Dabo Swinney has changed the face of Clemson football.
The Tigers have played for the national championship in three of the last four years, winning once.
Frank Howard didn’t ever do that when he was at Clemson.
A lot of people are complaining that Clemson and Alabama are always in the playoffs and ask the question why we can’t have some other teams playing for the title. Well, folks the majority of the fans wanted a playoff system based on wins and that is what we’ve got now.
I liked the old way, with the Associated Press ranking teams throughout the season and picking the top 25 teams after the bowl games. But the playoff system seems to be working better as teams have to win to reach the playoffs!
I’m also happy that the committee has found a way to get the major bowls involved in the playoffs as I think bowls play a big part in the college football scene, although I feel there are too many bowls now, but the University of Southern Mississippi couldn’t find a bowl in which to play this season even though they qualified record-wise.
But, going back to Dabo Swinney, the story goes that he wouldn’t have even gone into coaching if it hadn’t been for Gene Stallings, the Alabama head coach for whom Dabo played. It seems that on the day Dabo graduated, Gene told him to go and get his Master’s Degree and he (Gene) would have a job for him when he got his Master’s.
Dabo said no to the offer originally, but Gene persisted and Gene hired him.
A couple of years later, Clemson came calling, hired Dabo and the rest, as they say, is history.
Clemson is 14-0 and will play Alabama (14-0) in the title game Monday night in Santa Clara, CA.
That is what I call a neutral site!
Alabama will have to play four quarters against Clemson and avoid jumping to a 28-point lead and coasting to a win like the Tide did against Oklahoma and Georgia. Dabo will have his steeds ready, I guarantee you.
The Tide did not play very well against the Sooners, in my opinion. There were too many penalties for one thing (not indicative of a Nick Saban-coached team). Another thing I noticed was there were too many mental mistakes and errant aerials. Especially in the second half. And I have never seen a more animated Saban on the sidelines, berating his players and showing his frustration.
Having said that, let me say that I feel Alabama is clearly the best team and will win another national title for Nick Saban, his seventh, six at Alabama and one at LSU.
LSU fans do not like Nick, as he left the Tigers to try his hand in the NFL with Miami, which was a mistake. He is a college coach, not an NFL coach.
But he is the best college coach ever, in my opinion.
Like you, I’ll be watching Monday night. It should be a great game and both teams will be well-coached and prepared to play.
