Dabo Swinney has been one of the best coaches in college football for the last ten years, and for some reason, there is always hate surrounding him, and there isn’t much of a reason why.
He has a weird personality and says some crazy things at times, but don’t we all but the college football world isn’t exactly Swinney fans? Josh Pate, who hosts Late Kick Live, brought up a question on his show last week: If Swinney retired today and never coaches again, how would you define his legacy.?
Let’s say Dabo retires today…never coaches another game. How would you define his legacy?
— Josh Pate (@LateKickJosh) June 18, 2024
Dabo Swinney’s Legacy Speaks For Itself
Dabo Swinney became the Tigers’ interim head coach in 2008 and was named permanent head coach in 2009. He won nine games in his first full season as the head coach. Swinney’s streak of winning ten-plus games every year from 2011 to last year was snapped when Clemson only won nine games, but how many coaches can say they had 12 seasons in a row of winning double-digit games? I can tell you not many.
Dabo has never had a season where he failed to reach a bowl game. He has been to the College Football Playoff six times, winning four of those playoff games, and would go on to win two national championships.
Alabama’s head coach, Nick Saban, is one of the best college football coaches ever, and Swinney was one of only a few coaches who could compete with Saban during his tenure.
For some reason, fans don’t think about all the great stuff Dabo Swinney has done over the past ten years and focus on the negative, which isn’t bad. It’s hurting his chances to win because he won’t adapt to the new era of college football, but it’s nothing to hold against his legacy.
Swinney Isn’t A Fan Of The Transfer Portal
It has been known that Dabo Swinney isn’t a fan of the transfer portal and even failed to take one player from it this offseason. Every other coach is going into the portal and taking players, and Dabo wants no part of it. There is no question that it has hurt him and the team over the last few years, which is why they haven’t made the playoffs since 2020. But it’s not like the Tigers went into the toilet. They still won double-digit games in 2021 and 2022.
So If Swinney were to retire today, what would be his legacy? His legacy would be an all-time great coach who is in the same conversation as guys like Urban Meyer, Pete Carroll, and Bob Stoops and is a first-ballot Hall Of Famer.
Fans and media members went to social media to give their thoughts, and here are some of their opinions.
First-ballot Hall of Famer.
The best ever at his university.
Took an chronically underachieving program and made it a standard-setting program nationally.
The Hakeem Olajuwon to Saban’s Michael Jordan — elite and often unstoppable, won multiple championships (one while MJ was…— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) June 19, 2024
Trevor Lawrence is the reason why he’s relevant. Without him, Dabo is just a good coach.
— Thomas (@gatornationTD) June 18, 2024
One of the 3 greatest coaches since 2000. An all-time great and a CFB meme hall of famer.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) June 18, 2024
He’s a HOF Coach.
Less than 20 coaches total in the history of the sport have 2 or more titles.
His legacy is cemented.
— Clemson Addict (@Clemson_Addict) June 18, 2024
Best Clemson coach of all time.
— The Millennial Falcon (@solonerfherder) June 18, 2024
