CLEMSON, S.C. -- Sorry, Tyler from Spartanburg, but your call won't get through to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney this season.
Swinney's longtime, weekly radio show is asking fans to text in their questions, meaning the two-time national championship-winning coach likely will no longer have to defend his program on the air from the likes of Tyler, a caller who offered a pointed critique last October.
Tyler (no last name was given) asked Swinney, "Why are we paying you $11.5 million to go 4-4?"
Now, the show once known as "Tiger Calls" has been rebranded as "Tiger Sports Hour." In social media posts, Clemson's flagship radio station warned fans not to call, "because it won't air."
The Tigers were sitting at 4-4 after consecutive losses to Miami and North Carolina State before Swinney took Tyler's call.
Swinney let loose with a strong, sometimes hostile, rebuttal. The fiery response also seemed to fire up the team, which then went on to win its final five games, beating ranked opponents Notre Dame and North Carolina.
The 14th-ranked Tigers open the season against No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday.