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Major Head Coach Plunges Five Places in Updated College Football Rankings

Despite an impressive coaching career, recent struggles are hurting a legend's spot in the coaching ranks
Joe Cox|
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is seeing his stock decline after some rough seasons.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is seeing his stock decline after some rough seasons. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Clemson Tigers

Staying relevant in the new era of college football is a massive challenge. Some, like Nick Saban, have given up the ghost and retired. Others, like Jim Harbaugh, headed off to the NFL. But those still trying to adapt to new ways can find the going difficult.

First among those veteran coaches trying to adapt is Clemson's Dabo Swinney. But Swinney has struggled in the new era, in part of philosophical grounds, as he is relucant in heavily investing in the transfer portal. But he's struggled on the field as well, with mediocre QB play undercutting several of his teams in a recent span.

Swinney's Ranking Drop

In a recent colum for The Athletic, write Bruce Feldman dropped Swinney five spots in his head coach rankings from a season ago. "His powerhouse program... has backslide," admits Feldman. But Feldman notes that Siwnney is making bigger use of the transfer portal than before and notes that his accomplishments aren't exactly insignificant. For that reason, even a slightly beleguered Swinney is eighth in Feldman's rankings.

Swinney's History

Swinney's gold standard will always be his 2015-2020 run. Over six years, Clemson won two national titles, played for four titles, and made the four-team CFP each year. Clemson was 79-7 in that span. But since then, Swinney's Tigers have lost 20 games in the ensuing five seasons and haven't finished a season in the top ten of either major poll.

Meanwhile, in the shift of the last several seasons, new coaches can finally claim national championship wins, with Ryan Day and Curt Cignetti claiming the last two and climbing closer to the top of Feldman's ranking. Swinney can't even claim the top ranking in the conference anymore, as Mario Cristobal at Miami is now ranked fifth after leading the Hurricanes to the CFP final a season ago.

Swinney's overall career remains remarkable. Among active head coaches, only Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has had a longer tenure at one school than Swinney has at Clemson. His 187 wins also ranks high among active head coaches. Among coaches who have coached in the 21st century, only Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have won more national championships than Swinney.

Additionally, at 56 years old, Swinney isn't one of the older head coaches across college football. Is a renaissance still possible? The return of Chad Morris as offensive coordinator is one room for hope. If Clemson is going to end a streak of underachieving offenses, Swinney could well be climbing the list again soon.

Morris
The return of offensive coordinator Chad Morris could be key for the revival of Dabo Swinney's Clemson squad. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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