The recent rash of coaching hires in the National Football League has been puzzling. There is an egregious lack of diversity, not simply in the backgrounds of the coaches selected, but a lack of diversity in original thought.

After Sean McVay’s rapid renovation of the Los Angeles Rams, owners and general managers have sped down the same worn trail searching for the next young mastermind. They sought interviews with nearly every coach who has ever shared an Uber with McVay.

Even amid the search for the next McVay and the retreads on Bruce Arians and Adam Gase, none of the hires was more perplexing than Kliff Kingsbury failing up to the Arizona Cardinals.

Kingsbury compiled a 35–40 record through six seasons as the head coach at Texas Tech, his alma mater. Texas Tech dismissed Kingsbury after a 5-7 season in 2018. On Dec. 5, he accepted an offer to serve as the offensive coordinator at Southern Cal, a reasonable landing spot considering Kingsbury’s track record as a prolific play-caller.

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However, a month later, the Cardinals hired Kingsbury as head coach. Kingsbury’s appeal hinged on his history with two young quarterbacks who are excelling in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield both played for Kingsbury at Texas Tech, and he is credited with their development as gunslingers.

Nevertheless, hiring Kingsbury straddles the fence. It follows the already trite trend of hiring young innovative offensive minds. But it is also a bold move to risk the franchise on a coach who has no NFL experience and won nothing on the college level.

If the NFL continues to progress toward college fads, perhaps the copycat GMs will consider a coach who has no NFL experience and won everything on the college level.

Dabo Swinney.

Clemson risked the franchise on Swinney in 2009. He rewarded that risk with two national championships, five Atlantic Coast Conference titles and more than 100 victories in 10 full seasons.

As Swinney’s stature climbed, speculation mounted that Alabama, his alma mater, would attempt to poach him from Clemson once Nick Saban leaves Tuscaloosa. Swinney has built the Clemson program to such eminence, that would be at best a lateral move.

Unless the pull of home or the slight salary increase is too strong to ignore, extending the dynasty he has forged at Clemson would be more rewarding and enticing than returning to Alabama.

However, the NFL would offer a greater challenge, and Swinney's contract intimates that the NFL is the only thing that could lure Swinney away from Clemson. If he left Clemson this year for another college head coaching position, Swinney would owe the university a $4 million buyout. That amount will decrease to $3 million next year, $2 million in 2021 and $1 million in 2022 and 2023.

However, according to the contract, the buyout will be waived if Swinney leaves for an NFL job.

Swinney’s emphasis on education and holistic player development makes him a good fit for college football. That also makes him simply good for college football. If more programs committed similarly to off-the-field excellence in addition to their desire to win, college football would be a less corrupt and exploitative industry.

But that investment into serving players as individuals would also equip Swinney well to lead an NFL franchise. He would demand accountability from his players, on and off the field, but would empower leadership from within the locker room.

He would promote a culture of fun and fervor in the League. Players would want to play for him. Coaches would want to work for him. His family work atmosphere and encouraging delegation attracted top assistants to Clemson. He would do the same in the NFL.

However, the NFL is a business. It is not a people business. Swinney excels in the latter. That makes him a galvanizing leader and an effective recruiter.

Additionally, the NFL is run mostly by impatient administrators. Swinney needed eight years to win a national championship at Clemson. He would not be given half that time to turn a team toward a Super Bowl.

Swinney can craft the Clemson program to fit his ambition. He, athletic director Dan Radakovich and university president Jim Clements share that ambition. At Clemson, Swinney is a visionary. On an NFL team, Swinney would be nothing more than an employee.

At Clemson, Swinney can buy the groceries, renovate the kitchen and design the dining room. In the NFL, he would be asked only to cook the meal.

He pulled Clemson to this current position. Maintaining this altitude is enough of a challenge. Roster turnover brings new personalities and a new crop of young men to nurture. That keeps things fresh on campus each year.

Swinney would succeed at Alabama. He would succeed in the NFL. But he may never feel the urge to leave Clemson. Swinney has a good thing going. There is nothing wrong with seeing how long he can keep it going.