Dabo Swinney was once upon a time viewed as a potential successor to Nick Saban at Alabama. But when Saban retired this week, it wasn’t Swinney who seemed to be in the mix for the position, but some other young, less-entrenched coaches.
Kalen DeBoer, who was at Washington for just two seasons, wound up getting the job.
Swinney, who just completed his 15th full season as Clemson’s head coach, seems to be far too established at Clemson to return to Alabama. Swinney played at Alabama from 1989-1992 and then coached there from 1993-2000 before joining Clemson in 2003.
Swinney held a team meeting on Friday and announced some minor staff moves. He also delivered a great quote about why he didn’t have interest in the Alabama job.
“I was always an Alabama boy, but now I am a Clemson man,” Swinney said, via Tiger Net.
That is very well said.
Swinney grew up in Birmingham, Ala. and got to play for the Crimson Tide in college. Then he coached there. But he has been at Clemson since 2003 and has turned the Tigers into one of the top programs in the country.
Leaving Clemson — the program he has elevated to great heights — makes no sense at this point in his life. He is a Clemson man now.
