Swinney on conference realignment: 'Most people know where college football is heading'

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney held court on Tuesday with the local media talking a number of subjects.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Jul 19 14:43:08 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Head coach Dabo Swinney was asked about conference realignment, expansion, and the financial impact of media rights deals during Tuesday’s media day press conference. His answer? We all know where this is headed, and that conferences won’t look the same three or five or ten years from now.

Swinney sat down with the media in the PAW Bistro at the Reeves football facility as part of the Tigers’ season-opening media session with the coaches, and it didn’t take long for him to be asked about the hot topics of realignment and expansion.

Swinney didn’t mince words, saying that what is happening across college football affects every football program. He also said that we all know where it’s headed.

“I think it’s a bigger question than just the ACC,” Swinney said. “I’m not concerned at all. I’m just kind of like everybody else, where are we gonna be in two years or five years? As I’ve said a couple of times, I think most people know where college football is heading. It’s just a matter of when. Is it next week? Is it five years from now? Is it three years from now? I don’t really know, but I think most people that are really a part of this game can agree that ultimately, there’s gonna be a restructuring of college football.”

He then used a baseball analogy when describing where the game stands at the precipice of the 2022 season.

“There’s gonna be a new governance structure at some point. I don’t think there’s any doubt of that,” Swinney said. “Where we’re right now is kind of like rounding second base and there’s a line drive and everybody’s kind of holding halfway to see if it got through. You either get on home or get back to second and go from there.”

“Those decisions, all that stuff, it’s not made by coaches,” he said. “All that stuff is made by presidents and commissioners and all that. There’s a lot of smart people out there. I do know this, I’m thankful that we have a guy like (Clemson president) Jim Clements and (AD) Graham (Neff). These are two very, very good leaders and good people that are incredibly plugged into all things college football.”

He was asked where he sees Clemson in five years or ten years, and will the school and the football program still be in a good spot. Swinney didn’t hesitate to say that Clemson isn’t going anywhere.

“People have never come to Clemson because of the league we’re in, honestly,” Swinney said. “People come to Clemson because we’re Clemson. I spent 13 years at Alabama and I never recruited anybody to Alabama because we were in the SEC, they came because we were Alabama. And they’ve come to Clemson in my 19 years going on 20 because we’re Clemson.”

Swinney said that players choose schools, not conferences.

“Christian Wilkins didn’t come here because we play in the ACC, ” Swinney said. “When I was at Alabama, players didn’t go there because we were in the SEC. They came because we were Alabama. Christian Wilkins came here because we’re Clemson. And that’s who we’re and regardless of what happens in college football, we’re Clemson.”