For the first time, and as Clemson prepares for the College Football Championship game against Alabama Monday, Dabo Swinney has addressed an off-field issue involving a family member.
Henry “Tripp” Swinney III, the older brother of the Clemson head coach, was arrested on an aggravated stalking charge after having a restraining order filed against him because of domestic violence. The coach declined to speak to Panama City Herald, which first reported the situation, for their article.
Following the Tigers’ Thursday practice, however, Swinney addressed the situation involving his brother.
“There are consequences for your actions,” Swinney said. “You don’t do the right things, and you suffer the consequences. It’s no different from anybody else. My family is no different from anybody else.”
“The only sad thing is this is a story because he is my brother. I love him. There’s nothing I can do about it. I’ve tried to do everything I can to be a good brother and help him. That’s his life. Those are decisions that he’s made.”
Of course it’s a story because it’s Swinney’s brother, just like THIS was a story because it involved the daughter of Nick Saban, the coach who’ll be on the opposing sideline Monday night. Right or wrong, it comes with the multi-million-dollar territory of being a major college football coach.