Clemson Offensive Coordinator Tony Elliott Explains What Makes Swinney Great

The family atmosphere that Dabo has brought to Clemson football has caught the attention of offensive coordinator Tony Elliott

For the majority of Dabo Swinney's tenure at Clemson, family has been an integral part of the program. The family atmosphere has long been a staple of Swinney's program, and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott has noticed. 

For Elliott and the entire program, "football is family" is not just a mantra but a call to action.

"I mean, so it's not something that is just talked about, it's lived," Elliott said. "Then I think what's happened is when people come in, they're kind of skeptical. 'Like can it really be like that? Is Coach Swinney really the guy that he says he is?'"

To those questions about Swinney's character, Elliott can think of a few instances that put those doubts to rest. 

"And you know, perfect example, I got a visiting coach from a D2 school in here wanting to learn," Elliott said. "We're talking ball, and Coach Swinney comes and pulls him says I need to see you. Well, that guy's brother sent an email. And Coach Swinney read his brother's email and wanted to relay that message to this coach. I mean he's a genuine guy, right?" 

Elliot noted that these types of actions by the head coach of a major college football team have a major impact on people both inside and outside the program. 

"It resonates with everybody within the organization," Elliott said. "And then when people come from the outside and look at it, then they can see that it's real and then I think they can go back and now have the conviction to try to emulate. Whereas if they don't see it when they come, then they're not able to have the conviction to go back and try to emulate it. And then for those who are in a situation where they got the conviction and then just may not have the courage to do it, when they leave here now they have the courage because they can see the success with it and I think there's a reunion of the last decade and all those players are going to come back here and it's going to be an awesome weekend. Just the coaches that had opportunities cause it's not just myself. I mean there's a lot of support staff that have opportunities year in and year out to leave, but they believe in what we're doing."

Swinney has fostered an environment where even the coaches' children are a normal part of the everyday operation. 

"If we're game planning throughout the course of the week, it's nothing for us to be in there in the middle of the day, it's around lunchtime and for Ace, my youngest, to come busting in the door, and interrupt me, or Coach Streeters baby girl, Mamo, she comes busting in the door," Elliott said. "And you know what, it's not a situation where everybody's looking around. It's like everybody legitimately wants to stop and engage with the kids. Because for us as coaches, we know that if we got a happy life, we're a much better coach. You know? And so coach understands that balance. And you know, perfect example, he says, hey, here in the spring, it's not a suggestion for you to go to your kid's game. It's an expectation that you go to your children's game, we got enough people to make sure that the work gets done. So I mean, it's not something that's fabricated. I mean, it's very, very real. And we believe that's what the secret sauce is."