cc: Dabo Swinney

Submitted by Blueinsconsin on

Dabo Swinney, 44 years old

Head Coach - Clemson (2008-present)

57-25 overall record, 3-3 in Bowl Games (1 Orange Bowl win in 2014)

2011 ACC Championship, 2011 Bobby Dodd winner

All of his coaching experience has been at two schools - Alabama under Mike DuBose and Clemson under Tommy Bowden before taking over the HC position in the middle of the 2008 season.  Swinney's first full season as head football coach the team went 9-5, 2010 they dropped to 6-7, but then saw a climb to 10-4 in 2011, followed by back-to-back 11-2 season in 2012 and 2013.  Currently the Tigers are 6-2 with losses to Georgia and Florida State.  

Here's how his total offense/defenes have ranked:

'09: 37th O / 46th D

'10: 82nd O / 18th D

'11: 16th O / 100th D

'12: 8th O / 74th D

'13: 12th O / 29th D

'14: 70th O / 2nd D (season obviously not complete)

As for recruiting (per Rivals) his 2009 class was 37th in the country followed by the 19th in 2010, 8th in 2011, 14th in 2012, 14th in 2013 and 13th in 2014.  Clemson currently has the #2 class in the nation with two 5 stars and nine 4 stars (21 total commits) 

Swinney's entire career has been in the South, so it would seem hard to be able to pull him to Michigan, but maybe opening the checkbook could sway him up North.  He currently earns $3.3mil while Hoke is at $4.3 (per coacheshotseat.com).  Despite not having ties to Michigan, he seems like a candidate I would like to see the school go after or at the very least, reach out to.  Not a flashy candidate, but seems like a coach who will put his teams in the top 25 every year and keep them contended year in and year out.  Thoughts?

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AMazinBlue

November 6th, 2014 at 10:48 PM ^

Les Miles is the best option in the SEC. 1. He'd take it. 2. He's a better recruiter than anyone but Saban in the SEC and he's better than anyone else in the SEC at beating Saban.  Miles is a great coach and if Harbaugh doesn't want it, Miles WILL take it.  So just stop with the crazy, any coach down south crap.

Joined: 10/12/2008

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ThadMattasagoblin

November 6th, 2014 at 11:06 PM ^

Swinney would be a fish out of water in Michigan with his bible verses and bible studies plus he's not even a good coach. He has a weak conference and a lot more talent then every other team besides FSU and has great cordinators.

Joined: 08/24/2011

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Perkis-Size Me

November 6th, 2014 at 11:49 PM ^

Great recruiter, but can't seem to win a lot of big games. Fell apart against FSU last year, and then the sting of that Orange Bowl a few years back will never go away. But hey, he beat OSU last year and that's good enough for me.

If he was there and Harbaugh wasn't biting, I might take a crack at him.


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atom evolootion

November 6th, 2014 at 11:59 PM ^

Dabo can't seem to get his teams amped up for rivalry games. He can't beat the Gamecocks to save his soul, and he always seems to drop the ones against the Florida States and Virginia Techs of the ACC, even when his teams match up well and have the Death Valley advantage. On the other hand, he runs a good program. His players aren't in the news for off-the-field incidents too much. The last I heard of was Sammy Watkins and weed in a car with a soccer player. That's not much to get excited about. He seems to let his coordinators do their thing, and it typically works out okay, especially with a monstrous defense this year and a normally explosive offense (this year they dicked around with a garbage quarterback while the man amongst boys, Watson, watched from the sidelines; however, once Watson got some run, he made a decent splash before getting hurt). I'd take him, as long as Chad Morris comes, too. If not for that, he can stay a Tiger...

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BornSinner

November 7th, 2014 at 12:00 AM ^

Dabo Swinney almost got fired a few years ago and saved his job by canning both D and O coordinators... 

He is Brady Hoke incarnate except more southern and religious while underperforming given the talent he recruits year in and out. 

Joined: 09/20/2014

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SFBlue

November 7th, 2014 at 1:50 AM ^

Assuming away his probable lack of interest in leaving the South, this would be a B hire, on paper anyway. To me, it is on the low end of acceptable (the bar is high) but he could win here.


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MichiganStudent

November 7th, 2014 at 8:36 AM ^

Hell no on Dabo. Total culture mismatch and there are far better options out there that would take the job if we miss out on Harbaugh(s).

Joined: 08/27/2008

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AMazinBlue

November 7th, 2014 at 1:17 PM ^

I'm not saying Mullen isn't a very good coach, but I am saying is Les Miles is BETTER.  He has won more at LSU and done it longer than Mullen.  Mullen could be the result of a great QB, we don't know.  His overall record says he's not necessarily great, but could be down the road.  This prgram can't afford a "could be" coach.  We need a Home run coach now before the fan base finds other things to do with their season ticket money next year.

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bronxblue

November 7th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^

I think he'd jump at the chance, but I don't really see the upside for UM. He's a good coach, but you can find those lots of places. I'm not a 100% Harbaugh guy, but you need to get a big-name hire, not a guy who runs a solid ACC team.

Joined: 11/22/2008

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fortissimosca

November 7th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^

Maybe not Dabo...but what about his DC Brent Venables? Here's Clemson's ratings on defense since he's been there an one year prior: Yards Points 2014 1 7 2013 25 24 2012 65 48 2011 70 81 He's from the Bill Snyder/Bob Stoops coaching trees...and he's from Kansas so he's not really a "southern guy." He's been a coordinator for more than 10 years. He's also only 43.

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