Dabo Swinney on ESPN asking to move South Carolina game: 'I don't think it's what's best for Clemson'

News broke earlier this offseason that ESPN and the ACC wanted Clemson to move its rivalry matchup with South Carolina to Black Friday. Clemson refused to do so, and the game will be played on Saturday as normal this fall. Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was asked during a press conference on Tuesday if Athletics Director Graham Neff approached Swinney and asked for his thoughts about moving the game.

Neff did speak with Swinney, who is thankful the two were on the same page.

“Yea, he did ask my opinion on that. And I was against it, for several reasons,” Dabo Swinney explained. “I said, ‘I’m happy to go do it in Columbia if that’s what they want to do.’ But I was against it, because I don’t think it’s what’s best for Clemson.”

When Swinney mentions what is best for Clemson, he isn’t just referring to the football team but instead the entire community.

“I think sometimes we forget to do what’s best for Clemson. And I think it’s not what’s best for this town. It’s not what’s best for this community. This is not some big city,” Swinney said. “The people in this town, they make their hay off of those Saturdays. And I think our students, for them coming back here, because they’re off. Being able to come back on Friday after Thanksgiving with their family and be able to be here and create the type of atmosphere that we want [is important].”

Dabo Swinney is entering his 22nd second at Clemson after starting his time with the Tigers as a receivers coach. He believes that he has a great feel for what is best for the University, the football team and the community.

He added that recruiting also factored into the decision.

“That’s my perspective on what’s best for our students, what’s best for this town, what’s best for our fans. And what’s best for recruiting. That’s usually a big official visit weekend for us and a big recruiting weekend,” Swinney said. “Now you’re trying to get recruits here to leave their homes on Thanksgiving. That’s hard to do. And some of them are playing on Fridays. So that was my thoughts on it. That was just my opinion.”

The ACC and ESPN offered Clemson incentives to move the game to Black Friday, but Swinney, Neff and the Tigers declined. Swinney believes that without a doubt it was the right decision to keep the game on Saturday.

“Graham, I’m thankful that he supported that. I’m glad it is where it is,” Swinney said. “But if they want us to go down there and play on Friday night next year, we’ll do it. But these Saturdays in the Valley are special, and they mean a lot to the fan base here. And again, if it was a normal week and we’re in school and things like that, maybe it could’ve been a little bit of a different conversation. But that wasn’t something that I was for.”