Tigers' big win helps quiet some Swinney critics

By Pete Iacobelli - The Associated Press

CLEMSON -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney isn't gloating at his critics a day after the biggest win of his short coaching career.

Just three weeks ago, the 39-year-old Swinney was railed as a coach in over his head following the Tigers' 24-21 loss at Maryland. Now, after a 40-37 overtime win at then-No. 8 Miami, Swinney is the head of the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division leader, a team apparently peaking at the right time.

“It's a lot of fun seeing these guys enjoying some success and winning a ballgame like that,” Swinney said Sunday.

It hadn't always been fun for Swinney and the Tigers.

The critics were out in force earlier this month, Internet bloggers posting about Swinney's inexperience — he had never been a coach or coordinator before taking Clemson's head job — and a supposed rift between him and offensive coordinator Billy Napier.

Swinney said things were fine on his staff and, with patience and practice, the Tigers would succeed. So with Clemson delivering on Swinney's don't-panic approach, did the coach have anything to tell his detractors?

“No, no, absolutely not,” he said. “People are always going to have their comments and opinions. That's just part of it. Even if we were 7-0, we'd still have critics.”

“As long as you know what reality is,” he said. “That's all that matters.”

Clemson hadn't made crucial plays in losses to ranked opponents Georgia Tech and TCU earlier this season, Swinney said. This time, the Tigers did.

There was C.J. Spiller's electrifying 90-yard kickoff return touchdown just before the half that sent Clemson into the locker room ahead 14-10.

Trailing 34-31, the Tigers defense got the ball back in the final minutes to set up Richard Jackson's tying field goal, then held Miami to three points in overtime.

Finally, there was Kyle Parker's winning 26-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Ford that touched off a wild Tigers celebration.

“You look look at those critical situations (Saturday), when we needed the stop, we got it. When we needed the kick, we got it. When we needed the catch, we got it,” Swinney said.

Clemson scored 73 points in its first three ACC contests but has racked up 78 in its past two.

The victory broke Clemson's string of eight consecutive losses to ranked opponents. It also set the Tigers up as the Atlantic Division's team to beat. Clemson steps out of conference against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Coastal Carolina next weekend.

The rest of the Tigers' ACC schedule is up-and-down Florida State at home, struggling N.C. State on the road, and unpredictable Virginia at Death Valley.

Clemson defensive end Ricky Sapp said while the Miami win was big for the program, “At the same time, we're not done yet. We still got a lot to do.”