JUPITER, Fla. – After putting his Clemson team through its third spring practice on Saturday, Dabo Swinney, head coach of the defending College Football Playoff national champions, gathered his players together and shared a little secret. 

“Kyler [Murray] ain’t got nothing on me,” Swinney told them, referring to the Heisman Trophy winner and former A’s first-rounder. “I got called to the big leagues.”

Swinney reported to Cardinals camp a day later as a guest of manager Mike Shildt, who has invited various individuals with championship pedigrees to address the club during Spring Training. Shildt requested the presentation last at least 10 minutes but carved out 50 after the notably loquacious Swinney reminded him: “Mike, I can’t say my name in 10 minutes.”

His presence was kept a surprise until Swinney entered a clubhouse full of players who had only been told that a well-credentialed celebrity would be stopping by. He was introduced by reliever Dominic Leone, who pitched for Clemson from 2010-12.  

Swinney’s visit followed those from Zach Johnson, a two-time PGA Majors champion, and Rafael Furcal, a former World Series champion, last week.

“Greatness and excellence in any endeavor, there’s a reason why things happen,” Matt Carpenter said afterward. “And there’s certainly a reason why he’s been successful at Clemson. We got a glimpse of it today, some of the core values that he teaches to his kids down there. He’s got a special thing going, and it was a thrill to get to listen to him talk.”

Swinney, who played on a national championship team at the University of Alabama (1992) and has won two with Clemson (2016, ’18), opened with a video presentation and then shared a message that reinforced Shildt’s spring mantra of normalized excellence.

“The beautiful part of the message was it synced up [with ours],” Shildt said. “Habits of successful teams and organizations are common threads. They’re applicable to any and all.”

The groundwork for Swinney’s appearance started in January, when Shildt reached out to a mutual acquaintance. He then placed a call to Swinney about 10 days ago to arrange the visit. While Swinney had been in other Major League clubhouses before, this was the first time he had been asked to speak.

That’s why, in the minutes of free time he found while running his team’s first week of practice, Swinney put together a presentation tailored specifically for this group. In it, he referenced other teams who have achieved sustained excellence while highlighting the impact culture plays in it all.

“The biggest thing is really creating a daily focus,” Swinney said. “It can overwhelm you if you look at the big picture, how many games you have to play. You have to create a daily focus and daily habits in order to really, I think, enjoy the journey along the way.”

The message may have offered the impact, but afterward it was batting practice that injected some fun. Completing his attire of khaki pants and a Clemson polo with a Cardinals cap, Swinney grabbed Carpenter’s bat and showed off the swing he developed as a young shortstop who once considered playing college baseball before walking on as a wide receiver at Alabama.

Shildt said his staff considered having Swinney take his cuts on the backfields, before concluding that, “Nah, this is a stadium guy.”  

Swinney, who has coached his sons in youth baseball for the last decade, joked beforehand that he “might have some warning track power.” And, sure enough, he did.

Twice, Swinney dropped balls just shy of the wall in left field. After a series of swings from the right side, he switched boxes and took a few cuts from the left.

“Not bad for an old man,” he said after completing his round.

“Not bad for a football coach,” remarked Carpenter.

Before Swinney left to return to his campus, the Cardinals presented him with a red Spring Training jersey that featured his college uniform number: 88. Swinney left Shildt with a signed Clemson helmet, on which he included the Tigers’ ‘All In’ slogan.   

“I always thought I’d make it to the Major Leagues,” Swinney noted. “This just isn’t how I thought I’d get here. Dream come true.”