The expectation is greater than the appreciation.

Read that again.

The expectation is greater than the appreciation.

That’s not a random statement by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, a man who does and says nothing — let me underscore that, nothing — without intent and purpose.

That might just be a call for help. The beginnings of the need for a new challenge.

“The expectation is greater than the appreciation,“ Swinney said earlier this week on his weekly radio show, after a caller expressed disappointment with — take your pick — Clemson, the offense, the defense and, of all things, Swinney’s salary.

Then it got interesting.

“At some places there’s an expectation, but at Clemson, there’s an appreciation. And what’s happened at Clemson is we’ve won so much, that it used to be the fun is in the winning. Now even when you win, people like you complain and criticize coaches and question everything. People like you.”

Swinney doesn’t just randomly say things, doesn’t pop off to release the steam. And he sure as hell doesn’t get bent by some guy in Somewheresville, who just happened to call in and express his frustration with the current state of the Clemson program.

I’m going to say this again: Swinney does and says nothing without purpose. It’s who he is, and part of what makes him so good at what he does.

That’s what makes the response to a random caller so remarkably revealing. And potentially unnerving for Clemson.

Because in the conference on the other side of town, where programs earn twice the media rights money that Clemson does — an SEC side of town where Swinney grew up, and still speaks fondly of — there’s a mega program that hasn’t won big in decades staring at a crossroads moment.

A program that has proven, over and over, that it’s willing to do anything to win. A program that might just be ready to pay millions to not only fire a coach — but give more untold millions to hire the perfect fit to replace him.

If you’re Texas A&M, and you lose to Ole Miss Saturday in Oxford, what other proof do you need that it’s just not working with coach Jimbo Fisher? A loss to Ole Miss would be Fisher’s — and I can’t believe I’m writing this — 5th straight loss to Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

I love what Lane Kiffin is accomplishing at Ole Miss, but there’s no chance Texas A&M should be losing to Ole Miss and Mississippi State on a regular basis — much less feeding Aggies faithful with a steady diet of 8-win seasons.

Not with the financial support and wherewithal at Texas A&M. Not with immaculate facilities, and a deep and loyal fan base and alumni. Not with a geographic recruiting footprint coaches dream about.

Not with everything a coach could possibly want and need to succeed.

So if Texas A&M is going to give Fisher the big haircut, if it’s willing to pay 20% of his buyout due in 60 days from his firing ($19.2 million), and then $7.2 million annually for the next 8 seasons to not coach, there better be something mighty sweet in the offing to wash down that bitter pill.

Why not Dabo Swinney?

He’s a victim of his own success at Clemson, chasing 2 national titles, 2 national runner-ups and 6 Playoff appearances — not to mention, Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State and Michigan and LSU and others — year after year after year.

He raised the bar and expectations, and now has to meet it annually. Or a spoiled fan base will start to grumble and grouse and wonder why it’s not what it used to be?

There will be expectations at Texas A&M, especially if the Aggies could somehow pull off the unthinkable and throw so much money at Swinney — 10-year guaranteed deal of $13-14 million per? — he suddenly realizes he needs a new challenge.

Or he can deal with the next caller from Somewheresville on his radio show.

Earlier this week, after another caller wasn’t happy that Swinney said he plans to coach for 15 more years, Swinney offered up yet another telling response.

Again, Dabo Swinney says nothing without intent and purpose.

“I don’t know if I’ll be here,” Swinney said, “but I’ll be somewhere.”