Where CBS Sports panelists rank Dabo Swinney's place among 'Power' coaches |
College football has undergone some major changes in recent years, and this offseason, the head coaching position saw some seismic shifts in particular.
The most recent national champion coach, Jim Harbaugh, jumped to the NFL, while the sport's most accomplished leader, Alabama's Nick Saban, suddenly retired. Where does Dabo Swinney fall in the mix? CBS Sports' panel has him as the third-best head coach in the game, behind Georgia's Kirby Smart and Ohio State's Ryan Day. "Dabo stays at No. 3 this year, but the spot feels tenuous. Had Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh stuck around, would he still be in the top three? I'm skeptical," CBS' Tom Fornelli said. "Swinney does things his way, and I don't blame him because when you've had as much success as he's had doing it his way, it's natural to resist change. That refusal to adapt, however, played a role in Clemson failing to win at least ten games last year for the first time since 2010. There are four teams who have yet to accept an incoming transfer this offseason. Three of them are service academies. Clemson is the fourth." Fornelli's own ranking had Swinney No. 2, joining fellow Cover 3 Podcast members Chip Patterson and Danny Kanell in that placement. CBS Sports/247Sports analyst and podcast co-host Bud Elliott had Swinney down at No. 10. Elliott pegged FSU's Mike Norvell as pacing the ACC (No. 6). 247Sports national college football writer Brandon Marcello voted Swinney fourth on his ballot, behind Smart, Day and Oregon's Dan Lanning. Norvell is No. 5 there. "This year's ranking...was the most difficult time I've experienced putting together my list in 10 seasons," Fornelli said. "I'm sure the rest of our CBS Sports and 247Sports voters felt the same. With Saban's retirement and Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL fresh off a national title victory, there's a vacuum at the top. While I can't speak for the other voters, it was simple to put Smart at No. 1 on my ballot. Trying to figure out who to put at No. 2 and every spot after was a chore, though. "There's a clear changing of the guard in the college football coaching world, and it's evident in our final rankings. Eight new coaches entered the top 25 this year, some of whom climbed more than 25 spots. Never in my ten years writing this piece have I seen such dramatic movement across the board. So many questions need to be answered in the near future." In the poll average, Norvell finished at No. 8, with fellow ACC coaches in NC State's Dave Doeren surging nine places to No. 16 and Louisville's Jeff Brohm jumping 14 spots to No. 19 My ranking of the best coaches in the P4
Part I of our staff’s rankings now at @CBSSports: https://t.co/8CL9Cjei1M pic.twitter.com/kDhBWTJAtQ
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