Dabo Swinney earns praise from Bill Belichick before Tar Heels showdown originally appeared on The Sporting News
Clemson may enter Saturday’s game with a pair of early losses, but North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick isn’t buying the narrative that the Tigers have slipped. Speaking to the media ahead of the noon kickoff, Belichick praised the culture and leadership that Dabo Swinney has established in his 16th full season in charge at Clemson.
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“Clemson has a great program. I have a ton of respect for Coach Swinney, his staff, the players, the program they’ve run there,” Belichick said. “They’re tough. They love football. They do it the right way.”
Belichick, who has only recently joined the ACC ranks after a long NFL career, explained how his respect for Swinney has grown in the past year as he’s interacted with him more closely.
“I think Dabo’s done a great job with that program. I have a ton of respect for not only what he’s accomplished on the field and his record and all that, but the way he’s done it, the players that he’s turned out,” Belichick said. “They represent the school and the program very well.”
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The two legendary coaches first crossed paths when Belichick was scouting college players for the NFL. But at this spring’s ACC meetings, Belichick got a different perspective.
“At the ACC meetings in Jacksonville, Dabo spoke a number of times about various issues…what his beliefs are, what’s important to him, and what his convictions are. To actually hear him articulate that was very insightful for me,” Belichick said. “He’s been very helpful…open and willing to give me advice when I’ve asked for it.”
For Belichick, Saturday is about measuring his developing Tar Heels against the benchmark of an established winner. For Swinney, it’s a chance to steady Clemson’s season against one of the most celebrated coaches in football history.
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