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Ten years ago today, William Christopher Swinney went to work wearing sweatpants.

His life changed forever that day.

It would take some time before everyone realized Clemson's football life was changing forever. As in, like, years.

But this 2008 quote from Swinney, with the Tigers 3-4 after a loss to Georgia Tech in his first game as interim coach, stands out:

"Somewhere along the line we lost our way. It should be a shock, like the Richter Scale, when Clemson loses a football game."

On Oct. 13, 2018, that goal has long since been accomplished.

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The 2008 Tigers had lost four games in seven tries before they went to Boston College and knocked off the Eagles for Swinney's first win.

This program has lost four games since 2014.

Fitting that the open date comes on Swinney's 10-year anniversary of taking over. Extra time is needed to sit back, take a deep breath and marvel at an extra-special period in Clemson history.

Four days ago, Swinney gave Tigerillustrated.com a guided tour of the McFadden Building. That's where he sat on October 13, 2008, sweatpants and all, when Terry Don Phillips pointed at him and told the roomful of coaches that Dabo was the guy.

Here is Part 2:

Special thanks to videographer Ben Long of Blind Moose Media.

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