The most interesting coach in college football

Throughout the team’s first 14 games, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney preached the importance of the Tigers maintaining a “one-game season” mentality. May I remind you that Michigan State took down the defending national champs in Ohio State. “It’s also a reminder to me of the opportunity that we have as coaches every day to impact these young guys’ lives”. In fact, most Las Vegas sports books list the Crimson Tide as a 6.5-point favorite while some have Alabama favored by a full touchdown.

The defense overwhelmed – “They’re as good as it gets in the country”, Swinney said of the Crimson Tide defensive line – Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry rushed for two touchdowns, quarterback Jake Coker played his best game and the Crimson Tide special teams shined. “I would pick Alabama, again, for the same reasons, because they’re the best”, Swinney said.

Swinney was part of Alabama’s 1992 national championship team that defeated Miami 34-13 in the Sugar Bowl and, afterward, worked as an assistant at Alabama under Stallings and Mike DuBose, recruiting Watts’ son Tyler Watts to Alabama as a quarterback. Swinney’s chief administrator, Woody McCorvey, was his position coach at Alabama and was previously at Clemson for seven seasons.

When Bowden was hired as head coach at Clemson and needed a receiver coach he called Swinney, then working for a commercial real estate company in Birmingham.

The ties are as broad as they are deep. They were lean and I believe at least one NCAA probation was endured. Ingram later returned to Alabama as its athletic director. And if there was any question how Watson would handle that pressure, head coach Bruce Miller quickly found his answer in the locker room before the game. Wins over teams like Wisconsin, LSU, rival Auburn, Florida, and Michigan State, have highlighted their statistics in the win column. And as the Tigers prepare for their biggest – and final – challenge of the season, Watson is the guy setting the tone. After Ford was sacked, Stallings brought McCorvey, Pearman and a number of former Clemson people to Alabama. “I feel great”, he said. “Hootie Ingram was my AD for years at Alabama”. Alabama ranks first in that regard, by a fairly wide margin, while Clemson doesn’t crack the top dozen. If Clemson’s offensive line can force Alabama to send extra rushers at the quarterback and commit to some run blitzes, the Tigers have a chance to create some openings at the second level in both the passing game and running game.

“Not if they’re in my family”, Swinney said. “We’re the biggest Alabama fans you could ever meet”. So Bama can practice all they want. “Even though it was something that helped us establish a foundation for the program here a long time ago, I don’t think it has much significance in what’s going to happen in this game”. They have won four games against teams ranked in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff Top 25, and rank within the top 17 in total offense, scoring offense, total defense and scoring defense, making Clemson the only team in the FBS to rank that highly in all four categories.

“They’re definitely the best front seven we’re going to play this year”.

Speaking during the College Football Playoff National Championship teleconference Monday afternoon, Saban said his team will have its hands full with the Tigers in the National Championship Game.