Swinney invites Clemson students along for the ride
CLEMSON — Changing the mindset of a shaken team is not enough for Dabo Swinney.
On Tuesday — his first full day as Clemson's interim football coach — Swinney set about changing the culture of the fan base, too.
"The negativity is gone," Swinney said. "It's time to root for these guys. I don't care what it looks like. Let's root for these guys, because that's what they deserve."
Fan sentiment has been toxic in the wake of the Tigers' 3-3 start (1-2 ACC), and it was a factor in Tommy Bowden's resignation Monday morning after 9 1/2 years at the school.
The 38-year-old Swinney has plenty of things to worry about with a team that has lost back-to-back games heading into Saturday's noon game against Georgia Tech at Memorial Stadium.
He's not guaranteed a job beyond the end of the season, but he's bound and determined to make a lasting overhaul of the relationship between the team and its fan base.
Swinney sent an e-mail to students Tuesday asking them and everyone else to wear orange Saturday along with the Tigers. He spoke of on-campus pep rallies in the near future, and he wants to let students come watch a practice or two.
"There's some bridges I want to build," he said. "This is their football team. These students pay tuition here. … Sometimes I think it's kind of us and them and we're disconnected, and that's not how we want it around here."
He also devised a "Tiger Walk," in which the team will exit the buses two hours before each game and walk from Perimeter Road to the west end zone locker rooms — ideally through throngs of cheering fans.
"Let's show some community and some support for this football team," said Swinney, who previously served as Clemson's receivers coach. "If you don't like us coaches, that's fine. But let's show some support for this football team. Because they're out here working. And if you come to the game, come to cheer."
On Monday evening, Swinney took the podium and spoke of unifying a football team that appeared in disarray following losses to Maryland and Wake Forest.
After getting two hours of sleep, Swinney arrived early Tuesday morning with changes in mind. He'll now require the team to wear coats and ties whenever it's traveling to a road game, or to the hotel and to the stadium for home games.
Under Bowden, the team wore its warm-ups while traveling.
"People do things different ways, and that's just one of the things I've always believed in," said Swinney, who played at Alabama. "When you dress up, you feel good about yourself. And I think you've got a little bit more business approach to you."
After Tuesday's practice, he told his players to begin picking discarded cups off the practice fields and putting them into trash cans.
"Let's do things right," he said. "Just the little things."
Swinney even said he's begun spending significant time on the defensive side of the ball — something the offensive-minded Bowden seldom did.
"I've got to put my name on this thing, and I've got to put my personality into it," he said. "I'm going to try to be involved in as much as possible."
And that includes involvement in rejuvenating a fan base that was rife with discontent in Bowden's final weeks.
"I want to create a little bit of atmosphere and create some energy," he said. "So we're going to try that this weekend. And I hope everybody will show up, line it up and let's root these guys on."
Worth noting
--Offensive line coach Brad Scott said he's hoping left guard Cory Lambert (sprained foot) will be available for practice today and perhaps play Saturday. He said right guard Mason Cloy (sprained knee) should be able to play.
Guard Barry Humphries has returned to practice after missing five games with torn knee ligaments, but he said he'll probably only be able to go a few series against Georgia Tech. Scott said he's planning on putting redshirt freshman Wilson Norris at left guard to give the line a bigger presence.
Freshman tackle Antoine McClain has been getting work at guard but has progressed slowly, Scott said.
--No changes to C.J. Spiller's status. The junior tailback said he'll sit out Saturday's game with a slightly torn hamstring suffered in last week's loss at Wake Forest.
Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com and check out the Clemson blog at charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/
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Comments
This article has 11 comment(s)
Posted by sbs920 on October 15, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Again, I say that Swinney may just be the "man" !
Sure is a step in the right direction from a coach.
Spending millions more on a name might not be the answer.
He's got nothing to lose and everthing to gain, a very dangerous combination for the team you're playing against. Plus he is a great recruiter.
Posted by huj on October 15, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's not go ahead and anoint Swinney yet (let's wait til the end of the season and see what happens), but I gotta say I'm impressed with what Swinney's doing in reaching out. Tommy never did that.
Posted by Rggr on October 15, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He's impressed me more in two days than Bowden did in 10 years.
Posted by robbybobby on October 15, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
"He also devised a "Tiger Walk," in which the team will exit the buses two hours before each game and walk from Perimeter Road to the west end zone locker rooms — ideally through throngs of cheering fans."
Sounds like the sort of perp walk they wanted tammy to take.
"This is their football team. These students pay tuition here. …
Is he kidding? The big bucks are from boosters, tv and bowl games, not studenet tuition.
"When you dress up, you feel good about yourself. And I think you've got a little bit more business approach to you."
This from a team that wears all orange and thinks it looks good.
"He'll now require the team to wear coats and ties whenever it's traveling to a road game, or to the hotel and to the stadium for home games."
Now, that's s stroke of genius. Should be worth 2-3 more wins a year, right out of the blocks.
Well, looks like the head cheerleader is now the head coach, at least for now. Usually have to pay for stuff this funny.
Posted by Rebel_Yell on October 15, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice work their Saint03. I guess you feel like you have solid ground to make such a prediction since the thuggers have lost two in a row, fired their coach, and have an overall record of 1-3 versus div 1 teams (assuming we count NC State). I assume you were one of the ones who predicted 12-0 as well - way to go. You are lacking cedibility and it's becoming more apparent that Carolina is the class act and the clemson fans are angry little bedwetters predicting final results that will not be realized, again. Go get 'em tiger fans, but you might want to be a little humbled after the great flop of '08 and receiving the National Pretender Award mid-season. It could not have happened to a more deserving fan base - the rude and crude orange overall klan. And for that, I say Go Tech! Teach them some respect.
Posted by ashleyriver on October 15, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets see....6 comments on a Clemson article--half of them by loser, dimwitted usc idiots. Ahhhh, that little green monster rears its ugly head when gamecock maroons think they can somehow start to gain an edge on the Tigers. Why don't you fools try posting on gamecock related issues--like how much the retainer will be during the offseason for attorney Neil Lourie---who seemingly represents most of the usc miscreants and felons as they wander in and out of the Richland Co. jail.
Don't you buffoons have a big game coming up against another felony ridden SEC team this weekend?? Why not trot over to the coop with the rest of lice infested poultry and dream of doing to Clemson what Clemson's been doing to you for the longest of times.
Losers.
Posted by theoldsouth on October 15, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So far it's all talk. Swinney can't block and tackle, he can't give Spiller courage, he can't make the DB's defend. Clemson's problems will not be solved by a motivated coach, they need a motivated team who can play physical. What happens when they go 3 and out and GT drives the field on them? First injruy? Will they look for Dalbo to motivate them some more? He is an inexperienced coach and play caller and they need both of those.
Posted by robbybobby on October 15, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"...half of them by loser, dimwitted usc idiots."
which half?
Posted by rebel1 on October 15, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They might not win but they will be able to pick up trash after the game. I've heard better mojo from a pop warner coach. I mean seriously
Posted by sbs920 on October 15, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
poor richard cranium. . aka ashleyriver
boy this tigger turmoil is really getting to you huh. . .
yeah we have a big game. . . every SEC game is a big game!
Too bad you don't in the average coast conference! LOL!
Guess What! There are no big games in the acc! LOL!
When is the last time acc vs acc in prime time?
anyone. . . ? anyone. . . ?
So numbnuts go pout to your boyfriend, Loser!
Posted by uscsax on October 15, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Correct me if I'm wrong ashleyriver but the last player on either team to get arrested was McDaniel, and unlike when a Carolina player gets in trouble, he wasn't suspended for one second. Are you really going to throw stones in this case?
Oh, and considering FSU, Miami, and VTs track record I wouldn't be dogging the SEC when these class programs are representing your ACC.