On October 13, 2008, Dabo Swinney walked into the team meeting room inside the Banks McFadden Building and asked the 100 or so young men that were a part of the Clemson football program to “Believe.” He asked them to believe in him and the coaches that were there.
It was a turbulent time in Clemson. The fan base was divided. The locker room was divided. The coaching staff was divided. In the midst of it all, then head coach Tommy Bowden stepped down and Swinney took over as the interim head coach.
Swinney asked his players at the time to trust him and the coaching staff.