National analyst says Dabo Swinney isn’t done, still has chip on shoulder
· Yahoo Sports
For the past few years, plenty of people have wondered whether Clemsonfootball can ever get back to the level it reached during its College Football Playoff runs.
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David Pollack isn’t one of them.
The former Georgia All-American believes Dabo Swinney is built for moments like this, when expectations have dropped and outside criticism is at its loudest. Pollack, whose son Nick committed to Clemson earlier this year, said Swinney has never backed away from doing things his own way, even as the sport continues to change.
Speaking on The Next Round, Pollack acknowledged that Clemson’s approach to the transfer portal has created challenges, but said he believes Swinney is motivated to prove he can win without abandoning the philosophy that built the program.
“Well, Dabo is a guy who is very clear in what he is and who he is, and he’s not going to compromise that, and he’s not going to change that,” Pollack said. “And with that, comes, what? Ok, if I don’t go into the portal consistently, and people leave consistently, that’s a hard number. We’re just mathing. Let’s just math. If I lose 10 or 12 and I’m only bringing in guys every year and I’m not replacing those guys that I don’t bring in, obviously it’s not going to work. I do think Dabo has a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder.”
Pollack said that competitive edge has followed Swinney throughout his career, dating back to his days as a walk-on at Alabama. He also believes Clemson still has enough talent to turn things around, especially with Chad Morris back on the coaching staff to help reshape the offense.
“I think Dabo works best with that chip on his shoulder. Because guess what, he’s had it his whole life,” Pollack said. “Y’all know him in Alabama, but also know he walked on. He wasn’t a guy who was highly recruited. And I think you see the momentum in this recruiting class from him. There’s still a bunch of guys on this roster. There’s still a Top 10 team when it comes to playmakers and receivers in the country. They’ve got defensive linemen that are still elite playmakers. They’ve got to figure out the quarterback. I think bringing back Chad Morris really, really helps them. And gives them a more offensive identity.
“I do think Dabo has more chapters left. I think he’s primed for that, and I think he really wants to prove people wrong, and I think he’s gone about it his way, which is kinda cool. Now just continues to make tweaks and changes and adapt to the world a little bit, but I don’t think Dabo’s done.”
Pollack was also asked whether Swinney faces more pressure trying to get Clemson back to the top or whether Kalen DeBoer has the tougher job following Nick Saban at Alabama. He said both coaches are dealing with unique expectations, but believes each has handled them the right way by remaining authentic.
“He has that pressure. Kalen has that pressure, but I’ll say this about both of them, they both kind of handle it pretty well,” Pollack said. “They’re doing it their way, and I think that’s what’s most important. You can’t lead in a way that’s inauthentic to you. So Kalen has to be Kalen, and Dabo has to be Dabo, and you let the chips fall where they may. But guys won’t follow a leader that isn’t authentic, and that isn’t real.”
Whether Pollack’s prediction proves correct won’t be known anytime soon, but it’s clear he believes Swinney still has plenty left to accomplish and isn’t ready to close the book on Clemson’s championship aspirations.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: National analyst says Dabo Swinney isn’t done, still has chip on shoulder