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Dabo Swinney On A Mission To Prove Critics Wrong, Makes Expensive New Staff Moves To Take Back ACC

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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates a win over rival South Carolina.

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Dabo Swinney was not satisfied with the on-field results this season. Finishing 8-4, Clemson failed to make an ACC title game appearance for just the second time in the last nine years.

The Tigers wrapped up the 2023 campaign with a sixth place standing in the conference, but things could be changing soon.

As Swinney said earlier this season, “If Clemson is a stock, you better buy all you freakin’ can buy right now!”

That came after a win over Notre Dame, which sparked a four-game winning streak to end the year. But it wasn’t all good for the Tigers. Prior to that 4-0 finish was a 4-4 start that saw losses to NC State, Duke, Miami, and ACC champ Florida State.

Amid that turbulent eight-game stretch, Swinney landed as much criticism as he’s seen over the last decade on the job.

Those naysayers referenced his stubbornness towards NIL and the transfer portal, an inability to change his offensive approach with a new coordinator, and his unwillingness to go outside of his Clemson comfort zone with assistant coaching hires.

Some went as far as to question whether he was worthy of his hefty annual salary.

Swinney quieted the noise with his team’s four-game finish, but he’s not stopping there. The Clemson head coach is making some serious adjustments in order to take the ACC back!

Dabo Swinney makes expensive new hires

Swinney didn’t wait long to make staff adjustments. The Tigers parted ways with their offensive and defensive line coaches at season’s end, wasting no time in finding their replacements.

Clemson made waves with their splash OC hire last year in Garrett Riley, and now, he’ll have a very notable line coach to work with. Matt Luke, a former Ole Miss head coach, was brought on to coach the big uglies.

Luke was at Georgia for the 2021 national championship season before stepping down citing a desire to spend more time with family.

On the other side of the ball, South Carolina grad and longtime SEC/NFL assistant Chris Rumph will take over the defensive line. This will be his second stint with the Tigers.

 

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Both will make around $1M annually, a massive pay bump from the previous position holders.

Many around the college football world have been quick to react.

Brad Crawford of 24/7 Sports said, “Clemson’s paying new OL/DE coaches Matt Luke and Chris Rumph nearly $2M annually (combined) to fix the trenches. Dabo’s getting serious about winning again.”

Josh Pate wrote, “Dabo Swinney did a lot of winning over the weekend and didn’t play a game. Huge staff upgrades.”

Swinney isn’t going to sit still as folks await a crumbling of the empire. Expect the Tigers to be back in the ACC Championship conversation next season.