Alabama’s glory seems to have departed from the Bryant-Denny Stadium along with Nick Saban. For a good decade and a half, the Tide ruled Southern college football. He was the best choice to continue Paul Bryant’s legacy at Tuscaloosa. But after Saban? Alabama is yet to reclaim that status under Kalen DeBoer. However, there was a chance of a National Championship-winning coach swapping out his colors for crimson. But AD Greg Byrne was not too keen on the candidate.
It’s tough to think of a right successor for the veteran coach. DeBoer, even in year 2, is yet to produce a result worthy of being called so. Before him, however, there were a lot of talks about Dabo Swinney being in consideration for the job. The man played for Alabama, won a Natty at Alabama, and even began his coaching career as a GA for Alabama. The Tide simply had to make him an offer, and the veteran coach sure did think of him. “Nick called the Dabo the next morning, I think more out of respect – those guys are close – to let him know what was sort of going through his mind. And I think, just to talk to him where Dabo was in his career.” On3’s Chris Low revealed on the Beat Everybody podcast
Low named Dan Lanning, Mike Norvell, Steve Sarkisian among the other choices for the job, along with Swinney and DeBoer. But only Norvell made the cut along with the current Alabama HC for AD Greg Byrne. “I don’t think Dabo was ever really seriously in consideration as far as Greg Byrne was concerned,” Low added. Swinney checked off a lot of boxes when it came to the job requirements. But the decision would’ve been tough for both Alabama and Swinney. There are a lot of factors to consider about the coach and his career so far, and how Alabama would have benefitted from him.
Saban made Nattys seem like a regular and expected achievement for the Tide. During his time, there were only 2 other HCs with the most titles: Swinney and Urban Meyer. The Clemson HC defeated Saban twice in those games to win them, and came close to another one in 2015. We already know about the command Clemson holds in the ACC, courtesy of Swinney’s shaping the Tigers’ elite status for all these years. He has produced some of the very best to the NFL, and recruits the very best from high school. Alabama football would be getting all of this in Swinney, if he made the short trip to Tuscaloosa.
Swinney’s sons have become Clemson players — Will and Drew have already hung up their cleats. Clemson is beyond just a job for Dabo Swinney; it’s become his life now. Even though he shared a close bond with Nick Saban, and was born and raised in Alabama, it would’ve taken a lot out of him to switch his allegiance to the Tide. But was Swinney really going to bid such an excellent career goodbye?
Leaving Clemson football is not an easy decision for Dabo Swinney
Clemson has got some work to do to get back up to its National Championship status. Based on the Tigers’ last two outings on the gridiron, that fact rings loud and clear in the campus. But despite that, Swinney simply has too many good things in Clemson football, enough to not give in to the lucrative job at Tuscaloosa. “That’s sort of in his blood,” Low said of Swinney’s career. “And as much as he loves Alabama and always will… if he had an offer, I think [it] would have been a tough decision for him.”
Kalen DeBoer was signed on as the Alabama’s HC for an $87 million contract for 8 years. Swinney, on the other hand, signed a 10-year contract in 2022, from which he is set to earn $115 million. Swinney was a unique candidate for the job, unlike the others. Because of his connection to the program, the HC’s clause mentions a special buyout of $9 million, if he decides to leave Clemson for Alabama. Otherwise, Swinney’s buyout was at $6 million.
“It’d be hard for me to leave here. Who knows what God’s plan is for me down the road. My focus is just being great right where I am and leading at a time where we need leadership more than ever,” Swinney told ESPN. That’s all there will ever be when it comes to the Saban-Swinney-Alabama saga. Both Clemson and Alabama fans will have to live with it.
