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Dabo Swinney Coaching History & Bio
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Dabo Swinney was a young wide receivers coach at Clemson when he was chosen to finish out the season after Tommy Bowden was relieved of his duties 6 games into the 2008 season. He was only supposed to be in charge on an interim basis. But he did enough to keep the job full-time. Nearly 2 decades later, he’s become the dean of college football coaches, with 2 national championships, 7 Playoff appearances and 3 National Coach of the Year Awards to his credit.
| Year | School | Season record | Conference Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008* | Clemson | 4-3 (3-2 ACC) | T-3rd, Atlantic Division | Gator Bowl |
| 2009 | Clemson | 9-5 (6-2) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Music City Bowl |
| 2010 | Clemson | 6-7 (4-4) | T-4th, Atlantic Division | Meineke Car Care Bowl |
| 2011 | Clemson | 10-4 (6-2) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Orange Bowl |
| 2012 | Clemson | 11-2 (7-1) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Chik-fil-A Bowl |
| 2013 | Clemson | 11-2 (7-1) | 2nd, Atlantic Division | Orange Bowl |
| 2014 | Clemson | 10-3 (6-2) | 2nd, Atlantic Division | Russell Athletic Bowl |
| 2015 | Clemson | 14-1 (8-0) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Orange Bowl, CFB Championship Game |
| 2016 | Clemson | 14-1 (7-1) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Fiesta Bowl, CFB Championship Game |
| 2017 | Clemson | 12-2 (7-1) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Sugar Bowl |
| 2018 | Clemson | 15-0 (8-0) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Cotton Bowl, CFP Championship Game |
| 2019 | Clemson | 14-1 (8-0) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Fiesta Bowl, CFP Championship Game |
| 2020 | Clemson | 10-2 (7-1) | 2nd, ACC | Sugar Bowl |
| 2021 | Clemson | 10-3 (6-2) | 2nd, Atlantic Division | Cheez-It Bowl |
| 2022 | Clemson | 11-3 (8-0) | 1st, Atlantic Division | Orange Bowl |
| 2023 | Clemson | 9-4 (4-4) | T-6th, ACC | Gator Bowl |
| 2024 | Clemson | 10-4 (7-1) | 2nd, ACC | CFP First Round |
| Totals | 180-74 (109-24) |
*- Replaced Tommy Bowden 6 games into the 2008 season
Dabo Swinney’s Coaching History
William Christopher Swinney’s unusual nickname was given to him as an infant when his 15-month-old brother had trouble saying “that boy,” while referring to the family’s newest member.
Thirty-nine years later, Clemson football fans were wondering who that boy, or Dabo as he’s now known, was when he was hired to replace Tommy Bowden as the Tigers’ head coach midway through last season.
Dabo Swinney had never been a coordinator before at the college level, let alone a head coach. But what he lacked in experience, he made up for with an enthusiasm that eventually endeared him to a fan base desperate for a return to the prominence the Tigers achieved under Danny Ford in the early 1980s.
It didn’t happen overnight, though.
Swinney was nearly fired after going 6-7 in 2010. But with the arrival of Chad Morris as his offensive coordinator and the emergence of Tajh Boyd at quarterback, Clemson bounced back with a 10-win season and its first New Year’s Six bowl bid since winning the 1981 national championship at the Orange Bowl. It was the first of 12 straight seasons with double-digit victories.
The Tigers made their first College Football Playoff in 2015, losing to Swinney’s alma mater Alabama in the championship game. The following season, with DeShaun Foster setting school passing records and finishing second to Lamar Jackson for the Heisman Trophy, Clemson returned to the title game and won a rematch with the Crimson Tide for the national crown.
In 2024, Swinney provided a bright spot to an otherwise down season – in which his team won “only” 9 games – by claiming his 166th victory to surpass Hall of Famer Frank Howard as the winningest coach in Clemson history.
Despite concerns that the Tigers might be slipping because of Swinney’s avoidance of the transfer portal, his 2025 team rallied to win his ninth ACC championship and return to the Playoff for the first time in 4 years. After the season, Swinney broke with his tradition and accepted his first non-quarterback transfers of the Portal era.
Dabo Swinney’s Coaching Tree
- Brent Venables (Oklahoma head coach)
- Tony Elliott (Virginia head coach)
- Billy Napier (Florida head coach)
- Chad Morris, (former SMU, Arkansas head coach, current Texas State assistant)
- Jeff Scott (former USF head coach)
FAQ About Dabo Swinney
What is Dabo Swinney's Salary?
Dabo Swinney’s contract paid him a salary of $11.1 million in 2024, according to the Greenville (S.C.) News. That’s the second-highest in college football behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart at $13.28 million. Swinney also received bonuses of $400,000 for winning the ACC championship and qualifying for the College Football Playoff. He could also have made an additional $250,000 had his team advanced and another $350,000 if the Tigers had won the national championship.
What is the Length of Dabo Swinney's Contract?
Dabo Swinney has 7 seasons remaining on a 10-year, $115 million contract extension he signed in 2022. He is under contract with Clemson through the 2031 season.
What is Dabo Swinney's Buyout?
Dabo Swinney’s contract comes with a $60M buyout clause in 2025. It decreases to $57M in 2026. There is a clause in the contract that increases the buyout by 150% if he leaves to coach at his alma mater, Alabama.
How Many National Championships has Dabo Swinney Won?
Dabo Swinney has won 2 national championships, tied with Georgia’s Kirby Smart for the most among active coaches. His Tigers won the first title in the 2016 season by beating Alabama 35-31 in the title game. Two seasons later, the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide again, this time by a 44-16 score, to win their second championship. Swinney’s team also lost twice in the title game, falling to Alabama in 2015 and LSU in 2019.
Award-winning columnist Brett Friedlander has covered the ACC and college basketball since the 1980s.
