There Was a Time When Clemson’s Pro Day Was Not the Event It is Now

In 2010, Dabo Swinney was very critical of Clemson's lack of an indoor practice facility

CLEMSON, S.C. — In his 14 years as Clemson’s head football coach, Dabo Swinney has been critical of Clemson just once. That came after his first full season as the Tigers’ head man.

Since Swinney became the full-time head coach in 2009, Clemson has hosted its annual Pro Day in March. It is an event that is considered one of the best and well-run Pro Days in college football. Every year, every NFL team emerges on Clemson, South Carolina to see what the program has to offer for the NFL Draft.

Coaches, scouts, and general managers from around the league love coming to Clemson because of the way the event is hosted, the program’s professionalism and its state-of-the-art facilities. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin even comes a day early so he can take in a Clemson practice. That was again the case on Wednesday.

But there was a time when Clemson did not host the event so well. And that irritated Swinney.

In March of 2010, Clemson hosted its Pro Day during a torrential downpour. This was C.J. Spiller’s Pro Day, and Swinney was not happy that one of the Tigers’ greatest players of all-time had to perform in such inclement weather.

“That is why we got this indoor (facility),” Swinney said after Wednesday’s practice inside the Poe Indoor Practice Facility. “I got to interview with (the media) afterwards. That is probably one of the only times I have been critical of our school here. But I was really frustrated that day because of C.J. and what he meant coming to Clemson, staying at Clemson.

“You get one opportunity, and man it was a daggum torrential downpour.”

Swinney remembered how he and, then Carolina Panthers head coach, John Fox shared a golf umbrella to try and stay dry.

“We both tried to share it and we were getting soaked. But C.J. never complained. He never said a word,” Swinney said. “But I was just really frustrated. I just remember doing an interview over in the… and I was just like, ‘Man, we got to be better than this.”

Despite the bad weather, Spiller went on to be the No. 9 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2010 NFL Draft. However, that day kind of got things rolling for the Poe Indoor Practice Facility, which has been opened since December of 2012.

“That day kind of got everybody to thinking, ‘We need to build an indoor facility,’” Swinney said. “Ironically, this opened two weeks before we played LSU (in the Chick-fil-A Bowl). I think we have had a pretty good run since.

“The amount of practices that we missed. The amount of summer training and workouts that we missed because you only get that window. It’s not like you can say, ‘Alright boys, come back and see you at eight!’ It does not work that way because you have classes, study halls and you got little blocks. It has made a huge, huge difference for us.”

Wednesday was a perfect example of how the indoor facility helps the program. Clemson was originally scheduled to scrimmage at Memorial Stadium, but due to heavy rain, Swinney moved the scrimmage inside.

“It is sloppy. It is nasty. You got wet ryegrass. Somebody is going to pull something,” he said. “We don’t even have to think about it. We just come right in here and get a really good practice in and never miss a day. And then boom! Pro Day, who cares what the weather is tomorrow. We are going to be able to have a great Pro Day and allow these guys to compete and to be their best at the highest level.”

Clemson will host its annual Pro Day this morning. Representatives from all 32 teams are expected to be in town.