Even before he knew Dabo Swinney had what it takes to be a successful college head coach, Terry Don Phillips saw something in the Pelham, Ala., native that no one else did.
As a wide receivers coach with no coordinator experience, Swinney was not an obvious choice to become Clemson’s head coach when Tommy Bowden stepped aside at the midway point of the 2008 season. Phillips, Clemson’s athletic director at the time, admits had he not been able to watch Swinney coach his players and interact with them on and off the field, he probably would not have interviewed Swinney for the job.