Amanda Butler on the Power of the Paw driving WBB: 'It’s a brand that is recognizable'

Head Coach Amanda Butler joined the show on Friday to discuss Clemson Women’s Basketball. She is entering her sixth season as the leader of the program. 

Amanda Butler

On changing the Women’s Basketball program at Clemson: “The first thing is, I just have a tremendous staff and I am very blessed to have a lot of continuity on my staff. That really helps, because as everybody knows, it is well documented that we have had some very unique challenges that have changed college athletics forever.”

On the changes in collegiate athletics recently: “The job that I was blessed to receive five seasons ago, and the job we are doing now are very different. So when you take on the transfer portal and NIL is invented and then in the middle of that you throw in a global pandemic, it's been a very memorable challenge. I think it makes it that much sweeter when you start to see some of the fruits of your labor, in particular, my assistant coaches that recruit so hard. It’s still very much a work in progress, but we love the direction we’re heading.”

On Clemson’s brand power: “The power of the paw is certainly a national phenomenon and it's a brand that we give a kid a call or a coach a call for the first time, and they’re already familiar with Clemson. That is because of the success in some of the other programs and certainly the things that football has done because that’s been so publicized and so huge over the past six, eight-year window. There is no doubt about it, it’s a brand that is recognizable.”

On how the program draws in athletes: “The thing that we really try to draw people in is two things. The first we consider is our ‘who-factor’ who are we and who are you and where is their alignment. Those are things happening at your heart level. There is a certain level of talent that has to be there, but who you are is what’s really important to us.”