Dabo Swinney Fires Back at Dave Doeren's Laptop Comments

After Clemson’s 38-31 win in Raleigh, N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren was asked about officiating once his press conference began.

He didn’t comment much on the officiating but did immediately express his displeasure for a laptop that was seen on Clemson’s sidelines.

“I’d like to know why there was a laptop on Clemson’s sideline that people were looking at, too,” Doeren said, dead serious. “I’d like that to be investigated.”

We’ve already touched on what the laptop was really doing on Clemson’s sidelines. 

But nonetheless, Doeren got his wish. 

During his Tuesday press conference, Dabo Swinney said he did not receive a phone call from Doeren apologizing, but he did follow his instructions and launched an investigation.

“I did investigate. I did. It turns out there was just a major crisis going on,” Swinney said with a grin on his face. “There was a young guy trying to help a team in need… they were trying to get in touch with Amazon.

“We were in dire need of towels, alright. We were trying to get one of them drones to come in and drop some towels on the sideline, and it just didn’t work.”

Swinney was referring to when N.C. State’s All-American candidate Bradley Chubb kept stealing Kelly Bryant’s quarterback towel from around his waist in the first half.

The towel-snatching tactic was used just to try to get into Bryant’s head in the hostile atmosphere. After the game, Bryant laughed it off and said it was “just football.”

Christian Wilkins even said Tuesday that he was mad that he didn’t think of it first. 

In a joking kind of way, Swinney wanted Doeren to know that you can’t throw stones if you live in a glass house. 

But he didn’t stop there. Swinney wanted to launch an investigation of his own. 

“What do they do with those towels?” Swinney said. “Is it a towel wall of fame?”

Swinney’s grin suddenly became a serious look.

“You know, and it’s disappointing because that was kind of a challenge to our integrity. And then you watch the tape, and two years ago we go up there, and one of the coaches pushes Deshaun Watson. 

“This year we’ve got some guy take a swipe at K’Von (Wallace). What if he breaks a finger?”

If there is one thing Swinney doesn’t like, it’s when his or his team’s integrity is questioned. 

He will always have his program’s back.

“I think the investigation needs to be managing his side and not worrying about ours.”

There it is.

This whole ordeal could have been avoided, but instead, it has risen as a talking point day after day since Saturday’s game.

Swinney said he had not received a phone call from Doeren or anyone from N.C. State and he probably shouldn’t expect one either.

After Swinney’s comments today, it’ll be interesting to see if that changes soon.