Dabo: Football Has a Very Short Life

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has never shied away from sharing his opinion. Whether it is the transfer portal, NIL or the state of college football, Swinney is always good for a clip or a sound bite.

However, if there was one thing that has always been at the forefront of his mind, and something he has defended without apology, is the fact that it is his job to prepare the young men that he is entrusted with to help them understand that he wants to prepare them for life outside of football.

"Our game has a very short shelf life," Swinney said in an interview with 247sports. "If you're playing football at 26, 27, you're old. And so, it has a very short shelf life. I think that kids, if all their identity is in that and it's all about that.

"The good thing for us is 80% of the kids that have gotten a shot from Clemson, either through the draft or free agent, have made it in the NFL. I really think a lot of that, they're good players, but it's the process that they've been through here at Clemson that has equipped them to... We got guys like Adam Humphries that makes 9 million a year that was a tryout free agent, all the way to the first pick in a guy like Trevor Lawrence. Lots of number one guys.

"We've had guys, Sammy, on and on and on, but 80% of our guys have made it. And so, I try to... We know 1.7% of college players. But if you will buy into the way we do things here and help and let everything be an edge for you because everything has to be an edge. What you eat, etc., how you train, how you learn to study tape, your practice habits, how you think, all those things, then we can help maximize. And maybe here at Clemson, that 1.7% becomes a lot higher percentage."

Even though the numbers are higher than the 1.7% that most college football players are faced with, Swinney still understands the reality is that most college athletes will be working in jobs next to you and I, and they need to be prepared for that transition.

"But the reality still is 98% of college players don't play in the NFL," Swinney said. "So, what our program is set up on is, what's best for the 30-year-old version of you? How do we help you? Because you know this. I know this. In fact, I just had a young man in my office this morning who's not going to be able to play football anymore. It's a devastating thing. The guy loves the game, but the game in football, it either ends. You either aren't good enough anymore, and there's no team for you to play on. You still want to play."

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Dabo Swinney's squad is listed at -150 to win the conference this fall, but that number is significantly different than the last couple of years and tells the tale about where Clemson and the rest of the ACC hopefuls stand.

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