Clemson’s Dabo Swinney Enjoys 16 Year Anniversary As Head Coach

Dabo Swinney celebrated his 16th season as Clemson's head coach on Sunday.

Oct 5, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts before a game Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

On October 13, 2008, Clemson named Dabo Swinney as their interim head coach. Swinney has gone on to be one of the best college football coaches of all time, helping the Tigers win national championships and competing for them year in and year out.

It hasn't been easy for the all-time great, either, as many have criticized him throughout his tenure at Clemson. That noise hasn't always been loud, but over the past few seasons, many have questioned his lack of involvement in the transfer portal.

Focusing on the good for Clemson's head coach, this is a special moment for him. Coaching at the same school for 16 years isn't common, as many coaches are lucky to last even one or two years at this rate.

“This day is very special,” Swinney said when asked about it Sunday night, according to Will Vandervort of The Clemson Insider. “It has actually been a special week because Terry Don Phillips came out to practice last week. I always think about this time of the year because Terry Don Phillips changed a lot of people’s lives.”

Despite their success, it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows for Clemson. They've had to deal with heartbreaking losses, tough injuries, criticism from the media, and everything else that comes with playing at the level they do.

However, Swinney has made it clear throughout his coaching career that he wants players to keep their faith, work hard every day, and graduate. If they do those three things, they'll often find success.

That's all he's wanted, even 16 years ago.

But that wouldn't be possible without all the players Clemson has had in the past doing what he wanted them to. There's a reason this program is regarded as one of the best, and that's because of the foundation he set.

“When they watch us today, I hope those first two or three teams take a lot of pride in who we are at Clemson and the foundation that we stand on today,” Swinney said. “They laid the first brick, if you will, and helped us build a great foundation.

Hopefully, if things go as planned and Clemson continues to play at the level they have over the past few weeks, he'll be here for much longer.

Sure, there are flaws to point out, but every coach in the country has things they need to work on. If all Swinney can be criticized for is not using the transfer portal, that doesn't seem too bad.