Do you remember 1987?

Probably not?

However, it was a nervous time for Clemson fans.

Why?

Alabama was looking for replacement for Ray Perkins, who left the Crimson Tide at the end of the 1986 season to be the head man of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Clemson fans became nervous when Danny Ford’s name came up on the list of possible replacements for Perkins. Like Perkins, Ford was an Alabama man, having played for Bear Bryant from 1967-’69.

Ford seemed like a logical choice. At the time he had already guided the Tigers to a National Championship in 1981 and through some turbulent probation years before winning another ACC Championship in 1986.

It seemed like Ford was destined to coach at his alma mater. However, Alabama hired Georgia Tech head coach Bill Curry instead.

Clemson fans breathed a sigh of relief. Ford was staying at Clemson and Tiger fans were thrilled.

That year, Clemson won its second of three straight ACC Championships, while also beating Penn State in the Citrus Bowl. It was also the first of three straight 10-win seasons under Danny Ford.

After being courted by Alabama, Ford’s Clemson teams went on to produce a 30-6 record over the next three seasons.

I am not sure how much Alabama courted Dabo Swinney in its latest coaching search, but it’s obvious the Crimson Tide at least gaged Swinney’s interest.

Since Swinney first beat Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, the thought was he would succeed Nick Saban when Saban called it quits.

When Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday afternoon, all of a sudden Clemson fans were having flashbacks to 1987. The concern for Swinney, who had eclipsed Ford’s accomplishments in the 2010s, was he was gone if “Mama Came Calling.”

Swinney grew up a huge Alabama fan. He ended up attending Alabama before walking on to the football team and later starting in the 1992 National Championship Game. Like Ford, he also coached there.

Swinney is an Alabama man, and with the success he had a Clemson, he seemed like a perfect candidate to replace Nick Saban.

However, like in 1987, that did not happen.

Alabama instead picked Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Once again, Clemson fans breathed a sigh of relief that could be heard throughout the Upstate of South Carolina.

Like Ford, when he had the Tigers coming of the momentum of the 1986 season, Swinney also appears to have Clemson back on track after five straight wins to close the 2023 campaign. Now, can Swinney parlay that success into a couple of more ACC Championships and maybe a College Football Playoff or two?

I guess time will tell.