Here's where Swinney earns his dough.

Jan 15, 2024, 11:13 AM

As one smart guy I know says, "a brand is just a series of promises based on a set of beliefs," then Clemson's brand is a powder keg. It'd be really, really interesting to see what might happen were Clemson able to build a national following around the brand.

That's where I believe Swinney's real value is, where he earns his dough. He represents an idea that many paean for in today's culture.

Some may question whether he's a brilliant, pure football coach (his record certainly indicates he knows something about X/O's), but there can be little doubt the man is a dern legend when it comes to marketing and messaging. He's just instinctively brilliant on that front.

As brand recognition and marketing take on a larger role in the CFP landscape, having a guy like Swinney out front, selling the idea behind the brand, is pretty important if not all-important.

Because, while Southerners/Texans (I'll never presume to call myself a Southerner) like us love our football and rivalries, in the end, all we're really doing is identifying and aligning with an idea/ideal, getting on board with something bigger than ourselves.

And Swinney captures a lot of that ethos. As a Longhorn, I'm enjoying what Sarkisian's doing at UT, and how he's come back from a bad place.

It's why I personally believe that among ACC programs it's Clemson, and only Clemson, that is in a position to get out from under GOR and go build its own brand around football, negotiate its own way into B10, given Clemson's unique and loyal audience.

And if that were to happen, I'd say Swinney should get a cut of the profits, because in the end, he built it. He took the brand somewhere few could have imagined it.

Yes, I know I'm a "just win, baby" fan. Brands don't suffer losing. But as an outsider, Clemson's brand alchemy is entirely unique.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down