It was 10 years ago this week, Nov. 30, 2007, that Dabo Swinney was named the permanent head coach at Clemson.
That decision has led to the Tigers playing for the 2015 national championship, winning the 2016 national championship and being ranked No. 1 in the current rankings.
But all that was only possible because of the patience Clemson showed.
Including the half season in which he was the interim coach, Swinney started out 19-15. He also was 1-3 in bowl games. This from a guy who had never before even been a coordinator, much less a head coach.
But Clemson showed patience.
The results? In the last 95 games he’s 81-14. He’s won six postseason games in six years (that includes one loss plus two wins last season).
In today’s climate, would Swinney have made it to his 10th year? Would he have survived a 19-15 record plus a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl following the 2011 season?
Probably not.
But impatient fans should keep in mind that since that embarrassing Orange Bowl loss, Clemson has won 11, 11, 10, 14, 14 and so far 11 games this season.
It’s a different world today, and that includes college football. That’s not always a good thing.
For Threaded Fasteners, I’m Randy Kennedy with Nuts and Bolts of the Game.
