Re: I am in NO way calling for Dabo to be fired.

waterboyII · 2025-10-30T13:26:46.500Z

But my question is; even with all that he has done 2 National Championships 6 CFP appearances 10 ACC Championships. If things don’t turn around how many years does he get? 3 years 5 years 10 years Until he decides to leave? Please give a number of years as an answer.

mrmatt

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Even as a dumper, I'm not sure I like that question . . .

Oct 30, 2025, 10:14 AM

And I don't mean that contentiously ... I just genuinely think it's too one-dimensional of an analysis. Again, in the interest of clarity, I consider myself far closer to a dumper than a pumper- so I'm not trying to get Dabo off the hook here -

But I've never thought this could or should be determined by way of strict numbers (3-year plan, 5-year plan, etc.) As a quick aside: even if we WERE going to think of it that way, the threshold question, before we answer how many years he gets, is "when did the clock start ticking on that chance?" At each critical juncture of strife and controversy over these last few years, we have heard the plea reiterated repeatedly: "give Dabo a chance to fix it," or "I think Dabo has earned the right to try and fix it." What some fail to realize that he's already been given a chance ... it's been going on since 2021. If he were fired today, it could not be said that he wasn't given a chance.

Now, that doesn't settle the question about whether or not he has been given **enough** of a chance, all things considered (that's a fair topic of debate). But we should all stop acting like the "chance" is always and only in the future, as if none of that "chance" is already underway. If Clemson finished 5-7 this year, and then next year starts 3-3 and in ugly fashion, you can be absolutely sure there will be people griping, in 2026, that we're all over-reacting, and that Dabo "needs to be given a chance." But they will never tell you when that chance is considered to have started, only that some additional future "chance" should be afforded, as if it's the first time it's been given.

On the flip side, even as a dumper, I don't think the struggles and underperformances since 2021 are so bad that Dabo ought to be summarily fired. Even the last four years have not by any measure been "bad." But I do think it ought to be on the table as a legitimate option given the trajectory. There's more to assessing a program than the bottom line wins and losses in isolation. Of course they are the primary thing, but trajectory has to be considered as well, even if comparatively less. I will also say that whatever the assessment of job performance is, I think more leeway is due if the coach has a duly humble and sober attitude in the midst of it. And no, I don't mean he needs to debase himself or grovel, or lack all self-confidence, or agree with all criticism. But reflexive bristling with self-righteous deflection and distractions all the time does not help, and should make his leash shorter than otherwise.

But all things considered, if you're asking for a year, I don't think we're there yet (especially considering the buyout). But if next year weren't meaningfully better (and I don't necessarily mean elite, but just a meaningful improvement in which a well coached team takes the field each week), and especially if Dabo was still playing the victim, then I think I'd potentially be ready to pull the plug (but again, there would still be that buyout looming, so it would depend on how bad the particulars were). If things went poorly but Dabo had a sober and humble attitude, and a plan, then maybe I'd be game for more latitude. It really has to be a whole picture analysis, not just "X amount of time" or "X amount of dollars."

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Last year's ACC Championship and Playoff appearance should be counted as a success. So many here are willing to discredit it because we're in the ACC or we lost to South Carolina, but it was still a successful season.

Keep in mind, we are historically a top-20ish program, and even being that high is in large part a credit to Dabo.

We have fans scoffing at seasons with ACC titles and Playoff appearances, but those types of season aren't the norm here at Clemson. They are the norm for Clemson here at Dabo, who guided us to one of the most dominant runs in the sport's history, but we went 20 years without an ACC Championship before 2011. Even under Frank Howard, who is widely regarded as our 3rd best coach behind Dabo and Danny Ford, we never finished a season ranked higher than 10th in either the AP or Coaches Poll.

Our fans need to reset their expectations because this is a new era of college football. It's also an era where we probably aren't going to be national title contenders every year. I think Dabo can still eventually guide us to being a top-10 program overall that looks like it could compete for a national every few years, but it is going to take some adjustments.

Still, I don't see a world where Dabo isn't the most qualified guy to get us there. With the musical chairs of the college football world, if we were to fire Dabo this year, we'd be behind at the very least LSU, Florida, and Penn State in terms of appealing job openings, and there could still be more openings. Do we really think the 4th best available coach is going to be more likely to turn it around than Dabo, who has shown he is capable of winning here.

With all that said, I would give him a free pass for the next 3 years. If there is absolutely no progress being made (as in every season is 5-7 or worse) by 2028, then he should be on the hot seat, with 2029 being the final chance to turn it around.

I doubt others will be that patient, though.

I am in NO way calling for Dabo to be fired.