Dabo Swinney Has Defensive Response to Question About Clemson Staff Changes

After a second straight season with a lackluster passing game, some fans are calling on the program’s coach to make some tough decisions.

The Clemson regular season came to an unceremonious end over the weekend as the Tigers fell to their in-state rival, South Carolina. The 31–30 loss dropped the program to 10–2 headed into Saturday’s ACC Championship game and brought a likely end to the team’s hopes of a College Football Playoff berth. 

Though there’s still plenty to look back fondly upon this season at Clemson, another year without a trip to the CFP isn’t sitting right with some fans. 

One fan in particular called into Dabo Swinney’s call-in show on Monday night to ask a pointed question about whether or not the Tigers coach was considering making any staff changes this offseason. Referring back to the 2010 Meineke Bowl, a previous time when Clemson was struggling, the individual asked Swinney if now was the right time to shake things up after a second straight year with a lackluster passing game.

“It was decision time back in those days, and there’s a feeling within the fan base that I’m sure you’re aware of, that everybody’s looking to you and saying, ‘Well, it’s decision time again.’ Because two years without a passing game just don’t seem right,” the caller said, per On3.

Swinney responded strongly and defensively, launching into a rant about how many view this season as a disappointment even though Clemson won 10 games and is playing for an ACC Championship.

“Well, that’s what I get paid to do. All I can tell you is I’m gonna do my job. And if it comes a time where people don’t like how I do my job, then they can hire somebody else. But until then I ain’t ever gonna make decisions based on what other people want me to do. I can tell you that,” Swinney said. “If I did that, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you tonight. And the reality is, we’re a 10–2 football team playing for our league title and one of the most consistent teams in the country.”

Swinney continued, saying that if fans wanted to fire the head coach and the staff every year that the team didn’t make the playoff, then Clemson would be “a very mediocre, inconsistent program.”

“I get it. I know what my job is, and I’m going to do it,” he said. “There’s nobody that works harder to represent Clemson and cares more about Clemson and the brand of Clemson than me. I promise you that. Because I know where we’ve come from. And I know when we won that championship in 2011 it hadn’t happened in 20 years. We hadn’t won 10 games in 20 years. Now we win 10 games and it’s like nobody cares. You go to the ACC championship, nobody cares. That’s not true. A lot of vocal minority people don’t care. But I ain’t ever listened to them people. And I ain’t ever gonna listen to those people. So I hear ya, but I’m gonna keep doing my job. 

“And again, I’ve got bosses. And if they don’t like how I do my job then they can send me out to pasture. But I’m gonna show up every day and keep giving it everything I’ve got, every single day, as long as I’ve got breath in my body, and I’m going to surround myself with people that I believe in, because that’s what we’ve got here. We’ve got a bunch of great people and great kids that work their butt off to create the consistency that is so rare.”

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