Looks like we’ll have Dabo Swinney to kick around for some time.
Remember when Roy Williams started having success at Kansas, and the KU alumni began wishing Dean Smith wealth, health and happiness for a long time at Carolina? When Smith retired, they knew what was coming.
And even though it didn’t happen when first expected, Ol’ Roy wound up succeeding his cherished mentor and staying 18 years at his alma mater, winning three national championships and more games than any other college coach during that span before retiring.
Clemson alumni and fans may no longer worry about Dabo going back to his alma mater when Nick Saban retires at Alabama. The Crimson Tide just renewed Ol’ Saint Nick through the 2028 season when he will be 78. And with the way many iconic coaches are still hanging around these days, Saban could be the first one since Joe Paterno to coach into his 80s.
So that means when Swinney’s current contract expires, also in 2028, if he too hasn’t been extended, he will be 59 before he ever gets a chance to coach the Crimson Tide. Of course, the outspoken and entertaining Tigers’ boss must maintain a certain level of success, which may be hard to do for two reasons.
First, five straight trips to the College Football Playoff and two national championships would be hard to sustain for a coach of any program. And since those five years were powered by All-American quarterbacks DeShaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, that positional performance will also be almost impossible to keep duplicating.
History shows that staying on top is harder than getting there and even Smith found that out when his Tar Heels went nine years without making a Final Four trip after reaching the last weekend seven times over a 21-year span. Fortunately, El Deano, Bill Guthridge and Williams combined for 11 Final Fours over the last 28 seasons of their collective eras.
Can Dabo keep his charmed coaching life going now that some of the best players in program history are gone? Clemson will continue to have great teams, for sure, but Swinney will soon find out if staying on top is, indeed, tougher than getting there.
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