CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says he’s unfazed by external criticism, focusing instead on his players and doing his job. Swinney, whose Tigers have faced scrutiny in recent seasons, addressed the negative comments he and his program have received, particularly after a loss to Georgia.
Despite the noise, Swinney said he doesn’t let it affect him or his team.
“I can care less about that stuff. People say what they want to say, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter,” Swinney said. “I don’t read any of it, I don’t listen to it, and I don’t let any of that into my mind. I just focus on doing my job every day.”
Swinney, who led Clemson to national titles in 2016 and 2018, emphasized that his priorities are clear and rooted in his faith and his responsibility to his players.
“I’m not trying to prove anything to anybody,” he said. “I know who I am, I know whose I am. I know where I’ve been, where I’ve come from, and where I’m going, so none of that stuff affects me. We’ve created a society where it’s just normal to attack people, destroy people, make stuff up, create narratives. But you have to focus on what you know matters.”
He reflected on the power of belief and the importance of staying grounded.
“What we do is a reflection of what we believe,” Swinney said. “Growth follows belief. Your belief is going to drive your habits, and you’ve got to create a belief that’s greater than your fear. If you participate in all that outside noise, you live your life from the outside in, and you don’t take risks because you’re afraid of criticism.”
Swinney expressed frustration with modern media, noting that in his earlier years as a coach, there was a level of mutual respect and accountability between reporters and coaches that has eroded in the social media age.
“Back in those days, guys would call me, come up to me and say, ‘I just want to make sure I got it right,’” Swinney recalled. “Now, people just write stuff that they’ve heard from their aunt Jean at the grocery store. It’s sad, especially when you’re dealing with young people, because that’s their world.”
Despite the criticism, Swinney remains focused on the task at hand.
“I’m just trying to beat Stanford this week,” he said.
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