Re: Finebaum's comment about not mentioning Dabo and Saban

in the same sentence.

I won't - but I will mention them in the same paragraph

At this time, Swinney, Meyer, Fisher and Saban are the only active coaches who can be put in the same sentence when we discuss national championships.

In Finebaum's defense, I remember a poster on this board comparing Dabo's record after 3 years with Saban's record in the same time period - they were about the same. Whoever the poor guy was got his knees cut out from under him by fellow Clemson fans who were dead set that Clemson had picked the wrong guy to replace Bowden and that there was no chance Dabo would ever challenge Nick's accomplishments. They were stupid then and Finebaum is stupid now.

When you compare coaching accomplishments, the time frames have to match. So here it is:

Dabo Swinney after 8 seasons + 7 games in 2008: 89 wins, 28 losses; Bowl record 6-3; 2 national championship appearances, 1 national championship win

Nick Saban after 9 full seasons: 69 wins, 38 losses, 1 tie; Bowl record 2-4, no national championship.

Saban won his first NC at LSU in his 10th season of coaching

I guess you're right, Paul. How dare you mention Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney in the same sentence? Dabo is way ahead of Nick.

haynous®

Orange Blooded [2638]

TigerPulse: 100%

Posts: 1889

Joined: 12/22/08

I think the argument for Dabo's future success is simple.

Jul 23, 2017, 4:57 AM

The counterargument that it took a generational talent in Deshaun Watson to lift Dabo to the mountain top is weak and here is why:

When Dabo recruited Tajh and he started to perform -- he was the best quarterback we'd ever seen ... at least statistically. I recall on http://www.seldomusedreserve.com/ 's a ticker measuring how many miles Tajh had thrown the ball for in games. On this site, there were multiple posts about enjoying those last days of his career because he was a generational talent and who knows when another Tajh will come along.

Since then, Dabo has proven that he can recruit with anyone at all positions -- even OL (omg!). He is restocking at every level. The kids he recruits are far and away good young men. The off-field distractions occur rarely as compared to other powerhouse programs. And when they do occur, Dabo is swift and clear in his handling them -- who benches potentially their 2nd best receiver for the semifinal and championship? I can think of only one coach with the character and cajones to do such.

(And those who can't meet that expectation either have to earn their way back in (see Cain) or find other places to be (help me out ...the OL selected in the provisional draft) or display such a lack of decision making acumen that they flame out (see Kaleb Chalmers).)

Tajh WAS generational for us -- he was the best QB we'd seen in these here parts maybe ever and certainly since Charlie Whitehurst. But when your most recent generational talent is replaced 1 year later by your next (quote / unquote) 'generational' talent. Does the term really mean what you think it means?

DW4 has moved on and Dabo and the staff have some absolutely fantastic young men preparing to take his place. So - no - we don't rely on the generational-type talent around here anymore. We're bringing in this kind of talent every year instead of every 15-20. When you can do that, then you can compete for championships every year instead of waiting for lightning to strike.

So the naysayers can whine all they like and try to downplay our recent success and call it unsustainable. We know better. Coach nows better. The best is yet to come.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

“Clemson wasn’t that much better with Trevor Lawrence, if at all.”

Finebaum's comment about not mentioning Dabo and Saban

Dabo hasn't lost to UL-Monroe at home***

Screw U Pawl....Clemson man dont