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All-TigerNet [5889]
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Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 4, 2025, 10:33 PM
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Agree with it or not, I think he is circling the wagons and going back to the old Dabo that made up rise to the top.
I think the changes that are coming are nothing like what we think. They will be headline worthy for sure......
I have been very critical of the friends/family/former players with no other coaching experience hires.... but I think Dabo will push all the chips in the middle and go all in on what he cares about the most. Building a program that uses football to build great men.
We shall see, but hearing him talk about listening to too many outside people made me think that he is going to go back to what made him successful.... "Serve a player's heart, not their talent, and football will take care of itself".
We shall see.... I think he thinks that he has sacrificed some of his core values over the last few years and will change that. Whatever happens, he is going to do things his way.
Message was edited by: bobbyb99®
Message was edited by: bobbyb99®
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Ultimate Tiger [36590]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 4, 2025, 10:50 PM
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or was he told to hire more 'alumni'?
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Varsity [103]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 4, 2025, 10:52 PM
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I hope you are right...this is the closest thing to the truth I have (maybe ever) seen on T-net!
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Game Changer [2074]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 1:26 AM
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If you have worked around Coach, you know he has listened to no one unless it is the $$$$$ money. Call that a false statement.
Danny Ford can coach defense. Wonder how manytimes he sought his help.
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TigerNet HOFer [125875]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 1:44 AM
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He made changes with Napier and Steele, and the program took off. He knows how to adjust, it will be a tough pill to swallow, firing his friends, but if he loves CLemson, he will do the right thing and end the incestuous coaching tree.
But looking back, having guys like Venables and Dan Brooks on the same defensive staff was a rare treat. There was a reason we were so dominant up front during our national title runs. Tony Elliot is also proving why he was so highly coveted, and Jeff Scott was a prolific recruiter. There was a time we had the best coaching staff in America, and it showed on the field with leadership and accountability from the players, in-game adjustments, and game plans that shut opposing offenses down. Even with Watson and Lawrence, we had Saturdays where the offense sputtered, but the defense stepped up and turned the tide.
Those days are over, for now. I do not doubt that if Dabo has the money, resources, and motivation to build another staff from outside the program, he will get it done. Hopefully, he also learned that his positivity needs to be balanced by a healthy dose of skepticism, and faith does not win football games; hard work and leadership do. He is young enough to take Clemson on another run if he is willing to adapt. I imagine this is a tough time for him and his stubbornness is on full display, but I believe betetr days are ahead if we stick with him. Shoveling out 60 million will set this program back 5 years, when staying the course can get us back in 2.
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Valley Protector [1425]
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So friends and family named Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott are OK
Nov 5, 2025, 7:54 AM
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But the others aren’t?
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Ring of Honor [23123]
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Recruiting & coaching ability as indicated by wins are the barometer
Nov 5, 2025, 9:26 AM
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But the others aren’t?
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Orange Beast [6430]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 11:40 AM
[ in reply to Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people..... ] |
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Balm: Here's hoping he can; statistically, its very rare to re-capture from the heights. Given his background, he is an outlier and if someone can, he fits the mold.
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110%er [3844]
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Standout [205]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 6:36 AM
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That’s funny—A few weeks ago when asked if he was ‘talking’ to anyone, he emphatically stated NO and went on to say he only listens to God!
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Orange Elite [5391]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 7:12 AM
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And that model will fail. I’m sorry. It just will. That was great before NIL and transfer portal when these boys could still just be college kids.
Now they are professional athletes with agents. When Dabo built the championship teams he could keep some players on the back burner while his best players cooked. He stacked talent and had depth. Can’t do that now.
Every year you have to build a new team. That’s a combination of transfer portal and HS kids. Also lean into NIL. Let our Donors that say they’re willing to spend it to buy players do their thing.
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Clemson Sports Icon [54068]
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Funny, because the way our program has declined and the reasons why
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Nov 5, 2025, 7:16 AM
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make it seem that Dabo hasn’t been listening to anyone.
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Scout Team [87]
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Re: Funny, because the way our program has declined and the reasons why
Nov 5, 2025, 7:38 AM
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I'm sure there is a lot of noise around Dabo. Some good advice and a whole lot of well meaning opinions. You know what they say about opinions. None of us here know exactly what's going on behind the scene. We just have to hope he makes the needed adjustments to get us back on track and soon.
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Orange Blooded [2557]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 7:50 AM
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I wonder who it was that told him to to hire his own kids and to give one of them a scholarship to play at the expense of using it to get someone with real talent that needed a scholarhship. He definitely needs to stop listening to that guy.
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Paw Warrior [4840]
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Yeah I agree, he needs to stop listening to himself!***
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Nov 5, 2025, 8:03 AM
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National Champion [7903]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 9:31 AM
[ in reply to Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people..... ] |
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Well, $11.5 million only goes so far .. so the free scholly couldn’t be used to bring on a much better player. If he doesn’t dump the friends and family on the gravy train and adapt, use the portal .. it will be more of the same ..I hope he does…
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Orange Phenom [14962]
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I'm really curious about the details there
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Nov 5, 2025, 8:20 AM
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because, from the outside, it looks like the exact opposite. It seems liks hes been doing things his way and ignoring all of the voices on the outside pushing for change with NIL, transfers, and assistants.
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Solid Orange [1384]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 8:50 AM
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That's easy to say but hard to prove...we have not seen a great deal of improvement in the team with the plethora of new highly paid coaches...once upon a time at CCC he took 3 stars or less and turned them into five stars...now our safeties don't know their job and can't spell prevent! Corners blitz and let a Harvard transfer score with no safety help over the top! Those are Dabos ears that are listening and he can't hear that small voice asking about "Clemson football"!
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Playmaker [383]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 9:19 AM
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My guess is that he’s referring to the Pumpers that he’s been listening to when browsing Tigernet.
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National Champion [7903]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 9:37 AM
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Well, in looking back .. “Tyler” was almost prophetic with his questions on the call .. remember the “How dare he” … well …
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Athletic Dir [1129]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 9:55 AM
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I hope thats correct. I just dont see what Dabo has been listening to others about. He seems to be headstrong and doing exactly what he wants to do at all times.
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Game Changer [1733]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 11:27 AM
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when you publically admit you spent 2 weeks preparing a pass from the 3 yard line to a back up offensive lineman, that speaks volumes as to your inability to coach . That is the the most ludicrous thing i have ever seen.
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Orange Beast [6430]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 11:45 AM
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Mentioned this a few days ago.....After the season, he should go seek wise counsel from someone like Saban or Cignetti...older successful guys who aren't really in direct competition with him anymore (Saban retired; Cig in diff. conference diff recruiting footprint but coached with Saban).
CDS did this early in his career....think it would be wise here. Spend a day (not just an hour or two). Probably will hear some things you don't like, but you want those nuggets.....
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All-TigerNet [5889]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 12:47 PM
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What Saban did at Bama was amazing... Dabo too at Clemson.
But what blows my mind about Saban is how he lost his OC/DC every year and just plugged in the next man up and they kept rolling. Kept recruiting at the highest level.
Back in the old days of Bowden, Paterno, Switzer, and Osborne.... those guys had continuity in the staff for decades. Just was a different time, but how Saban maintained success with the staff turnover he had amazes me.
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Scout Team [81]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 1:47 PM
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He referenced D Hopkins later in the interview and Grady Jarrett, and it seemed like he was tieing it back to his statements on getting away from
“Following his instincts”. I think this is more about recruiting - both high school and portal. Dabo was an awesome recruiter in his early years as a position coach and was often the “closer” in his early head coaching days for jet recruits. I think he may have delegated some of that in recent years, and I think he is going to take more of a management role in the evaluation. You may be looking at changing of the structure in terms of not having a “GM” but rather more Dabo (and an advisory group) to own the roster management. Just my thoughts…but I do think he feels several changes need to be made with some of the position coaches, especially on the defensive side.
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Orange Blooded [2393]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 2:26 PM
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I think this is a really good take. I remember when people claimed Dabo Swinney could sell ice to eskimos. There's always been a faction that claims he's too involved and runs a tight ship, needs to stay out of the way, etc. It seems pretty ironic to me that this year being the first that allows others to "coach" and his staff now has a former HC and former DC as consultants amongst others that we are struggling. Part of me also wonders if he's second guessing his hiring of Riley and Allen. Both caught lightning in a bottle at their former jobs. They both were there for 1 year and won with someone else's players. I almost feel like maybe he delegated too much responsibility to folks that aren't yet equipped for that type of role. Maybe he needs to jump back in there and see for himself what's going on. I also have noticed him mention a few times when asked about playing time, depth, etc. that they would discuss that in coaches meetings. That made me scratch my head. He just needs to bite the bullet and trim the fat.
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Rock Defender [56]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 2:13 PM
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I think a lot of people forget that Dabo came to Clemson as one of Bowden's former players. Bowden was Dabo's WR coach at Alabama. He was an unknown and out of coaching when Bowden hired him as WR coach in 2003. He turned out pretty good. So did Jeff Scott. So did Tony Elliott. Some of those hires have not been great, but it's not a terrible practice across the board. I don't think you have any way of knowing if a guy is going to be a good assistant coach or not.
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Hall of Famer [8532]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
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Nov 5, 2025, 3:06 PM
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This stuff ain’t hard. First of all, you purge the program of all the friends and family. The friends and family plan doesn’t work. myself and my family have owned four businesses over two generations, and trust me, we know firsthand the friends and family plan does not work. You hire only seasoned, motivated professionals, where there’s mutual respect, and you have a common goal. That’s it. As far as the NL era, you’re looking for the same in your players. Dedicated, motivated and professional. Not a bunch of guys to stand in a circle and hold hands and cry. I’m free for a conference call if Dabo needs me
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Heisman Winner [83829]
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I think Dabo is going to gut the defensive staff and
Nov 5, 2025, 8:21 PM
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some of the offense. I think he will part ways with friends. I'm curious how he will handle family, but my guess is that he will not be putting himself in a position for anyone to say "nepo-Dabo-doo" anymore.
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Top TigerNet [28430]
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Re: Dabo said he has been listening to too many people.....
Nov 5, 2025, 8:27 PM
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I wonder who was telling him not to use the portal…
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