Ahead of his 250th game as Clemson's coach, Dabo Swinney reflects on changes to sport, what's next
· Yahoo Sports
Nov. 10—CLEMSON — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney took the podium on Nov. 10 for his usual weekly press conference and previewed the Tigers' upcoming matchup with Georgia Tech.
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The game will be his 250th at the helm of the program. In the spirit of the milestone, his Q&A with the local media resembled a State of the Union address more than the typical rundown of this weekend's opponent. He fielded more questions about his Clemson legacy and changes to the sport than he did about the game.
"It's a blessing. You don't get to coach 250 games unless you've got a bunch of great players, great coaches, great support from administration," he said. "And you've got to win."
It's a full circle moment for Swinney, whose all-time record is 193-56 (118-30 ACC). His first game as Clemson's head coach was a 21-17 loss at home against Georgia Tech in 2008 after he took over for former coach Tommy Bowden and was later promoted to permanent head coach. He seeks to topple the Yellow Jackets in game No. 250.
Beyond the opponent, pretty much nothing else about the sport is the same now as it was in his head coaching debut.
Why Dabo still loves coaching, despite changes
In 2008, the college head coaching world Swinney entered was wildly different than the one he exists in today.
The BCS ruled every team's hopes and dreams. Players weren't paid — the Reggie Bush scandal had emerged just two years prior — and couldn't transfer without sitting out for a year. Redshirts and strict eligibility rules still existed, and the MAC was the nation's largest conference at 13 members.
Now, the playoff is set for another expansion to 24 teams with the sacrifice of conference championship games (of which Swinney won nine). Players are paid and can transfer freely, and they now get five years of eligibility with no need for redshirts or waivers. The ACC itself has bloated to 17 full-time football programs.
Many of these changes Swinney has been outspoken against. Even on Tuesday, he warned of unintended consequences from the expanded playoff and mourned the death of conference title games. He's continued to coach through these changes and such consequences. Why?
"I love the players. I love what I do. I love developing young people; that's my calling in life," he said. "It's very simple for me. I love the game. ... But mostly, I love the relationships, and I love the transformation you have the chance to be a part of with young people."
Embracing changes, but external GM won't be one
Some have criticized Swinney for his perceived inability to change. Swinney pointed out that, while he's been outspoken against some of these changes for the consequences they may bring, he's done what he can to keep Clemson competitive. He made the point specifically in reference to the expanded, 24-team playoff agreed to between ESPN and the CFP on Nov. 9.
"My job is — whatever the format is — we get an opportunity to participate."
So far Clemson has participated in each iteration of the college football playoffs. It played in what used to be a coveted New Year's Six Bowl, the Orange Bowl, during the BCS era. Clemson won two national championships in the original playoff format and made the 12-team playoff in 2024.
Those are facts. They can't be argued against. But what critics have argued is, despite success on-paper, the long-term future success of the program is being put at risk because of an aversion to certain changes, like using the portal as the main source of roster construction or spending in the $40 to $50 million range for a roster.
Swinney has long been firm on doing what he thinks is best for the program, even if it's not popular. In recent years, that's meant using the portal with strict intentionality (this year's class of 11 transfers was his largest ever) and prioritizing loyalty over throwing money at a stranger (Swinney defended his choice to not get a "shiny object" — his words — in the form of a portal quarterback this summer).
But it doesn't mean he's unwilling to adapt. When asked what's next for Clemson in the evolution of the sport, he pitched an idea that resembles the infrastructure of a private business or professional sports organization: Dedicating an office of staff toward managing roster spending.
"Building out kind of a, if you will, a central office," he said. "It's a lot of money, and just making sure we can support all the sports the right way ... There's a lot of stuff involved. So I think that's definitely an area everybody's got to invest in."
That's pretty modern, and it's in the neighborhood of a change some have suggested Clemson needs to make: Dedicating an external GM, above Swinney, to make decisions about roster construction. For Swinney, that seems to be a step too far.
"I'll make roster decisions as the head coach. I don't make them all by myself. We, collectively, that's what we do. We're not going to hire somebody to come in and say 'This is your roster.'"
No coach would agree to being given their roster with zero input allowed. But teams are moving toward adding GMs with real power into their structures. Seven of the 12 teams in the most recent CFP have someone on staff with the title of general manager.
Technically, so does Clemson. Jordan Sorrells was internally promoted to general manager in 2024. The Tigers also coaxed longtime NFL executive Kevin Kelly to the Upstate in 2025. But it's been understood, and now outright said by the man himself, that Swinney makes the final call on roster decisions.
It's hard to say if Clemson's setup gives its personnel staffers less power than other programs, or if that's just a narrative created in retaliation to perceived failures this offseason, like not signing a QB or landing any offensive linemen transfers the Tigers were in pursuit of. It could be a mix of both.
Swinney's reasoning for Clemson's current power structure did, however, follow some compelling logic.
"You can't just draft them. You got to recruit them. I think who the head coach is, who's coaching, who's running meetings, who the position coach is, all that matters in college football," he said. "You can't just pick who you want. Everybody's got money. You've got to recruit. That won't change."
It would be hard to convince anyone that's done anything 250 times with mostly overwhelming success that they're going about it the wrong way. Swinney is no exception. He may adapt more than what's perceived, but it's clear there are still things he won't back away from.
What that means for Clemson can't be predicted, but players, coaches and onlookers alike will all find out one day. It won't take another 250 games for things to play out.
Reach Jackson Castellano at [email protected]. Follow him on X @jaxacastellano. Want more Clemson news delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to The Tiger Take.