their own programs. Swinney spoke about just how special Elliott is to him ahead of the ACC matchup.

“I’m not old enough to be his dad, but that’s kind of the relationship we’ve always had, honestly,” Dabo Swinney said. “We’ve had that type of relationship from the first time I met him, as the new coach coming in and taking over a room.

“Tony was a captain for me and such a leader at a young age. We just had a great relationship. He’s incredibly smart. He was one of those guys early on, even though he was still a player, we just connected on a deeper level.”

Tony Elliott was hired as the running backs coach at Clemson in 2011 ahead of Swinney’s third full season as the Tigers head coach.

“That was honestly one of the coolest moments I’ve had as a coach was being able to sit at the kitchen counter, me and Kath and Tony and Tamika. And he had no idea that I was going to offer him a job,” Swinney recalled. “In fact, he thought that since it was a running backs job that he couldn’t get the job. … He just couldn’t believe it. And when he said, ‘Coach, I don’t know anything about…’ I said, ‘We can teach you all of that. I’m not hiring you because you’re a great running backs coach. I’m hiring you because of who you are. … You’ve got everything you need. We’ll teach you that.’ I’d say it worked out.”

Tony Elliott stayed on staff under Dabo Swinney for 11 years, serving as the offensive coordinator when the Tigers won a pair of national titles.

He left to be the head coach of Virginia ahead of the 2022 season after an incredible run at Clemson.

“He became a great running backs coach, and he became a great tight ends coach. And even though he had never called a play when Chad left, I made him the play caller and named he and Jeff the co-coordinator and Tony would run the room and call the plays,” Swinney said. “I mean he’s amazing. He did an awesome job.”

After sharing a sideline for years, Elliott and Swinney will now face off on opposite sidelines this Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Swinney can’t wait.

“When you have that type of relationship, he knows exactly how I think, and I know how he thinks, too. So don’t think he’s one step ahead. It’s just a lot of fun, man,” Swinney said. “Just a beautiful time in my life doing life with Tony and working with him and seeing a guy that you coached just grow and mature and develop.

“Definitely special with Tony. Again, it’s not like somebody who came in and worked on your staff for a little bit of time. He’s family. I mean he truly is family.”