Learning what happened at Wake Forest in regards to former Deacons’ radio analyst and coach Tommy Elrod giving opponents information and game plans over the last three seasons, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was not shocked.
“Nothing shocks me. I have been doing this a long time. I mean, I have seen it all,” Swinney said after Friday’s practice as the second-ranked Tigers continue bowl prep for No. 3 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. “I have seen people parked in parking decks. I have seen it all, and heard it all, so nothing really surprises me.”
On Friday, Louisville suspended offensive coordinator Lonnie Galloway from the Citrus Bowl for accepting information from Elrod just before the Cardinals hosted Wake Forest last month. A Deacons equipment manager discovered play cards on the Wake sideline the day before the game, which turned out to be specific plays the Demon Deacons planned on running against the Cardinals. They were plays Wake Forest had worked on all week and they had not been run before.
Louisville admitted early this week that Galloway had accepted Elrod’s information in its own investigation. Virginia Tech also came out and said a coach on the old coaching staff had accepted information as well when the Hokies played Wake Forest in 2014.
“It’s a shame. You want to feel like everybody in your group here is for you and not trying to hurt you in that regard,” Swinney said. “It’s one thing, and as coaches we all pick up the phone and call people that we know and say, ‘Hey, we played this team. What do you think about them? Is that guy a good player? Is he as fast as you thought?’
“You are always looking for every little scouting edge you can get when you are comparing, but getting the plays from the (opponent’s) camp, that is a different deal.”
Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich said he believes there is an ethical obligation by a school, team or coach to pick up the phone and say something. Of course, reports from earlier this week indicate Clemson was not contacted by Elrod during the three years he was leaking information.
“In the ACC, we have sportsmanship rules that are there,” Radakovich said. “There is not one specific rule about this specific incident, but it is kind of covered up by the sportsmanship obligation. So when you get substantive information, and look, coaches all know each other … That’s not substantive. But if you get substantive information, I think there is an ethical obligation to report it.”
Radakovich confirmed he and Clemson President Jim Clements have spoken to ACC commissioner John Swofford about Wakeyleak.
“It is something they are looking at right now and hopefully in the very near future they will be closing that loop,” the Clemson athletic director said.