Why you should want Dabo Swinney coaching your child

Nick Saban may indeed be the greatest college football coach of all time, but for my money, I’d want Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to coach my child, and it’s not even close.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is gearing up to face Clemson and their head coach, Dabo Swinney, in the College Football Playoff for the fourth straight year (three of them being in the championship game) and to possibly win the seventh national title of his illustrious career. He has truly gone to uncharted territory for a college coach and will probably be crowned the greatest to ever prowl the sidelines.

But if I’m the father of a college-age child who wants to play big-time Division 1 football, I’m steering my kid towards Clemson, South Carolina, and Dabo Swinney.

Let me make a few points nice and sparkling clear before I continue.

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I went to Georgia. I don’t like Clemson. I don’t like orange at all when it comes to college football. I’m not wild about Alabama either, but at least they don’t wear orange and they play in a conference worthy of their greatness.

I also didn’t always like Dabo Swinney. When he first leaped on the scene (quite literally) in 2008 as the interim head coach at Clemson a few words leaped to mind for me…

Impetulant. Immature. Over-zealous. Annoying. Disingenuous.

I even went as far as to refer to him needing a spinning propeller beanie more than once. Swinney seemed like he still thought of himself as one of the kids, and wanted to dance and play with them instead of coaching them.

First impressions (and sometimes, second and third ones) can be deceiving. In this case, they were wrong as could be.

As I’ve watched Swinney over the years building Clemson into a powerhouse of college football, it became very clear that none of those words applied to him. He’s as genuine as they come. This is who he is and he doesn’t care who sees it. He’s one of those coaches who has the knack for being able to bond with his team while still being able to stand over them and teach.

Dabo Swinney has displayed his faith, his emotion, his love, his frustration…he’s worn his heart on his sleeve in every interview and showed undying devotion to his players.

It’s clear his players can see and sense that. College kids may be young and inexperienced in life’s ups and downs, but they can smell bulls**t from a mile away. Dabo shovels none of that.

He shovels pizza parties, but not bulls**t.

How charismatic and genuinely likable is Swinney? He spent a few years going head to head recruiting against one of the most affable and persuasive men in the history of college football — Mark Richt — and wound up stealing more than one great player from the state of Georgia to come play for him.

I saw the devotion Swinney inspired in his players, and I predicted the Tigers to win the national championship in 2016 – not because they had the greatest collection of talent or the most 5-Star prospects, but because you could sense those players would follow Dabo Swinney anywhere and would do anything to make him proud.

That’s a rare thing today. Damn rare.

Clemson and Alabama renew the rivalry tonight. In these games which matter most, Alabama leads 2-1. After tonight, they may very well lead 3-1. Many football parents watching the game will dream of their child being coached by the great Nick Saban en route to a high NFL Draft pick.

I’d still want my kid to go play for Swinney.

I’d be comfortable with Swinney in charge of my kid. More than comfortable. I’d feel proud.

That’s not to say Nick Saban doesn’t have some great kids come out of his program. He does. All programs do. But perception is everything, and my perception is that Saban is more focused on what it takes to win than he is shaping outstanding men.

I’d want my kid to have a great football career and learn how to win without doing it “at all costs”. Winning is great. Winning and being a better person while doing it is the total package.