Well, Clemson fans are playing the waiting game right now!
Nick Saban is officially a former Alabama head coach, with the Crimson Tide on the hunt for their next coach, and you best believe Dabo Swinney is on their list of coaches. Dabo has a long history with Alabama as he was born and raised in the state, went to school there, walked onto the football team there, won a National Championship in 1992, and coached there for a time.
With such a strong history with the program, while also being a two-time National Championship-winning head coach who defeated Saban and the Crimson Tide in both wins at the peak of their power, he will or already has gotten a call. So, what will Bama have to do to get Swinney out of his contract with Clemson if he ends up being their guy?
USA TODAY Sports’ Sahil Karup did an excellent breakdown of how this would all work.
Swinney’s contract includes a distinctive clause that increases his buyout should he leave Clemson to coach Alabama: namely, that he would have to pay 150% of his buyout in a given year if he chooses to coach the Crimson Tide.
While the percentage remains the same throughout the life of the contract, the buyout amount does decrease periodically. At the time he signed the extension in September 2022, that meant he would have had to pay $9 million — not $6 million — if he chose to return to Tuscaloosa at any time during the 2022 calendar year.
For 2023-2024, the penalty for Swinney would be $5 million, but the buyout for Alabama would be $7.5 million due to the 150%. The further into Swinney’s contract you go, the smaller the numbers.
To be honest, money like this would not deter the Alabama football program at all. If they see a guy they want, they will pay whatever they need to to get him.