- Clemson’s struggles this season continued last weekend as they lost to NC State
- The Tigers will miss the Playoff again this year under coach Dabo Swinney
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney went off on a fan on Monday who questioned his $10million salary amid the team’s struggles this season.
Following the Tigers’ 24-17 loss to NC State on Saturday, they are 4-4 and will miss the College Football Playoff for the third straight year.
And when a fan identified as ‘Tyler in Spartanburg’ asked the coach on his radio show why he deserved his massive salary with the team performing poorly, Swinney ripped the caller.
‘You’re part of the problem,’ Swinney said. ‘The appreciation, the expectation is greater than the appreciation. That’s the problem.
‘We’ve won 12 10-plus win seasons in a row. That’s happened three times in 150 years. Clemson ain’t sniff a national championship for 35 years – we’ve won two in seven years. And there’s only two other teams that can say that: Georgia and Alabama.
Dabo Swinney went off on a radio caller on Monday, telling him he was ‘part of the problem’
Swinney reacts on the sideline during his team’s loss to NC State over the weekend
‘Is this a bad year? Yeah, and it’s my responsibility,’ Swinney continued. ‘Take 100 percent responsibility for it. But all this bull-crap you’re thinking, all these narratives you read. Listen, man, you can have your opinion all you want, and you can apply for the job. And good luck to you.’
Swinney, who was hired as Clemson’s head coach in 2009, made $816k in his first season but was rewarded with a 10-year, $115 million contract after leading the school to two national championships.
‘I started as the lowest-paid coach in this business [and] I worked my ass off,’ he told the caller.
‘I’m not going to let this smart-a*** kid get on the phone and tell me how to do my job.’
Clemson has a tough test vs. No. 12 Notre Dame this weekend.