Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is not backing down from the Radio Rant saga

The losses are piling up for Clemson, and so are the frustrations for Tigers coach Dabo Swinney. The Tigers are 4-4 after final week’s loss to NC State. The defeat confirmed the tip of the Tigers’ 12-year successful streak of 10 or extra matches.

Sweeney criticized the caller named Tyler on Monday throughout his weekly radio present for greater than 5 minutes. His outburst was a response to Tyler questioning Sweeney’s annual wage of about $11 million throughout a season during which the Tigers suffered their largest losses in additional than a decade.

A day later, Swinney would have retracted his tirade during which he defended his wage, his path to teaching and his school profession, amongst different matters. As an alternative, the two-time nationwide champion coach directed extra blame at Tyler and others who he considers a small proportion of followers who’ve overly inflated expectations for this system.

“I had some fool assault me within the Outdated Testomony, and he acquired an Outdated Testomony response,” Sweeney instructed reporters.

And on Monday evening, Swinney responded to Tyler’s query with an affidavit detailing a few of his journey to turning into one of many highest-paid coaches within the sport.

“To reply your query, I began out because the lowest paid coach on this damned job,” Sweeney stated throughout the radio present. “And I’m right here as a result of I put in an incredible effort daily.” “And I am not letting some good child use that telephone and create these items. So in case you have an issue with it, I do not care, okay?”

Swinney signed a 10-year, $115 million contract earlier than the 2022 season. When Clemson employed him in 2009, he earned simply over $800,000 after being promoted as interim head coach with no prior teaching expertise.

“I work for the board of trustees, the president, and if they’re uninterested in me main this program, all they need to do is let me know,” Sweeney continued. “I am going to go someplace else the place there’s recognition. It isn’t nearly successful. It is the way you win. And this can be a powerful 12 months, however we have had 12 10-plus win seasons in a row. Twelve.”

Sweeney didn’t again down from his response throughout his press convention.

“I am not going to let one season, once I know precisely what the problems are, and a bunch of nice youngsters and nice coaches, I am not going to let one season dampen that,” Swinney instructed reporters. “I’ll battle for this program, and hopefully we are able to get some recognition again right here. It is very laborious to win. All it’s a must to do is look all around the nation.”

Clemson grew to become an elite program underneath Swinney’s watch. He has led the Tigers to 2 nationwide titles, their first since 1981. They’ve received eight ACC convention championships, shedding only one since 2015. The previous Alabama assistant has three nationwide coach of the 12 months awards.

Nevertheless, there’s rising criticism of Swinney’s unwillingness to signal gamers from the switch portal. Sweeney stated he was not deterred by the criticism directed at him.

“I am sitting right here not as a result of I’ve listened to all of the criticism, all of the individuals who need me to do that, rent this man, rent this man,” Swinney instructed reporters. “If it would not work out, I am going to have nobody responsible however myself. However I am going to at all times do what I am responsible of. Some individuals say I am cussed, I say I am responsible.” In my beliefs.”