When Dabo Swinney first became the head coach at Clemson 11 years ago, it was common for other teams and coaches to try and use Clemson’s small-town atmosphere against it.
Rival coaches would ask potential prospects why they would even consider Clemson because it’s a small town and a small school that will never be able to compete on the big stage when it comes down to it. It’s a perception Swinney and his program did not try to overcome, but instead embraced it as part of changing the culture at Clemson.
“It’s something I used to talk to the team about all the time 11 years ago when I got the job,” Swinney said recently.