Dabo's in Denial

[Prestonyte]

Is he right or wrong?

That's the point, one coach said.

"They still have good players," the coach said. "But they have guys who'll get drafted late or go to camps as a free agent, whereas before, they had first-rounders."

In other words, Clemson used to be able to overcome things like a bad check at the line of scrimmage or an ill-timed turnover or a weird bounce of the ball here and there. Heck, those things became so ancillary to the Tigers' winning ways that they hardly warranted notice.

But now, the margin of error has shrunk -- not to a degree that suggests Clemson cannot play with almost anyone, but enough that almost anyone can also play with Clemson.

The uncomfortable purgatory that is Clemson football in 2023

Four games into the season, Clemson is sitting at 2-2 and virtually with no shot at the playoff. But the Tigers are still showing some promise.

www.espn.com

 

[Rogue Cock]

Per Dabo….Clemson is only 3 plays away from a top 5 ranking. Seriously.

 

[Prestonyte]

Per Dabo….Clemson is only 3 plays away from a top 5 ranking. Seriously.

You're not Top 5 when you get stomped by Duke.

 

[Rogue Cock]

You're not Top 5 when you get stomped by Duke.

When does excessive positivity become trolling? I think Dabo has leapt over that threshold with this one.

 

[18IsTheMan]

To be fair, there have been a number of years when our fans have made some kind of statement to the effect of “we were X # of plays away from being an x-win team.”

 

[Rogue Cock]

To be fair, there have been a number of years when our fans have made some kind of statement to the effect of “we were X # of plays away from being an x-win team.”

Fans I expect that from. Coaches? Not so much.

 

[Deleted11512]

Fans I expect that from. Coaches? Not so much.

Tommy Bowden used to say it all the time….

 

[Rogue Cock]

Tommy Bowden used to say it all the time….

You're right, he did, didn't he. Had forgot about him.....maybe its a Clemson thing.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

I can easily see 3 more sure losses for Clemson. Miami, ND, UNC.
Strong Possibility NCST
Good Possibility Syracuse, Us.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, However I will stick to the first 3 I mentioned.

 

[Big JC]

I can easily see 3 more sure losses for Clemson. Miami, ND, UNC.
Strong Possibility NCST
Good Possibility Syracuse, Us.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, However I will stick to the first 3 I mentioned.

I wouldn't say those are "sure" losses but this season is different than the last 8 or so in that there are multiple teams Clemson has to play that CAN beat them. In the past, Clemson could basically show up and count on a win.

NCSt is the nation's most consistently overrated team. Every year they start out ranked and hyped and every year they fall flat.

 

[Deleted11512]

I wouldn't say those are "sure" losses but this season is different than the last 8 or so in that there are multiple teams Clemson has to play that CAN beat them. In the past, Clemson could basically show up and count on a win.

NCSt is the nation's most consistently overrated team. Every year they start out ranked and hyped and every year they fall flat.

I'm gonna say they're going to struggle, and potentially lose, their remaining road games. In all likelyhood, I see them splitting these:

@ Cuse
@ Miami
@ NCST
@ USC

Then they have UNC and ND at home. IMO, 8-4 is a reasonable best case for them. I think they'll beat UNC. We let that one get away from us. But if they lose to ND, I think they'll end up 7-5.

 

[Maccmaine12]

They have a couple of more losses on their schedule. I don’t see them beating ND. USC, Cuse, and Nc state will be toss up games. I agree that before they had more talent than anybody but maybe Bama and their starting 11 was probably on par with Bama. I watched every game if weren’t not playing and they probably have 2-3 NFL players on offense assuming Cade develop enough to get drafted and maybe 6 NFL players on defense and no first round talent.

 

[Tusi21!!]

Basically.

 

[Lakemurraycock]

You're right, he did, didn't he. Had forgot about him.....maybe its a Clemson thing.

It is part of Clemsoning.

 

[Deleted11512]

They have a couple of more losses on their schedule. I don’t see them beating ND. USC, Cuse, and Nc state will be toss up games. I agree that before they had more talent than anybody but maybe Bama and their starting 11 was probably on par with Bama. I watched every game if weren’t not playing and they probably have 2-3 NFL players on offense assuming Cade develop enough to get drafted and maybe 6 NFL players on defense and no first round talent.

I think Wiggins will play his way into first round. He's a good player.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Fans I expect that from. Coaches? Not so much.

Many a coach has made the same or similar comments. I’m confident Beamer has also. Every coach had said something to the effect of “we’re a play or two away from such and such.”

 

[Rogue Cock]

Many a coach has made the same or similar comments. I’m confident Beamer has also. Every coach had said something to the effect of “we’re a play or two away from such and such.”

You’re probably right. Personally I don’t like it or expect it when coaches do it….that’s for fans.

 

[HillsToSea]

You’re probably right. Personally I don’t like it or expect it when coaches do it….that’s for fans.

For players too. If you were a coach, wouldn’t you be pointing out thes things to your players and fans? I would

 

[Rogue Cock]

For players too. If you were a coach, wouldn’t you be pointing out thes things to your players and fans? I would

Players in a locker room or at film study….yes! Pointing out to fans….no. Too much like making excuses for why you didn’t win.

 

[mickray]

This year has become practice for next year for them.

 

[mickray]

Many teams are squeezed into that boat.

 

[Cocky Hobbit]

Per Dabo….Clemson is only 3 plays away from a top 5 ranking. Seriously.

Sadly for Dabo, Shane will claim all three. 5 stars are no longer automatically going to drink the Kool Aid just to go play at the Bounce House.

 

[Cocky Hobbit]

Is he right or wrong?

That's the point, one coach said.

"They still have good players," the coach said. "But they have guys who'll get drafted late or go to camps as a free agent, whereas before, they had first-rounders."

In other words, Clemson used to be able to overcome things like a bad check at the line of scrimmage or an ill-timed turnover or a weird bounce of the ball here and there. Heck, those things became so ancillary to the Tigers' winning ways that they hardly warranted notice.

But now, the margin of error has shrunk -- not to a degree that suggests Clemson cannot play with almost anyone, but enough that almost anyone can also play with Clemson.

The uncomfortable purgatory that is Clemson football in 2023

Four games into the season, Clemson is sitting at 2-2 and virtually with no shot at the playoff. But the Tigers are still showing some promise.

www.espn.com

Here's Dabo's biggest problem. His chance of being Nick Saban's replacement at retirement time is taking a nosedive if he can't resurrect the Clemson aura and start dominating. Alabama fans have no patience for losses or backsliding because Nick was so mechanical about winning. Dabo has always tolerated sloppy play and people will start remembering that there used to be a popular term called "Clemsoning" that is coming back into the modern vernacular. That term was created on Dabo's watch. NIL is killing Dabo's chances of landing big name players because cheating won't incentivize today's elite players.

 

[athenscock3]

I'd feel a lot better if clemson did not have commitments from some quality defensive players. Sammy Brown, Vic Burley, Peter Wood and a dl from Rome ga. I envy their dl personnel. Hope dabo finds a way to screw then up.

 

[Mic4usc]

Is he right or wrong?

That's the point, one coach said.

"They still have good players," the coach said. "But they have guys who'll get drafted late or go to camps as a free agent, whereas before, they had first-rounders."

In other words, Clemson used to be able to overcome things like a bad check at the line of scrimmage or an ill-timed turnover or a weird bounce of the ball here and there. Heck, those things became so ancillary to the Tigers' winning ways that they hardly warranted notice.

But now, the margin of error has shrunk -- not to a degree that suggests Clemson cannot play with almost anyone, but enough that almost anyone can also play with Clemson.

The uncomfortable purgatory that is Clemson football in 2023

Four games into the season, Clemson is sitting at 2-2 and virtually with no shot at the playoff. But the Tigers are still showing some promise.

www.espn.com

That’s head on. They were very prepared for FSU, they just don’t have the talent gap advantage anymore. Neither does Bama, UGA or OSU. There were a few years during the mid 20 teens where the middle class of CFB was just dwarfed by the loaded rosters on those 4 programs. It’s nice to see balance again. Like an unranked team has a real chance to get that big upset again.

 

[18IsTheMan]

After the UT loss, Beamer said we are better than a 2-3 team. I think this statement goes in the same category as Dabo’s.

 

[Yard_Pimps]

Here's Dabo's biggest problem. His chance of being Nick Saban's replacement at retirement time is taking a nosedive if he can't resurrect the Clemson aura and start dominating. Alabama fans have no patience for losses or backsliding because Nick was so mechanical about winning. Dabo has always tolerated sloppy play and people will start remembering that there used to be a popular term called "Clemsoning" that is coming back into the modern vernacular. That term was created on Dabo's watch. NIL is killing Dabo's chances of landing big name players because cheating won't incentivize today's elite players.

What makes you think he would want to. No one wants to follow “the guy”.