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[Neo]

Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney Downplays the SEC’s Superiority

by David LaRose

Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney has never been shy about speaking his mind. Not after a win, not after a loss and especially not during on the field postgame interviews. He’s had some over the top moments during his time as the Tigers head coach and he believes that he is coaching the best team not only in the ACC, but in the whole country.

Swinney is a confident man and despite his vested interest in the SEC–he grew up an SEC fan and played for Alabama–he doesn’t buy into the thought that the conference, one that has won seven straight BCS National Championships, is any better than the ACC or any other power conference.

The outspoken coach had this to say on the aura of the SEC after national signing day:

“The SEC would maybe want you to think that, and that they invented football, and that you just can’t be successful if you don’t play in their league…We don’t buy that. And thankfully, the recruits that we’ve been bringing in for three years in a row don’t buy that lie either. They’re more focused on bringing a championship back to Clemson.”

From a guy that won a national championship in the SEC and grew up in SEC country, that’s a bold statement. However, you can’t fault a coach for sticking to what he believes in, especially when he’s had success where he is outside of the SEC. Swinney has evolved Clemson into a major program that has plenty of accomplishments to their name, both on the field and on the recruiting trail.

In the past two seasons Swinney has led Clemson to their first ACC Championship since 1991, a BCS bowl game appearance, a Chik Fil A bowl win over LSU, two top 15 recruiting classes and a 21-6 overall record, including a 13-3 mark in the ACC.
You could say he’s had some good seasons.

But for Clemson to be a national title contender, they will have to take the next step and have a better regular season showing in the ACC and finish the season on a better note, especially against rival South Carolina who has beaten them four straight times. Swinney says that they are on the doorstep to being great and now all they have to do is “step through that doorway to greatness.”
That’s easier said than done, but Swinney is just the man for Clemson to try and do that with. I’ll leave you with a little Dabo excitement.

[cocky4ever]

Swinneys gonna swinney

[SECats]

Lol @ Clemson and "national title picture" being spoken together.

[WadeWilson]

You act like every coach outside the SEC should be begging to give Slive a reacharound.

The fact is, the majority of non-SEC coaches will downplay the streak and dominance because the people who pay their salaries don't want to hear it. I'd say exactly what he said too if I were in his position. Option 1 (say what he said) is to piss off SEC fans (who he probably doesn't care about) but appeases his fans, supporters, and employers. Option 2 (slurp all over the SEC's dong) is to appease SEC fans but piss off everyone who supports him.

Biggest non-story ever posted on this site.

[HobnailedBoots]

^ What Wade said. What's he supposed to say? "Well, yeah, the SEC is clearly the best conference and if any recruit wants to play in the best conference, that's it. But...if they maybe want to play in an easier conference, we'd love to have them!"

[The Dude]

HobnailedBoots, on 20 March 2013 - 08:08 AM, said:

^ What Wade said. What's he supposed to say? "Well, yeah, the SEC is clearly the best conference and if any recruit wants to play in the best conference, that's it. But...if they maybe want to play in an easier conference, we'd love to have them!"

he talks a big game on NSD, but always shits the bed against one conference opponent, and continues to get curb-stomped by his in-state rival.

before downgrading the SEC to the ACC's level, maybe he should take care of business.

i mean, he didnt HAVE to make the comments about the SEC. Sure, they just beat an SEC team...but he went out of his way to put the SEC on the same level as the ACC.

[HobnailedBoots]

The Dude, on 20 March 2013 - 08:30 AM, said:

he went out of his way to put the SEC on the same level as the ACC.

Did he?

“The SEC would maybe want you to think that, and that they invented football, and that you just can’t be successful if you don’t play in their league…We don’t buy that. And thankfully, the recruits that we’ve been bringing in for three years in a row don’t buy that lie either. They’re more focused on bringing a championship back to Clemson.”

I don't see it.

[The Dude]

HobnailedBoots, on 20 March 2013 - 08:35 AM, said:

Did he?

“The SEC would maybe want you to think that, and that they invented football, and that you just can’t be successful if you don’t play in their league…We don’t buy that.”

there's a definite implication with this unsolicited statement.

[Dawgfan4life24]

Week 1 next season Dabo...Prepare your angus.

[SECorBust]

So it's VT that Bama T's off with this year.  For a seccond I was thinking that it was Clemsux.  Thanks for clearing that up Dabo.

Now that I look though you are starting off with Georgia who was a few yards or a few seconds from winning their first NC since like 1980 last season.  If they won that game it would have made the 5th SEC team to win it since anyone from another league had won it.

I get that you pick over the SEC's left overs and that if you sell Clemsux as an equal you do better.  It just ain't so.

[cocky4ever]

HobnailedBoots, on 20 March 2013 - 08:35 AM, said:

Did he?

“The SEC would maybe want you to think that, and that they invented football, and that you just can’t be successful if you don’t play in their league…We don’t buy that. And thankfully, the recruits that we’ve been bringing in for three years in a row don’t buy that lie either. They’re more focused on bringing a championship back to Clemson.”

I don't see it.

But this isn't the first time he's done something like this....he does it a good bit actually. He should probably just be quiet until he does something. But I guess when you rarely beat good teams, usually lose to 2-3 bad ones, and hang your hat on winning an acc that had no teams finish in the top 20 there isn't much you can point to. I mean, he had a losing season in the acc.



















A losing season in the acc

[Haymaker]

cocky4ever, on 20 March 2013 - 10:17 AM, said:

But this isn't the first time he's done something like this....he does it a good bit actually. He should probably just be quiet until he does something. But I guess when you rarely beat good teams, usually lose to 2-3 bad ones, and hang your hat on winning an acc that had no teams finish in the top 20 there isn't much you can point to. I mean, he had a losing season in the acc.



















A losing season in the acc

with the win/loss records improving, his recruiting vastly improving, I think the dude is doing his job and doing it well........you south carolineans should know a thing about being patient and letting things evolve

[The Dude]

Haymaker, on 20 March 2013 - 10:33 AM, said:

with the win/loss records improving, his recruiting vastly improving, I think the dude is doing his job and doing it well........you south carolineans should know a thing about being patient and letting things evolve

Clemson has been recruiting well for a very long time. It's not improving, its just as well as it always has been.

[ForwardRebels]

I see Dabo is still mad about Robert Nkemdiche.


lulz @ Clumpson and Dabo

[HobnailedBoots]

cocky4ever, on 20 March 2013 - 10:17 AM, said:

But this isn't the first time he's done something like this....he does it a good bit actually. He should probably just be quiet until he does something.

There's something ironic about you cacklacky fans saying a coach of another team should keep his mouth shut until he does something....