This is a first for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, as he faces an opponent who understands how he thinks, prepares, and plans for each game on the schedule for the 10th-ranked Tigers.
But Swinney is also quite familiar with the ways of his former receiver and long-time assistant, Virginia coach Tony Elliott.
“When you have that type of relationship, he knows exactly how I think,” Swinney said with a smile. “I know how he thinks, too. Don’t think he’s one step ahead.”
At least not yet.
No. 10 Clemson (5-1, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) will play against the Cavaliers (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday for the first time since Elliott became the head coach three seasons ago.
Swinney has been a friend and mentor to Elliott since they met in 2003. At that time, Elliott was a fifth-year receiver at Clemson, and Swinney was the new receivers coach under Tommy Bowden.
Swinney brought Elliott on as an offensive assistant in 2011, and Elliott eventually became the offensive coordinator and main play caller for national championship teams in 2016 and 2018. They have had many discussions, meetings, and successful game plans together over the years.
Elliott has been steadily rebuilding a program that faced tragedy at the end of his first season when three team members were shot and killed on campus. Two other students, including a fourth player, were injured that day in November 2022.
This season, the Cavaliers have been finding their stride. Elliott hopes to achieve a 3-1 record in the ACC for the first time since 2019, when Virginia won the now-defunct Coastal Division and lost to Clemson in the league championship game.
Elliott mentioned that part of his ongoing journey toward success involves ignoring texts and calls from friends at Clemson this week so he can concentrate on his team.
“I have a responsibility to this football program to be laser focused,” Elliott said. “And that’s one of the things that I learned from where I came from (in Clemson) is just how to block out the noise.”
He understands that some old friends may be upset with him. “This is one of those weeks where some people are mad at me right now,” Elliott said. “But I promise you, I love you. I just need to focus.”
