Dabo Swinney facts for kids
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Swinney in 2019
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| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Clemson |
| Conference | ACC |
| Record | 180–47 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | November 20, 1969 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1990–1992 | Alabama |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1993–1995 | Alabama (GA) |
| 1996 | Alabama (WR/TE) |
| 1997 | Alabama (TE) |
| 1998–2000 | Alabama (WR) |
| 2003–2006 | Clemson (WR/RC) |
| 2007–2008 | Clemson (AHC/WR/RC) |
| 2008 | Clemson (interim HC/OC) |
| 2009–present | Clemson |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 180–47 |
| Bowls | 12–9 |
| Tournaments | 6–5 (CFP) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
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| Awards | |
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William Christopher "Dabo" Swinney (born November 20, 1969) is a famous American college football coach. He is currently the head football coach at Clemson University. Swinney became the head coach of the Clemson Tigers during the 2008 season.
Under his leadership, Clemson won national championships in 2016 and 2018. His 2018 Clemson Tigers team is often called one of the best college football teams ever. He holds the record for the most wins as a head coach in Clemson football history and ACC football history.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dabo Swinney was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He grew up in Pelham. He played many sports at Pelham High School, including baseball and football.
After his parents divorced, Swinney and his mother faced tough times. They even lived with friends for a while. Despite this, Swinney was an honor student and a great football player.
He really wanted to go to the University of Alabama, his dad's favorite team. He worked hard during college summers to pay for his classes and living costs. He even got a credit card to cover a payment once.
Swinney joined the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity in college. He earned his first degree in 1993. Two years later, he got a master's degree in Business Administration.
Playing Career
Swinney started playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 1989. He was a walk-on wide receiver, meaning he wasn't offered a scholarship at first. He later earned a scholarship.
He played on three teams from 1990 to 1992. This included the 1992 team that won a National Championship. He was also named an Academic All-SEC player twice.
Coaching Career
Coaching at Alabama
While getting his master's degree, Swinney worked as a graduate assistant coach at Alabama. In 1995, he became a full-time assistant coach. He coached wide receivers and tight ends. He stayed in this role until early 2001.
After leaving Alabama, Swinney didn't coach for a couple of years. He worked as a salesman for a real estate company.
Coaching at Clemson
In 2002, Tommy Bowden, who used to coach Swinney at Alabama, offered him a job at Clemson. Swinney joined Clemson in 2003 as the wide receivers coach. He also became the recruiting coordinator. This meant he was in charge of finding new talented players for the team.
Swinney was great at both jobs. He coached top receivers in the ACC. He was also named one of the best recruiters in the country in 2007.
The 2008 Season
Swinney became the interim head coach on October 13, 2008. This happened after head coach Tommy Bowden resigned. The team had a tough start to the season.
Swinney made some changes right away. He started a new tradition called the "Tiger Walk." This is where players and coaches walk through the parking lot to the stadium before a game. It's a way to connect with fans.
His first game as interim coach was a loss. But on November 1, 2008, he got his first win against Boston College. This broke a six-game losing streak against them. On November 29, Clemson beat South Carolina, making them eligible for a bowl game.
On December 1, 2008, Swinney officially became Clemson's 27th head coach. Even though he lost his first game as the full-time coach, his recruiting skills soon shined. He brought in many top-ranked recruiting classes.
The 2009 Season
The 2009 season was Swinney's first full year as head coach. Clemson finished with a 9–5 record. They won the Atlantic Division title in the ACC. They had big wins against Miami (FL) and Florida State. Clemson finished the season ranked #24 in the AP Top 25 poll.
The 2010 Season
In 2010, Clemson had a 6–6 regular season. Many of their losses were very close games. After the season, some fans wanted Swinney to be fired. But the athletic director, Terry Don Phillips, decided to keep him. Clemson finished the season with a 6–7 record after a bowl game loss. This was Clemson's first losing season since 1998.
The 2011 Season
In 2011, Swinney led the Tigers to a 10–3 record. They won the ACC Championship, their first since 1991. They also played in the Orange Bowl, a major bowl game.
Clemson lost the Orange Bowl to West Virginia. After this game, the defensive coordinator was fired. A new offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, joined the team. He brought a fast-paced offense that broke many Clemson records.
Swinney won the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 2011. This award honors coaches whose teams do well on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
The 2012 Season
Clemson started the 2012 season with a 3–0 record. They won seven games in a row before losing to rival South Carolina. In 2012, Swinney led Clemson to its first 11-win season since 1981. They beat LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Tigers finished the year ranked 11th.
The 2013 Season
In 2013, Swinney guided the Tigers to their third 10-win season in a row. This was a first for Clemson since 1989. A big win came against #5 Georgia at the start of the season.
Clemson played Ohio State in the 2014 Orange Bowl and won. This was Clemson's first BCS bowl victory. The 2013 season was the first time Clemson had back-to-back 11-win seasons. Swinney signed a new eight-year contract after this successful season.
The 2014 Season
Clemson had its fourth 10-win season in a row under Swinney in 2014. They beat rival South Carolina 35–17, ending a five-game losing streak against them. Clemson then routed Oklahoma 40–6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Tigers finished the season 10–3 and ranked 15th.
The 2015 Season
The 2015 season was Swinney's best at that time. He led the Tigers to a 14–1 record. They won the ACC Championship and played in the national championship game. Clemson beat Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. They lost a close game to Alabama in the championship. Swinney won many awards, including ACC Coach of the Year.
The 2016 Season
On April 12, 2016, Swinney signed a new contract with Clemson. He led the Tigers to a 12–1 regular season record and another ACC Championship. Their only loss was to Pitt. Clemson had a big win over South Carolina, 56–7.
Clemson secured the #2 spot in the College Football Playoff. They beat Ohio State 31–0 in the semifinals. On January 9, 2017, Swinney led the Tigers to a 35–31 comeback win over Alabama. This earned Clemson their first national championship since 1981. Swinney won the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award again.
The 2017 Season
After winning the national championship, Clemson had to replace many key players. But the Tigers still had a great season. They finished with a 12–1 regular season record and won their third ACC Championship in a row. Clemson beat Miami 38–3 in the ACC Championship.
Clemson earned the #1 spot in the College Football Playoffs. They lost to Alabama 24–6 in the Sugar Bowl. Clemson finished the season ranked #4.
The 2018 Season
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Clemson started the 2018 season ranked second in the nation. The 2018 Tigers had an amazing season. They won all their games, including big wins over Georgia Tech and Louisville. They won their fourth straight ACC Championship by beating Pitt 42–10.
Clemson qualified for the College Football Playoff as the #2 seed. They beat undefeated Notre Dame 30–3 in the semifinals. Clemson then won the 2019 College Football Playoff national championship by defeating Alabama 44–16. This was the school's third national championship and Swinney's second. Clemson was the first team to go 15–0 in modern history. Many people say the 2018 Tigers are the greatest college football team of all time.
The 2019 Season
Swinney's 2019 Tigers continued their winning ways. They won all their regular season games. Their closest game was a 21–20 win over North Carolina. They won their last seven regular season games by a huge margin.
Clemson won its fifth straight ACC Championship by beating Virginia 62–17. They were named the #3 seed in the College Football Playoff. They beat Ohio State 29–23 in the semifinals. However, they lost the national title game to LSU 42–25. This ended Clemson's 29-game winning streak.
The 2020 Season
The 2020 Tigers played a shorter season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They started the season as the top-ranked team. They had a 7–0 record before losing to Notre Dame in double overtime.
Clemson then won their last two games. They beat Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game 34–10. This was their sixth straight conference title. The season ended with a loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal.
The 2021 Season
Swinney and Clemson started the 2021 season ranked third. They lost early to Georgia and North Carolina State. Clemson dropped out of the Top 25 rankings for the first time since 2014.
However, they went on a five-game winning streak to finish the regular season. This included a big win over #13 Wake Forest. Clemson returned to the Top 25 for their bowl game. They finished the season with a 10–3 record after beating Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl.
The 2022 Season
On September 8, 2022, Swinney signed a contract extension worth $115 million. The Tigers started the season with an 8–0 record. They were ranked #5 before losing to Notre Dame.
Clemson won the ACC Championship over North Carolina 39–10. They ended up in the Orange Bowl, where they lost to Tennessee. In 2022, Swinney led the Tigers to an 11–3 record. This was Clemson's 12th year in a row with at least ten wins.
The 2023 Season
Swinney and the Tigers started the 2023 season ranked #9. They lost their first game to Duke. Clemson then won their next two games. They had a close overtime loss to Florida State.
The Tigers finished the season strong with a five-game winning streak. This included wins over ranked teams like Notre Dame and North Carolina. They also won the Gator Bowl against Kentucky.
The 2024 Season
Swinney and the Tigers started the 2024 season ranked #14. They finished the regular season with a 9–3 record. This qualified them for the ACC Championship. The Tigers defeated SMU 34–31 in the ACC Championship Game. Swinney led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff as the 12-seed. They lost to Texas in the first round.
Personal Life
Swinney's nickname "Dabo" was given to him by his older brother, Tripp. When Dabo was a baby, Tripp would try to say "that boy" but it sounded like "Dabo."
Swinney became a Christian when he was 16. He says his faith is the foundation of his life. He believes coaching helps him use his experiences to help young people grow. He is passionate about seeing his players graduate and become good adults.
He is married to his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Swinney. They have three sons and live in Clemson, South Carolina.
Head Coaching Record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson Tigers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2008–present) | |||||||||
| 2008 | Clemson | 4–3 | 3–2 | T–3rd (Atlantic) | L Gator | ||||
| 2009 | Clemson | 9–5 | 6–2 | 1st (Atlantic) | W Music City | 24 | |||
| 2010 | Clemson | 6–7 | 4–4 | T–4th (Atlantic) | L Meineke Car Care | ||||
| 2011 | Clemson | 10–4 | 6–2 | 1st (Atlantic) | L Orange† | 22 | 22 | ||
| 2012 | Clemson | 11–2 | 7–1 | T–1st (Atlantic) | W Chick-fil-A | 9 | 11 | ||
| 2013 | Clemson | 11–2 | 7–1 | 2nd (Atlantic) | W Orange† | 7 | 8 | ||
| 2014 | Clemson | 10–3 | 6–2 | 2nd (Atlantic) | W Russell Athletic | 15 | 15 | ||
| 2015 | Clemson | 14–1 | 8–0 | 1st (Atlantic) | W Orange†, L CFP NCG† | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | Clemson | 14–1 | 7–1 | 1st (Atlantic) | W Fiesta†, W CFP NCG† | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | Clemson | 12–2 | 7–1 | 1st (Atlantic) | L Sugar† | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2018 | Clemson | 15–0 | 8–0 | 1st (Atlantic) | W Cotton†, W CFP NCG† | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2019 | Clemson | 14–1 | 8–0 | 1st (Atlantic) | W Fiesta†, L CFP NCG† | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2020 | Clemson | 10–2 | 7–1 | 2nd | L Sugar† | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2021 | Clemson | 10–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd (Atlantic) | W Cheez-It | 16 | 14 | ||
| 2022 | Clemson | 11–3 | 8–0 | 1st (Atlantic) | L Orange† | 12 | 13 | ||
| 2023 | Clemson | 9–4 | 4–4 | T–6th | W Gator | 20 | 20 | ||
| 2024 | Clemson | 10–4 | 7–1 | 2nd | L CFP First Round† | 11 | 14 | ||
| Clemson: | 180–47 | 109–24 | |||||||
| Total: | 180–47 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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