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YOUR BALANCE
Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some
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Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 7:59 AM

ways, I think we are. Before you try to have me committed, hear me out.

In football parlance, 2018 was a long time ago. Our total destruction of Bama on that glorious night was the culmination of a steady climb over several seasons.

2014: Deshaun Watson arrives, "Order is Restored" in the Palmetto State rivalry.

2015: Nick Saban outcoached us, using every trick in his coaching bag to hold off Clemson and win the Natty.

2016: Clemson vs Bama, the Rematch. Watson to Renfrow, 4 to 13, the INDELIBLE moment in Clemson football history to win our second Natty.

2017: Lost to Bama in the semis, but, in what I will always call the "Kelly Bryant" year, I think Dabo and staff did their best coaching job just to get us to the playoffs, with a one dimensional offense.

2018: Clemson truly captured lightning in a bottle all night long. Nobody embarrasses a Nick Saban team like that, ESPECIALLY one that was being hailed as the "Greatest College Football Team of All Tiiimmmes!" going into the game. That was the pinnacle of this journey.

2019: Clemson makes the Natty Championship game again, but on this night, WE were on the receiving end of a beating by the LSU team that many are now saying had the greatest college football season of all time. You could certainly make the argument those people are right.

2020: I'm not going to say Clemson was overconfident, but I WILL say, that, for once, Ohio State showed up, and showed what a powerful force "revenge" can be on a football field. Whatever else Justin Fields may do in his football life, he proved he was a warrior that night. In so doing, Clemson absorbed its 2nd straight "beatdown" type loss in the playoffs. Several reasons, none of which matter now.

This brings us to 2021. The skill positions are being manned by a new group, with the hopeful exception of the successful return of Ross at wideout. We replace All Americans at QB and RB, but the perception and hope is that we will be just as good, if not even better there.

This team will go only as far as the defense carries us. The last two years have shown that to succeed in the Playoffs now, it takes not only a great offense, but a great defense. Ours was uncharacteristically used and abused against Ohio State last time out in a big game. We think that help is on the way, with some new bodies, and valuable experience having been gained by returning players.

I do not believe that Dabo Swinney or Brent Venables takes losing kindly. We have already seen stories about how practices have a different edge to them, even in spring ball. These coaches know, a mountain top is a point. There is not room for many teams there. And, there is no doubt that Clemson intends to remain one of those teams.

THAT is why this is a crossroads, pivotal season. Others who have recruited well will field great teams. We face one of them right off the bat in the Georgia Bulldogs. It will take a lot more than the Clemson team that pretty much idled through the ACC schedule (except for the one year wonder Notre Dame) last year to beat Georgia, and get the season off to a successful start. We have to prove to all the naysayers that we still have the Will to stay on top of the mountain. Go, Tigers.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 8:06 AM

Clemson is pre-season #2. Who are the "naysayers"?

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Well. for one, your right hand man, Pawl Finebomb. He


Apr 22, 2021, 8:12 AM

ALWAYS discounts the accomplishments of Clemson, as well as denigrating the entire ACC. Of course, he is an SEC Shill, but that shouldn't mean he can't at least show respect where it has been earned.

And, he will be joined by the usual ESPN cast of characters as the season goes along, and Clemson (hopefully) dominates the ACC again.

"bad conference, team never tested, yada yada yoo hoo."

Remember especially that "never been tested" part, as the season goes on, even with (hopefully) the echoes of a Clemson opening victory over your Dawgs on the books.

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Re: Well. for one, your right hand man, Pawl Finebomb. He


Apr 22, 2021, 8:25 AM

Finebaum is no more my right hand man than Danny Kannell is yours.

Criticism of the ACC as a conference is legit. You may not like it but outside of Clemson no one is very good. Look at the most recent bowl record. Pointing out how bad the ACC is as a conference is not criticism of Clemson.

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As a member of the SEC East you may not want to throw stones


Apr 22, 2021, 8:58 AM

As much as you like to pound your SEC chest...it is the west that makes your conference strong.

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Re: As a member of the SEC East you may not want to throw stones


Apr 22, 2021, 9:17 AM

No chest pounding.

Over the past two seasons the SEC is 12-4 in bowl games while the ACC is 4-13. Of that 12-4 record, the SEC East owns half those wins at 6-1.

I'd agree that overall the West is stronger but the East teams, like the West, seems to do quite well against other conferences.

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For over four decades, no school has done less with more


Apr 22, 2021, 9:30 AM

with their football program than UGA.


In their entire history, UGA has one Consensus National Title after they beat #10 ranked Notre Dame in 1980. This year will be the 42nd football season since UGA won their only title. Clemson was won three Consensus National Titles since UGA won their one and only Title.

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Re: For over four decades, no school has done less with more


Apr 22, 2021, 9:39 AM

You pal posts about Clemson "naysayers." I ask who those are, since there really aren't any. He brings up the SEC and ACC. I respond with facts about bowl records. This leads us to the inevitable "1980" reference, the "throw down" insult, if you will. Second only to "Ugay." Pure genius.

Congrats on your national titles. I agree, UGA has historically underachieved as a program.

None of that changes the fact that overall thee ACC is pretty bad.

After UGA beats Clemson game 1, this is going to be a fun, fun place to be.

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I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 22, 2021, 10:25 AM

Florida for them to not come back. Pittsburg and Va Tech both have solid histories.

In the SEC West; Ole Miss, Miss. State, Auburn, Arkansas, and Texas A&M have not done much over the last decade. Auburn had two good seasons since 2010, but very average outside of those two seasons. Auburn is 0-4 against Clemson since 2011. Clemson is 2-0 against A&M since 2019. I do think A&M has a great chance of taking over the West after Saban leaves Bama.

The SEC East is just bad; especially Vandy, Tenn, Kentucky, Missouri, and SCAR. The only game of interest each year in the SEC East is the UGA/UF game.

How many times has UGA beaten Bama in the last six years? That would be zero! Clemson is 2-2 against Bama in the same period, all four were CFP games, and Clemson won two CFP's in those wins.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 22, 2021, 5:15 PM


Florida for them to not come back. Pittsburg and Va Tech both have solid histories.

In the SEC West; Ole Miss, Miss. State, Auburn, Arkansas, and Texas A&M have not done much over the last decade. Auburn had two good seasons since 2010, but very average outside of those two seasons. Auburn is 0-4 against Clemson since 2011. Clemson is 2-0 against A&M since 2019. I do think A&M has a great chance of taking over the West after Saban leaves Bama.

The SEC East is just bad; especially Vandy, Tenn, Kentucky, Missouri, and SCAR. The only game of interest each year in the SEC East is the UGA/UF game.

How many times has UGA beaten Bama in the last six years? That would be zero! Clemson is 2-2 against Bama in the same period, all four were CFP games, and Clemson won two CFP's in those wins.



Do you even see the contradiction(s) here?

I mean on the one hand, you say you look for FSU & Miami to get better because there's "too much talent in the state for them not to", but on the other you keep on with the "less with more" stuff despite UGA having recruited better in the last few years than we ever have.

Then you bring up VT & Pitt, who are a combined 1-4 vs the SEC over the last decade, while Vandy has won 4 of their last 6, Tennessee 3 straight, and Kentucky 4 of their last 5 against the ACC. Missou won their only game against an ACC team in the last decade, and even USC has broken even at 8-8 in their last 16 games vs the ACC.

LOL!

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 24, 2021, 8:25 PM

It seems like you’re trying to say his points aren’t valid but a 1-4 record over 10 years has validity in today’s ACC. The reality is since 2010 3 SEC teams have won a NC and 2 SEC teams have. With Clemson being the only one having multiple besides Alabama. The SEC is the ACC with about 2 above average teams each year.

There are also years like 2016 where Clemson plays top 3 Louisville and top 10 FSU on the road while playing auburn and SCAR and makes uga schedule look like a joke. Pick and choose your stats to fit your narrative

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 24, 2021, 8:26 PM

2 ACC*

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 24, 2021, 10:39 PM [ in reply to Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in ]

You're talking about that 2016 Louisville team that got blasted by a 4-loss Houston, lost AT HOME to 7-6 Kentucky, and got blasted by a 4-loss LSU in the Bowl? They didn't quite finish #3 that year. And FSU lost to that same Louisville team by 43 freaking points, then lost to a 5-loss UNC at home - the same UNC that UGA beat 33-24 in Kirby's 1st ever game. And you beat Auburn by the exact same margin UGA did that year.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 12:28 AM

That Louisville team at its peak could’ve beaten anyone in the SEC last year don’t kid yourself. You seem to be throwing a lot of “this team and that team beat this team” Football isn’t transitive in case this is a new hobby for you. FSU finished top ten that year and Clemson also beat Auburn, Louisville with the heisman winner, dominated SC; shutout urban Meyer and beat Saban in the title game.

You can go on and on about your conference but reality is Clemson would be just as dominant in the SEC and your excuses are as empty as your trophy cabinet since 1980

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 1:29 PM

That's simply laughable. If that Louisville team "at it's best" was so great, why did they lose to a middling SEC team, and then get blown out by a good-but-not-great SEC team in the Bowl? No, you my friend, are the one kidding yourself. 2016 Louisville was a fraud. They had one great player and 84 role players. They won a whopping ONE game against a team with fewer than 6 losses. One. Can you say statistical anomaly? Last year's Bama, Georgia, Florida, and A&M (all also "at their best") would have emaciated that Louisville team. Last year's Auburn would have given them a good game, and Miss St & Ole Miss would have been shootouts.
And no, I'm not the one throwing this team and that team around. You are the one who brought up 2016 Louisville. But this isn't about individual teams so much as 76er's point about criticism of the ACC as a whole. It's a weak conference. It just is. You talk about "today's ACC" - FSU has become a laughing stock, Miami gets exposed by every decent team they play, VT has been mediocre going on a decade now, your heroes Louisville have fallen off the map, and no one is sold on Mack Brown either. That's basically all of your conference opponents who aspire to compete in football being at historic low points.
Now yeah, you can take the top team(s) from ANY conference, and they'd compete pretty well in any other conference. That being said, if you think Clemson would have gone 47-3 in the SEC over the last 6 seasons, well then you're the one who sounds like you're new to this. Sure y'all would have competed for the top and been one of the better teams, but you would not have dominated the SEC the way you have the ACC. That's not a knock on Clemson, it's just reality.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 1:57 PM

Lol you literally are too blind to see the point. You continue to make the same transitive arguments that don’t validate anything you say. You’re simply someone who likes to spin numbers to make your shortcomings look better. We’re not that long removed from the ACC having Clemson GT and FSU all beat their counterparts On rivalry Saturday. Yes the SEC has awful years too especially in the soft East

Yes that Louisville team in its peak played us just as well as Bama did so not sure why you said they were only good for one game.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 3:00 PM

LOL. You can cry foul all you want, but there's no spin on my numbers. You're the one pulling stuff out at random. I mean "not that long removed from Clemson, GT & FSU beating their rivals"? How many seasons ago was that? How have things gone since? Or the seasons prior to that? I mean talk about spinning numbers. Fact is the ACC has had a winning record vs the SEC in only 2 seasons this century. And as has been mentioned, the "lowly" SEC-East has won 3 straight vs the ACC, and 10 of the last 14.

And talk about transitive arguments - now you're bringing up Louisville playing you "just as well as Bama did". LOL. Does that also mean NC St was just as good as Bama? I mean they took you to OT that year (at home, on a FLUKE missed FG, no less)! Talk about spin!

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 3:03 PM

Big difference between saying Louisville was a top team in their peak and saying team a beat team b so team a is bad. We can agree to disagree in the differences of parody in the conference but I personally think Clemson would be fine in the SEC with a similar record based on our record vs them

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 4:17 PM

Not sure why you keep harping on Louisville, but either way it's completely logical to question how good Louisville really was that year when they had one quality win against two or three questionable losses. That's a pretty common metric.

And your assertion that Clemson would do just as well in the SEC, in and of itself, is basically an acknowledgement of how good the SEC is. I mean no one is saying you'd do just as well in the Pac-12 or Big-12. But since you're in the fantasy world of swapping conferences, I could just as easily say UGA would have done just as well as Clemson in the ACC if the two swapped places over the last 4 years or so. I mean no one would care about that.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 4:27 PM

Why would they? No one debates the SEC isn’t the best it’s just nowhere near the image you guys have in your head. Maybe you think it’s so tough because you guys historically lose. You should compare us to how bama would do not Georgia, you’re not on the level we’ve competed at in the last half decade

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 4:40 PM

The biggest difference in "level" has been the difference in competition. I asked HumbleServant below to compare Dabo and Kirby's records vs top 10 opponents since 2016. Still waiting on a response.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 4:53 PM

That would be an interesting list I can look over and make a W-L record

We can compare playoff records if you’d like. Where the actual top teams play and not the 4 or 5 interchangeable “top 10” sec teams each year that “beat each other up” and help guarantee to keep SEC teams ranked high no matter what happens. Then you get to claim it was too hard to get there, must be nice

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 5:22 PM

I'd look at Conference Championship Game competition as well, since they are in essence play-in games for the CFP. In the SEC, we don't have the luxury of playing a 5-loss Virginia, or a 7-loss Pittsburgh, or a 4-loss Virginia Tech for the Conference Chanpionship.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 5:52 PM

3 top 5 matchups since 2010, nothing really to write home about. Clemson has played 2 top 5 teams in ACC title games in the last 4 years. Not really helping your point

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 6:17 PM

TigerB69 said:

Clemson has played 2 top 5 teams in ACC title games in the last 4 years. Not really helping your point



No you haven't. Last year you played #2 Notre Dame - who isn't really even in the ACC, btw. Year before you played #22 Virginia, then Unranked Pitt, #7 Miami, and #19 Va Tech. That's one, not two, and in 5 years, not 4.

In the last decade, only 1 SEC-C participant has been ranked outside the top 15 (#18 Fla in 2015), with 14 of the 20 participants in the top 5. There has never been an unranked team in the SEC-C.

By contrast, the ACC-C has had two unranked teams, and 4 teams outside the top 15 since 2011. And only one matchup ever of top 5 teams, where ND wasn't really an ACC team. There's no comparison.

Point holds.

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 6:27 PM

#2 ND #7 Miami and #10 UNC since 2015. That’s pretty much the same level that Alabama has faced. And no we’re not taking about 5 years 2017 to 2020 is 4. in that span we played two top 7 (I thought Miami was AP top 5 in 17) teams. That’s a far cry from “we don’t have the luxury of playing all these bad teams” no you don’t, because you’re not good enough to get there.

Also you don’t realize how ridiculous you look when you say something like 14 of 20 teams being in the top 5. Bama was 6/14 or basically HALF of the entire top 5 teams. You guys really live in your own little world don’t you? Bama is the SEC . All the other excuses are just second place talk and that’s for Georgia fans, not me

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 26, 2021, 9:11 AM

What a complete bunch of nonsense - talk about living in your own little dream world! Are you actually trying to make the point that Bama being ranked high makes the SEC look weaker? And y'all wonder why no one around the country gives Clemson much respect. Bama has never faced an unranked opponent in the conf champ game like both Clemson and FSU have. Bama has never faced anyone ranked as low as 20, again like both Clemson and FSU have. And despite Bama being hugely more successful than Clemson, it's not just about Bama: LSU-UGA was a top 5 matchup, Aub-UGA was a top 6, Aub-Missouri and Bama-UGA several years ago were top 5. Forget top 5, in it's entire history, the ACC-C game has had a total of only 3 top 10 matchups (vs 8 for the SEC over that time). The ACC game can't hold a candle and everyone knows it.

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Georgia has great fans.


Apr 27, 2021, 6:54 AM

The Dawgs lose 2 or 3 games every year and yet Georgia fans remain hopeful. You have to appreciate fans who so easily forget the past.

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Re: Georgia has great fans.


Apr 27, 2021, 3:44 PM

Yeah, I mean there's no way anyone can trust a coach who loses 4, 5 or even 7 games a year in his first 4-5 seasons, is there? :)

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 6:37 PM [ in reply to Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in ]

Point does not hold. Bama has played 1 top 10 team in the SEC title game since 2015 Clemson has played 3 in the ACC

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Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 12:51 AM [ in reply to Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in ]

UGA has been pretty consistent the last few years as has the recruiting crown but Clemson has been on another level regardless of The Dawgs success. Let’s look here for a moment because 5 of 7 loses for Clemson(3 losses were to #1) have been to playoff teams all in the top 4.

UGA did have a win in the playoffs & a loss to number 1

Here’s a look at 2015-2020 for both teams ——->






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We keep getting better & better everyday, in every way!
“The only disability is a bad Attitude” Dabo Swinney!!
Let’s Go Tigers!


Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 25, 2021, 1:30 PM

Since Kirby became coach in 2016, can you compare Clemson and UGA's records against top 10 opponents during that span?

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Stop feeding the stray dawg


Apr 25, 2021, 7:22 PM [ in reply to Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in ]

It can bark all it wants, but it knows the bottom line is...championships. Period.

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"It is not part of a true culture to tame tigers any more than it is to make sheep ferocious."
--Henry David Thoreau


Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in


Apr 27, 2021, 10:17 AM [ in reply to Re: I look for FSU and Miami to get better. Too much talent in ]

Tennessee 3 straight? What about..., oh, my bad. Georgia State isn't in the ACC.

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null


Re: For over four decades, no school has done less with more


Apr 22, 2021, 11:24 AM [ in reply to Re: For over four decades, no school has done less with more ]

How much would you like to wager on the game?

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Re: For over four decades, no school has done less with more


Apr 22, 2021, 11:26 AM

This post is for the butt sniffer

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Re: As a member of the SEC East you may not want to throw stones


Apr 22, 2021, 1:41 PM [ in reply to Re: As a member of the SEC East you may not want to throw stones ]

Dumbfounding how people can point out losses in bowl games considering how many players sit out, don’t really care as much as a normal game etc .

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 8:24 AM

I think the programs at a bit of a crossroads. Seems like since the Alabama win things have been somewhat on autopilot. When you've got two years of Lawrence and Etienne I suppose its easy to just hand them the football and hope for the best. However we've not beaten a similarly talented team over the last two years (except the OSU game where we got extremely lucky). And, in fact, we have been embarrassed the last two times we've played someone who actually had the talent to make us play our best. Now that we have a new QB we won't be able to just count on him to win us 14 games a year without everybody else doing their part. Its incumbent on the coaches and rest of the team to up their game so we don't regress back to being just another good, but not great, team. I'm optimistic, but we need to regain some of that gritty edge we seem to have lost. The keys in the trenches. Everybody loves signing that 5* WR or RB but we need to be much more consistently better with our O and D line recruiting if we want to have a chance to win it all. Seems like the O line especially has become a bigger emphasis the last couple of years but we need to be bringing several quality guys every season if we want to sustain excellence in the trenches. Just my .02.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 8:56 AM

Way too dramatic a take. Coach Swinney has built a program for the long haul. Makes no difference to me what short term thinkers think we aren't going to win a title every year and we continue to be in the conversation since 2015. There is no crossroad. Just continued success. As far as the ACC goes its talking heads looking for attention. Same goes for the SEC. They seem to think they are dominant as a conference. Looks to me like Bama and LSU every ten years or so. Rest are carp

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 9:09 AM

We don't want to become one of those "also competed" programs. That would describe Notre Dame or Ohio State in recent years. There was a stretch of time that the Buffalo Bills went to four straight Super Bowls. But, since they didn't win ANY of them, not many fans around nowadays even remember that. For that reason, it IS important that Clemson proves competitive in the big games this year. Another beatdown type loss WOULD send the program on a trajectory we don't want from a recruiting standpoint.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 8:57 AM

I agree ... i think we are.

The coaching staff was lazy with TL. And TL had zero edge to him. There was never a story last year about him wanting to avenge the LSU loss. Not one. And he's admitted it that he doesn't play that way. Fine. But 90%+ of college athletes do. They are not professionals which show up and do their job - they need/want an edge and TL never provided that. So i hope the new O shows some emotion.

I worry most about the D. Skeletor is amazing. Don't get me wrong. But the last 2 years haven't been pretty and what we expect. If you follow the Oklahoma years, his defenses started to tail off at the end. I don't know if its complacency or whatever, but longevity sometimes does lead you to complacency. Now that Bama/OSU have figured out how you score with tempo, he is going to have to reinvent himself again. Get rid of all the last minute nonsense and signal stealing and coach these young men up.

Finally, i worry most about Dabo. He has lost the spark he had a decade ago and to a certain extent, has allowed his inner ego to finally come into the public sphere. Fun Dabo is gone. We are getting more of the judgmental "holier than thou" Dabo on all fronts. Saban is business like and is all football all the time. I want Dabo to be the fun guy who is all football all the time. Not one taking up all sorts of other issues and distractions.

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Lol. +1 for "Skeletor" reference.


Apr 22, 2021, 9:14 AM

:)

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What "other issues" has Dabo taken up?***


Apr 22, 2021, 10:31 AM [ in reply to Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some ]



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Re: What "other issues" has Dabo taken up?***


Apr 22, 2021, 11:17 AM

Politics etc.

I understand Dabo feels he has a higher calling in life....and that's great for him. But I do think he is going to have to tone it down like in the early 10s.

He will be asked wider non-football related questions, but in the early years he would deflect and say they were above his pay grade, etc.

He's the head football coach for Clemson University. He is not the head saving amateur sports.

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I see your point and have to agree - we've gotten beat......


Apr 22, 2021, 9:00 AM

badly in our past two playoff games and didn't make the NC game last season. So yes, it is time for the current crop of players to establish/show their own identity and that they have the ability to go all the way. It's all relative - just making it to the playoffs isn't where we want to be. We need to return to being able to win it all again.

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True, that is what Bama does, year in and year out. They


Apr 22, 2021, 9:11 AM

reload and climb the mountain again. We must prove we are capable of doing it ourselves, all the way to a successful "Win the closer" conclusion to the season.

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I heard you out


Apr 22, 2021, 9:10 AM

Where would you like to be committed? I believe Balm rents out his basement.

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Ever heard the phrase "Inmates running the Asylum"?


Apr 22, 2021, 9:13 AM

That would certainly apply to TBalm, I do believe. :)

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Agree 76 but I think its a little simpler than most think.


Apr 22, 2021, 9:20 AM

You win championships in the trenches. When we had the Power Rangers and a manageable O-line we won with ease and you cannot discount the value of a D-Line that good. It makes everyone on D better when the front 4 congest on the run and can get pressure without needing to blitz every down. I love Ben Boulware but he was allowed to roam free because of what was in front of him.

The good news is, there is no way we won't better in both trenches this year with the returning talent, a full spring for the young guys and the recently added talents. If we have a slightly above-average offense (which will be our floor this year) and a dominating front 7 on defense...we're in the playoff...write it down



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Absolutely agree. A formidable front four will not only


Apr 22, 2021, 9:30 AM

carry a defense, they will mask any potential weaknesses in other areas. The easiest pass to stop is one that the QB never had time to throw. We got spoiled by the Power Rangers, and maybe thought it was always going to be that easy to rush the passer. We certainly have found out that was false in the two years since.

This year, we have that dreaded word "potential" all over the lot. I fervently hope Brent can get them all coached up and playing at the level to show off that talent. I don't want to have to holler "TACKLE HIM" at my TV again this year while watching the opposing QB dance away for a pivotal gain or throw. That happened FAR too many times against LSU in 2019, and for sure against Ohio State last year.

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Totally agree. Both the DL and OL should be much improved.


Apr 22, 2021, 9:37 AM [ in reply to Agree 76 but I think its a little simpler than most think. ]

As long as DJ stays healthy, we have a great shot for the playoffs.

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I, like others have mentioned, am no fan of double digit losses in the last two


Apr 22, 2021, 9:32 AM

Playoff appearances. So I do think this is a bit of a turning point year. We went a long time being competitive(lose by less than two scores) in games till the 2017 loss to Bama you mentioned.

The team must return to a dominant defense. Really can’t say enough about the power ranger group. Also the o-line must improve drastically in the run game. We cannot win or be competitive in the big games being one dimensional.

So I don’t think you need to be committed. I think you are spot on.

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Even in that 2017 game, the score was 10-6 late in the


Apr 22, 2021, 9:42 AM

game, until the defense finally just ran out of gas from being on the field so much, since the offense was going 3 and out nearly every possession. Always a non-provable what if, but if Watson had come back for his senior year, I think we would have won three Nattys in a row, 2016 through 2018.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 9:43 AM

every game is a crossroads, so far in the 13ish years we have always taken the "fight hard" approach. it does not mean we are always the best team on the field, but we always fight like we are the best team.

As for success, I am beyond happy with our previous results. Maybe I still have Tommy-stockholm syndrome, but our last two seasons were a success. As long as we don't give up in those last games, I can accept it.

My view is that we are now a program and have gone through multiple teams and are still putting elite talent on both sides of the ball. Our guys are still fighting hard, not taking stuff for granted and even when it isn't our night, we are still fighting.

As for Jawja, beating a mid-level SEC team should be standard for us now. I think tougher games than what Wake, BC, NC State can offer is good for the team and that when everyone is p[laying a full schedule, then our approach normally pays off.

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In that respect, you are certainly correct. Tommy Bowden


Apr 22, 2021, 9:51 AM

would have given his third gonad to have EITHER of the last two seasons we have enjoyed. :)

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 9:49 AM

You make some good points here. Not saying I agree. Not saying I disagree. But good thoughts here. Kudosfor the post. TD for the booing you crowd.

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Class of ‘71. Went through “rat season” and glad I did.


Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 9:56 AM

No. This is really simple.

2019: We played arguably the greatest team of all time in LSU. Heisman winner at QB. 1st round RB. Three 1st round WRs. And one of the best young offensive minds in Joe Brady. All while having a mediocre defensive line.

2020: Injuries and COVID hampered the team. We were without Ross, Ngata, and Ladson on offense. The defensive line was missing Justin Foster and a fully healthy Xavier Thomas. That, combined with a very young secondary, culminated itself in the Ohio State loss. We were clearly their national title game because of what happened the year before.

Our defensive line hasn't recovered since 2018 when we had the Power Rangers. But, we have 4 legitimate DEs in XT, Murphy, KJ, and Mascoll. Bresee and Davis will be one of the best DT duos in the country. Their health is really important. Skalski, Spector, and Simpson will be a solid LB core. Secondary returns everyone except for DK. The defense is going to be much better this year. Offensively, DJ's health is the most important factor. Lyn-J and Pace could emerge as the guy at RB, and Spiller will make them all better. Our WR core is incredibly deep. We are returning both of our TEs, and the group will benefit from Tony Elliot coaching them. The offensive line will be much deeper, which will help towards the end of the season.

So relax.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 10:27 AM

I tend to lean towards this line of thinking. The thing I dislike the most over the last two seasons is running so much 3 man fronts. Is that a scheme BV is wanting to move to or was that just get the best players on the field and not having enough DLmen to put out there? I hope it’s the latter. Im pretty confident we have the players to return to more 4 man fronts this year and look forward to seeing that.
As far as the program is concerned I’m not too worried. Tiger fans that went through both the Tommy’s would most likely agree. I have confidence we will win another natty in the DJ years. GO TIGERS!!! ALL IN!!!

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 10:59 AM

I firmly believe that the defensive line is the reason we didn't beat LSU and Ohio State. We just couldn't generate a consistent pass rush with 4 down lineman like we could in 2018. And we played against elite QBs, with really talented skill players, good offensive lines, and two young offensive wizards coaching them.

It's just hard to replace what we had in 2018. But, this defensive line will clearly be better than what it was in 2019 and 2020. On top of that, we have a 6th year and 5th year starting at MLB and WLB in Skalski and Spector. We have an athletic freak at SLB in Simpson. We return the entire three deep at safety. We are only losing one CB. This defense has a chance to be special.

And we are talented enough offensively to win a national title. Bama and Ohio State are replacing a ton of offensive talent. Georgia is insanely talented, but we'll see. Oklahoma and Notre Dame don't scare me. The Pac-12 doesn't have a serious contender. I don't think UNC and Miami are talented enough to beat us in the ACCCG.

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A few thoughts ...


Apr 22, 2021, 12:12 PM

1) Sensational post by 76er. Agree with some & disagree with other points. But thanks for a real football conversation starter. 2) Is 2021 at a crossroads? Not really. Nothing new here - we will easily win the ACC and go to playoffs. S. Howell is legit but UNC is sideways at best. 3) Mostly nice respectable posts by UGA fans. ACC Football does suck. And UGA has underachieved for decades. Richt was like T. Bowden - watered down. And Kirby Smart is a little too dumb, fat and uncharismatic. 4) 2016 Clemson natl championship was 50% Deshaun & 50% coaches & other players. 2018 championship was 50% Christian & Power Rangers & Defense. 15% Trevor and 35% coaches & other players. 5) Since 2018, as I stated last pre-season and pissed some off by doing so, Clemson has a football country club culture compared to Ford years. Steak and lobster. Bowling. Putt-putt. Big Slide. Jet skiing at The Reserve. Best training/locker room facilities. Reduced hitting. Reduced practices. A "gimme" ACC schedule. Multi-millionaire coaches & asst coaches. And no problem. It's good for the players and for Clemson. But it's also difficult to maintain edge and hunger. 6) Just like Clemson 2018, 2019 LSU was loaded. And 2020 Ohio St to my surprise, and 2020 Bama were each easily better & hungrier than Clemson. We know Saban and Bama stay hungry.

So 76er, if you're saying "can Clemson get hungry again in 2021"? That is a fair question. We have the DL talent. The whole D is back though some of our vet LB's and safeties can't match up with fast TE's, slot WR's and RB's. DJ has the skill sets, and WR and RB positions have tremendous potential. So for me 2021 championship hopes come down to -- Clemson team edge and hunger, OL pass & run blocking, health at QB, emergence of team leaders, and ability to cover top-tier playoff teams which is something we could not do in 2019 or 2020.

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Great reply. I LOL'ed at the description of Kirby Smart. I


Apr 27, 2021, 10:23 AM

immediately pictured current Central Michigan / Ex-Florida coach Jim McElwain from that description as well. Only in his case you had to double down on the DUMB, when he allowed that nekked picture of him humping a dead shark. :)

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Re: A few thoughts ...


Apr 27, 2021, 3:44 PM [ in reply to A few thoughts ... ]

I think the "crossroads" idea is an interesting point. Importantly, at what point do you really recognize you have actually reached (or passed) that crossroads? Look at FSU. They were bar none the most dominant program from 1987 to 2000. For 14 straight years they never lost more than 2 games. That came to an abrupt end in 2001. In the 20 seasons since, they've lost more than 2 games every year except '13 & '14, with 6 or 7 downright bad seasons along the way. And the majority of the FSU faithful couldn't even fathom something was wrong until about 2006 or so.

Similar situation with Miami. They had a great run for about 20 years from 1983 to 2003 (excluding there Butch Davis era), but have dropped off the map since 2006. Other examples are Tennessee, Nebraska, Michigan, maybe Southern Cal, and probably a few others.

But how can you tell? I mean obviously if you win the CFP next year, everything is fine and dandy. Even if you go, say 13-2, win the ACC, and lose in the CFP-NC game, that's still a heck of a season. But what if, for instance, you win 10 or 11 regular season games, win the ACC, but lose in the CFP semi's next year? Would that just be a blip, or would that maybe be a crossroads? And what are the things that would cause you know one way or the other?

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I am most definitely not a fan of the three man front. The


Apr 22, 2021, 11:43 AM [ in reply to Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some ]

fact that Brent felt compelled to use it just demonstrates what a talent gap he thought existed on the front line.

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Re: I am most definitely not a fan of the three man front. The


Apr 23, 2021, 9:15 AM

XT and KJ didn't develop as quickly as the coaches would have hoped. Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams didn't either.

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Oh, and a couple more things 76er....


Apr 22, 2021, 12:23 PM

1) thanks for a legit football post that got some conversation going. I had about forgot what that felt like.

2) Best wishes on your upcoming surgery.

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I don't think that is off base at all..........


Apr 22, 2021, 12:51 PM

A lot of good points that I've thought about, but never put it as clearly or in as much detail as you did.

You're right, it takes a great offense and a "solid defense" to win a title. I don't think a great defense is neccesary anymore. The winners of national titles are scoring 40-50 ppg not only during the season, but in the post season as well. Unlike a lot on here I don't think our defense is the question or as imperative as they make it out to be. Our offense has been EMBARASSED the last 2 playoff games and they went against "so-so defenses". Whether we want to admit it or not the ACC lately poses no challenge (except for the one unexpected WTH?? game we tend to have each year).

If our REGULAR SEASON OFFENSE translates to the POST SEASON (ie playoffs) then well come out on the better side of the "crossroads" you mention. If not, that will be 3 straight years of "bad offense" in the playoffs.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 1:35 PM

I think the reality is that we probably aren't going to win as many NC's over a 10 year period as Alabama. We recruit very well, but the amount of talent they have to work with each year is unreal. So, if the question is whether we're at a crossroads in terms of being able to currently overtake Alabama as the consistent dominant program in the country then perhaps we are.

I don't think that means we'll be like a ND or Georgia though in that we'll be ranked in the top 10 most years, but not be able to win another NC. I think more realistically we'll be more like Ohio State in that we'll most likely be in the top 5-10 at the very least most years, one of the favorites to make the CFP, and be in a position to win the whole thing whenever we put together the right pieces at the same time.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 22, 2021, 2:09 PM

I feel it too. Seems like a crossroads. TL didn't get much better over his 3 years. Receivers of course, were not there after year 1, but we have had a lot of other weak points in recent years.

It's kind of crazy to think that way, given the decades of mediocrity we went through, but it is what it is.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 25, 2021, 7:27 PM

Disagree about one thing. What the playoffs have shown is the last two years is Offense is king and all you need is a serviceable defense. If you have the kind of weapons that LSU & Bama had the last two years you can beat anyone. Our 18 team was an exception because we were elite on both sides and TL found his stride at end of the season. Overall college football is moving to Offense wins championships and defense will just try to limit the other team to 30 points.

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Agreed. Eye of the Tiger has been missing. As well as elite


Apr 26, 2021, 4:16 PM

DLs and WRs.

Big year for the program upcoming.

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The Recruiting is slow to show up


Apr 26, 2021, 6:34 PM

Based on recruiting rankings Clemson should theoretically be improving. I wonder if getting a team from the far flung parts of the country to mesh isn't a difficult task and something our Coaches are struggling with.

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Re: Is Clemson Football at a "Crossroads" season? In some


Apr 28, 2021, 8:06 AM

I understand your reasoning, The last 6 seasons, Clemson at 6-4 in playoff games, that is astonishing. Last year Ohio State was just better overall and they wanted to more, end of story

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