Sunday Insider Notes
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
On Friday, at the end of the most tumultuous week in a decade, Dabo Swinney was noticeably and remarkably upbeat according to various folks who encountered him.
For fans who are used to making their playoff plans this time of year, the departures of coaches, an athletics director, high-level commitments and a longtime football staffer made it feel like the world was crumbling.
Dabo's world is different. He has a keen sense of history and context, of the fact that elite status wasn't the birthright that plenty of people on the outside grew to believe.
And regardless of how much it hurts his program to lose vital pieces, he's going to treasure and celebrate the fact that a Clemson assistant coach has the top job at Oklahoma, and one of the most important people in his life is now running the show at Virginia.
In the wide scope of Clemson football history, those two developments are rare and cool. Swinney has an appreciation of that, no doubt.
Another thing he seems wired for is the high level of angst and panic over these seismic events. The scoffing at his preference for promoting from within, at his belief that his own people can get the job done.
Promoting Brandon Streeter and Kyle Richardson on one side of the ball isn't the sexiest move, particularly after Streeter was a part of a 2021 offense that was largely anemic and in charge of quarterbacks who had startling problems throwing the forward pass.
Clemson assistant coach and former Tiger quarterback Brandon Streeter. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Replacing the top assistant in college football with an almost totally obscure staffer, combined with safeties coach Mickey Conn, raises eyebrows and even drops jaws.
Not to say the head man prefers the enormously difficult past few months, or the tumultuous past few days. If he had his pick, surely he'd choose to be 13-0 right now and blazing into the CFP.
But there's something about this situation that has to remind him of 2008 when few people thought he could win the head job for good, or 2009 when his first team started 2-3 and his new seat was suddenly a hot seat, or 2010 when it was fair to wonder if he'd make it through the year, or 2011 when even an ACC title was tarnished by the 70-spot against West Virginia and blowout losses to South Carolina and N.C. State, and on and on.
In a way he's back to being the underdog as he tries to reinvent and refresh a program that has lost some of its fizz. And the bet here is he kind of likes being told he can't do something. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
Your point here takes us to the quote Austin (Texas) Westlake five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik shared with Tigerillustrated.com in the immediate aftermath of Tony Elliott's departure Friday.
"I trust in coach Swinney," Klubnik said, "and am pumped to be there in a month."
Swinney conducted his in-home with Klubnik the previous Saturday, traveling to Texas with Streeter -- and Streeter alone -- to attend Klubnik's semifinal playoff victory before joining the family for a meal at their home.
This is where it arguably might have been more beneficial for Swinney to have been on the recruiting trail Monday through Wednesday, before Clemson lost three Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy decommitments.
Swinney is a self-professed "over-believer," and whether his conviction in sticking in-house with these coordinator promotions proves right or wrong will only bear out over time.
Yet the manner in which he wears that conviction on his sleeve -- almost to the point of reveling in their contrariness, perhaps -- is a valuable asset.
To the fan base, which will buy-in to his enthusiasm toward the moves.
And moreover, to recruits and their camps, who are just as influenced by the splashiness and recognizability of the names.
Swinney left a convincing impression on Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star receiver Antonio Williams during his in-home visit last week, and that manifested in Williams going public with his commitment Thursday amid the perceived abandoning of Clemson ship.
Clemson's official visitors spent time at Swinney's house Saturday evening, and his vibe will no doubt be what has set the tone for their attempt to close with Jennings (La.) four-star running back Trevor Etienne.
This is when Swinney's charisma is its most important: When the Tigers have needed a port in the storm. -- PAUL STRELOW
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
On Friday, at the end of the most tumultuous week in a decade, Dabo Swinney was noticeably and remarkably upbeat according to various folks who encountered him.
For fans who are used to making their playoff plans this time of year, the departures of coaches, an athletics director, high-level commitments and a longtime football staffer made it feel like the world was crumbling.
Dabo's world is different. He has a keen sense of history and context, of the fact that elite status wasn't the birthright that plenty of people on the outside grew to believe.
And regardless of how much it hurts his program to lose vital pieces, he's going to treasure and celebrate the fact that a Clemson assistant coach has the top job at Oklahoma, and one of the most important people in his life is now running the show at Virginia.
In the wide scope of Clemson football history, those two developments are rare and cool. Swinney has an appreciation of that, no doubt.
Another thing he seems wired for is the high level of angst and panic over these seismic events. The scoffing at his preference for promoting from within, at his belief that his own people can get the job done.
Promoting Brandon Streeter and Kyle Richardson on one side of the ball isn't the sexiest move, particularly after Streeter was a part of a 2021 offense that was largely anemic and in charge of quarterbacks who had startling problems throwing the forward pass.
Clemson assistant coach and former Tiger quarterback Brandon Streeter. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Replacing the top assistant in college football with an almost totally obscure staffer, combined with safeties coach Mickey Conn, raises eyebrows and even drops jaws.
Not to say the head man prefers the enormously difficult past few months, or the tumultuous past few days. If he had his pick, surely he'd choose to be 13-0 right now and blazing into the CFP.
But there's something about this situation that has to remind him of 2008 when few people thought he could win the head job for good, or 2009 when his first team started 2-3 and his new seat was suddenly a hot seat, or 2010 when it was fair to wonder if he'd make it through the year, or 2011 when even an ACC title was tarnished by the 70-spot against West Virginia and blowout losses to South Carolina and N.C. State, and on and on.
In a way he's back to being the underdog as he tries to reinvent and refresh a program that has lost some of its fizz. And the bet here is he kind of likes being told he can't do something. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
Your point here takes us to the quote Austin (Texas) Westlake five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik shared with Tigerillustrated.com in the immediate aftermath of Tony Elliott's departure Friday.
"I trust in coach Swinney," Klubnik said, "and am pumped to be there in a month."
Swinney conducted his in-home with Klubnik the previous Saturday, traveling to Texas with Streeter -- and Streeter alone -- to attend Klubnik's semifinal playoff victory before joining the family for a meal at their home.
This is where it arguably might have been more beneficial for Swinney to have been on the recruiting trail Monday through Wednesday, before Clemson lost three Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy decommitments.
Swinney is a self-professed "over-believer," and whether his conviction in sticking in-house with these coordinator promotions proves right or wrong will only bear out over time.
Yet the manner in which he wears that conviction on his sleeve -- almost to the point of reveling in their contrariness, perhaps -- is a valuable asset.
To the fan base, which will buy-in to his enthusiasm toward the moves.
And moreover, to recruits and their camps, who are just as influenced by the splashiness and recognizability of the names.
Swinney left a convincing impression on Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star receiver Antonio Williams during his in-home visit last week, and that manifested in Williams going public with his commitment Thursday amid the perceived abandoning of Clemson ship.
Clemson's official visitors spent time at Swinney's house Saturday evening, and his vibe will no doubt be what has set the tone for their attempt to close with Jennings (La.) four-star running back Trevor Etienne.
This is when Swinney's charisma is its most important: When the Tigers have needed a port in the storm. -- PAUL STRELOW
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
