At 4-4, it’s no secret the Clemson Tigers are one of the biggest disappointments in all of college football.
It seems like all the heat and frustration is finally starting to crack Dabo Swinney.
In what has been described as his most aggressive response to date, Swinney blasted a critical caller on his radio show.
The caller, who identified himself as “Tyler in Spartanburg,” raised questions about Swinney’s leadership, especially considering his high salary.
“You’re part of the problem,” Swinney responded.
“The appreciation, the expectation is greater than the appreciation. That’s the problem. We’ve won 12 10-plus-win seasons in a row. That’s happened three times in 150 years.”
“Clemson ain’t sniff a national championship for 35 years … We’ve won two in seven years. And there’s only two other teams that can say that: Georgia and Alabama.”
Dabo Swinney gets fired up on his radio call-in show after obnoxious caller asks how he has a $10.5 million salary, calls him arrogant, insults his coaching hires, and compares him to former Clemson HC Tommy Bowden. pic.twitter.com/pfu164e49l
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) October 31, 2023
The most recent losses to Miami and NC State have further intensified the scrutiny surrounding Swinney’s leadership and the Tigers overall performance.
“Is this a bad year? Yeah, and it’s my responsibility,” Swinney said.
“Take 100 percent responsibility for it. But all this bull crap you’re thinking, all these narratives you read – Listen, man, you can have your opinion all you want, and you can apply for the job. And good luck to you.”
While defending his hefty salary, Swinney underscored his humble beginnings in the coaching world, emphasizing the hard work that had propelled him to his current status.
“I started as the lowest-paid coach in this business [and] I worked my ass off,” Swinney stated. “I’m not going to let this smart-ass kid get on the phone and tell me how to do my job.”
“I work for the board of trustees, the president and the AD, and if they’re tired of me leading this program, all they got to do is let me know. I’ll go somewhere else where there is an appreciation,” Swinney declared.
Swinney is currently in the second season of his 10-year, $115 million contract.
What do you think of the job Swinney is doing?
Will he be able to get things back on track at Clemson?