Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney used to be the darling of the college football world. His 'awe-shucks' attitude and charisma elevated Clemson when the team took the national stage in the College Football Playoff.
However, over the last couple of years Swinney has started to be insufferable with his out-of-touch comments. The more Clemson won, the more we heard from Swinney, and the more people have been turned off by his comments.
In 2020, his comments started when George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Swinney stated, "What I know as I approach everything from a perspective of faith is that where there are people, there’s going to be hate, there’s going to be racism and greed and jealousy and crime and so on because we live in a sinful fallen world." Days later Swinney was seen wearing a shirt that said 'Football Matters,' where many equated the shirt with Swinney disparaging the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.
Then came the comments after Florida State canceled its game with Clemson due to Clemson traveling to Tallahassee with a potential COVID-19 infected player. Swinney said, “This game was not canceled because of COVID. COVID was just an excuse to cancel the game."
And now, right before a College Football Playoff game, he ranked his potential opponent, Ohio State, 11th in his coaches poll. Right or wrong about Ohio State deserving to be in the playoff, it's a move he didn't need to make. Swinney even said he didn't think it would have an affect on the game or give Ohio State extra motivation.
Boy, was he wrong. Ohio State not only took it personally, but whipped Clemson in the Sugar Bowl 49-28 to prove a point. Swinney has been creating controversy needlessly the past few years and Clemson will eventually pay for it. Recruits will see through it. Parents will see through it. Just like everyone else has seen through Dabo.
Listen to Will P talk about the fall of Dabo Swinney.
