Clemson coach Dabo Swinney knows the rumors of an Alabama homecoming are out there, but he’s ready to put an end to them, even though it won’t stop them.
Dabo Swinney signed a 10-year extension that pays him a record-breaking sum of $93 million. Despite the long-term commitment to Clemson, the talk about the Alabama native and former Crimson Tide player and assistant remains.
For about the last five years, the talk about Swinney has been about the powerhouse he’s built at Clemson where they’ve won two of the last three national championships. They’ll enter this year as the preseason No. 1 team and will be competing for more national championships in the coming years with Trevor Lawrence on campus for two more years and the No. 1 recruiting class under construction.
Nevertheless, it always circles back to Swinney as the top target to replace Alabama head coach Nick Saban when he decides to call it a career and retire.
Swinney did his best to quiet those rumors on Friday when he told ESPN’s David Hale he’s committed to Clemson.
“People always like to say one plus one equals two, and it’s a simple thing,” Swinney said about succeeding Saban. “I don’t pay any attention. I was at Alabama 13 years. I love Alabama and always will. That won’t change. But I’m going on my 17th year at Clemson, my 11th as head coach. I love where I am, love what I do.”
Fans of major college athletics are well aware of these types of quotes from coaches. They always say they’re committed to the program that’s writing the checks. Remember when Saban even said he wasn’t going to be the head coach at Alabama? Then days later he was the head coach at Alabama.
There’s no urgency in this matter. Swinney isn’t going to Alabama anytime soon because Saban likely isn’t retiring anytime soon. Despite offseason hip surgery, Saban shows no signs of slowing or retiring in the near future.
Of course, Swinney isn’t entirely shutting the door on his alma mater where he won a national title as a former walk-on under Gene Stallings in 1992.
“Who knows what’s going to happen down the road? I have no idea,” Swinney said. “I just try to be great where my feet are. That’s my focus every day. … I have no idea what’s down the road. But I know what we have at Clemson is special, and I wanted to make a commitment to the university. That’s what the message of the contract was.”
When Saban ultimately does retire and, presumably within the next 10 years, Swinney will have a special buyout provision should he leave for Alabama. Clemson couldn’t risk losing the coach that delivered the first national title since 1981 without a little insurance.
According to the terms of Swinney’s contract, he has a $4 million buyout through 2020 and is reduced over time. Swinney has a $3 million from 2021-22, $2 million from 2023-25 and $1 million beyond that. But if Swinney bolts for Alabama, he’ll have to pay an “Alabama tax” of an extra $2 million if he leaves before 2020, $1.5 before 2022, $1 million before 2025 and $500,000 before the deal expires.
If Swinney wants Alabama and Alabama wants Swinney, this buyout won’t be a deal-breaker.
But Clemson fans should enjoy the ride with Swinney as long as it lasts. If he is a lifer at Clemson, that would be a great story, albeit one that may be unlikely considering the nature of job-jumping across the sport.