Swinney says Clemson Basketball Star 'Would be a Problem' on Football Field

CLEMSON — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has always said there is a certain basketball player that would make a great football player if he wanted to play football.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Swinney was asked what position Clemson basketball star Ian Schieffelin could play on the football team.

“He could play whatever he wanted to play,” the football coach said.

Swinney feels Schieffelin would make an unbelievable left tackle, however, he knows that position isn’t sexy enough for the ACC’s Most Improved Player in 2024.

“Nobody gets too excited about left tackle. Schieff would probably want to be a (defensive end) or tight end,” Swinney said. “I’d definitely have a spot and we would have a lot of revenue sharing if he wanted to pass up wherever he is going and come over here.”

Schieffelin and the basketball Tigers are currently practicing and getting ready for the season opener on Nov. 4 at Littlejohn Coliseum against Charleston Southern.

“He needs to focus on what he is doing. I do not need a text from Brad [Brownell],” Swinney said jokingly. “He needs to focus on what he is doing. We have a lot of basketball games to win this year and I am excited to see him lead the charge.”

Schieffelin, who averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season, is one of the top returning players from last year’s Elite Eight team. Brownell expects him to take even bigger step in his game this coming season.

As for playing football, it’s not farfetched for Schieffelin to play college football. He and Clemson running back Phil Mafah actually played together at Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga.

“You know, he thinks he’s a quarterback because he played quarterback,” Swinney said. “I think he was (safeties coach) Micky Conn’s quarterback at one point in his career. He and Mafah, they all kind of played together coming up. He would be a good one. He would be a problem.”