🏈 Dabo Swinney is running his mouth

Without Watson, Clemson would have lost 3 or 4 games this year easily no matter how well Dabo has recruited. Watson was a special player and luckily we don't have to face him ever again.

IF {insert team here} didn't have {insert players name here} they would have lost {insert number of games here} this season.

That applies to how many teams each and every year?
 
Watson is one of those players we only see every few years so I do understand the question "what's he going to do when Watson is gone?"

Here's my issue with that thought process.

When Chad Morris left people said the same thing while doubting they would continue to have success on offense.

When Tajh Boyd left ... when Sammie Watkins left ... same mantra.

History, as it tends to repeat itself, shows he's reloading like a lot of other programs in both staff changes and players. He's currently got the top ranked QB committed to Clemson.

I don't see an immediate drop-off like we've seen with other players (IE: Cam, Manziel, etc.)

I don't think we see them sink to 8-4, but I also don't exoect to see them in the Playoff in the next five years either. Hunter Johnson has great size and nice touch with no rush from what I've seen, but in live scrimmages he hasn't impressed me near as much as Fromm and Tua, or even David Mills. As we have shown, you don't need a world beater at quarterback, but it takes many other parts, but they needed one to beat us and I just can't see them reaching the pennacle any time soon. He is receuiting very well, but I still don't think it will be good enough to sustain his current trajectory and mouth. I see a Les Miles LSU type career going forward.
 
IF {insert team here} didn't have {insert players name here} they would have lost {insert number of games here} this season.

That applies to how many teams each and every year?

I certainly don't disagree with that at all, but if you took away any 1 player from Bama we still win every game this season (except the last 1 of course). I am just pointing out that Watson was a special player and I do believe Clemson will be "down" a little next year simply due to his absense.
 
I certainly don't disagree with that at all, but if you took away any 1 player from Bama we still win every game this season (except the last 1 of course).
I don't know.

We saw the impact the loss of SDH had on the linebacking corps in this last game. What if Foster would have been hurt mid-season? I've seen it suggested Bama wouldn't have lost this last game if Shank were still playing.

We're talking hypotheticals here ... hard to say, for me at least.
 
I don't know.

We saw the impact the loss of SDH had on the linebacking corps in this last game. What if Foster would have been hurt mid-season? I've seen it suggested Bama wouldn't have lost this last game if Shank were still playing.

We're talking hypotheticals here ... hard to say, for me at least.

We did? I thought Rashaan Evans had a hell of a game...
 
I don't know.

We saw the impact the loss of SDH had on the linebacking corps in this last game. What if Foster would have been hurt mid-season? I've seen it suggested Bama wouldn't have lost this last game if Shank were still playing.

We're talking hypotheticals here ... hard to say, for me at least.


I would agree that losing Shank did hurt us. He brought a vast amount of experience not only starts but title game. When Shank went down, we went revolving door there between Cotton and Kirven.
 
Without Watson, Clemson would have lost 3 or 4 games this year easily no matter how well Dabo has recruited. Watson was a special player and luckily we don't have to face him ever again.

It's not just Watson... he had NFL caliber WRs and TE playing on that field too. I don't think Clemson wins that game the other night without Wilson, Cain, Leggett... if you think that team was/is a one trick pony, you're fooling yourself. To be honest, without Renfrow I don't think they win. It took all that talent to beat us... take away any one of those and I think they lose...

Will they be as good next year, most likely not as they lose a lot of those pieces... but they have been recruiting on par with a top 5 team for the last couple years so they should still have talent on their team.
 
IF {insert team here} didn't have {insert players name here} they would have lost {insert number of games here} this season.

That applies to how many teams each and every year?

That's true a lot of times but I think in the instances where that quote is applicable you literally see games that an individual player took over and made plays that no one else could've or would've made. 2010 Barn is a perfect example as is Monday night in my opinion. On the flip side, could Bama have made the run they did this year with that defense and their skill players but Barnett/Bateman/Cornwell at quarterback?

Watson is one of those players we only see every few years so I do understand the question "what's he going to do when Watson is gone?"

Here's my issue with that thought process.

When Chad Morris left people said the same thing while doubting they would continue to have success on offense.

When Tajh Boyd left ... when Sammie Watkins left ... same mantra.

History, as it tends to repeat itself, shows he's reloading like a lot of other programs in both staff changes and players. He's currently got the top ranked QB committed to Clemson.

I don't see an immediate drop-off like we've seen with other players (IE: Cam, Manziel, etc.)

I think the difference is that Watson is better than either Boyd or Watkins or anybody else he's had.
 
My two cents:
two_cents.jpg


Washington's Samoa players on the line and linebackers hit our guys with a very physical game. It was more physical than LSU. I could see at the end of that game that it was a sluggfest. I believe it had an effect on how our defense and offense played. You can say Clemson just wanted it more but that is hard to believe that you would go on this very long journey of winning all your games and then just not want it as bad. Dabo is playing the recruiting card but you have to see how many of their players will make it to the NFL. That future might not be as bright.
 
I certainly don't disagree with that at all, but if you took away any 1 player from Bama we still win every game this season (except the last 1 of course). I am just pointing out that Watson was a special player and I do believe Clemson will be "down" a little next year simply due to his absense.

I think the difference is that Watson is better than either Boyd or Watkins or anybody else he's had.

Here's something to chew on for a second.

Until one of his outburst during scrimmage there were a lot of Clemson supporters who had Chad Kelly penciled in as the starter at Clemson. If he'd kept his head on straight and remained at Clemson this conversation could easily have read "who does Dabo have now that Chad is leaving?"
 
The bottom line is that Clemson executed and made plays when they had the chance and we did dot. Dabo is using all of his "15 minutes of fame" from the national championship to continue to sell the program he has built at Clemson.
 
Here's something to chew on for a second.

Until one of his outburst during scrimmage there were a lot of Clemson supporters who had Chad Kelly penciled in as the starter at Clemson. If he'd kept his head on straight and remained at Clemson this conversation could easily have read "who does Dabo have now that Chad is leaving?"

And Clemson would be a 9-3 team and each of the last two years and we wouldnt be having that conversation at all...
 
Y'all shouldn't get too upset with Dabo, he's likely going to take over when Saban decides to retire.

I'm back!! Couldn't stay away. I don't see it as Dabo is running his mouth. I see it as Dabo being on top of the world immediately following knocking off the giant. Coach Stallings always said that it wasn't bragging if you can back it up. Dabo did Monday night. I also see it as recruiting like others have said as well. Dabo still loves this University and he has great respect for Coach Saban as well. When he said, "do it the right way!" it wasn't intended as a shot at UA I believe. I think he was saying that, "the playoff gives everyone a shot IF you are all willing to put in all of the extra sweat, pain, blood, etc."

Not gonna lie, I always saw Dabo as the 'natural' successor to Saban.

I kinda saw it as a Bear-esque thing: "Momma called. And when Momma calls, you just have to come runnin'." His heart is in Bama. Bama raised, Bama educated, Bama winner. Clemson is a fantastic place for him, but I really feel everything will come full circle for him.

When Saban leaves, it will likely be around high time for Dabo to find a new challenge. If the timing is right, I think there's a good chance we could see Dabo at the helm someday.
 
Not gonna lie, I always saw Dabo as the 'natural' successor to Saban.

I kinda saw it as a Bear-esque thing: "Momma called. And when Momma calls, you just have to come runnin'." His heart is in Bama. Bama raised, Bama educated, Bama winner. Clemson is a fantastic place for him, but I really feel everything will come full circle for him.

When Saban leaves, it will likely be around high time for Dabo to find a new challenge. If the timing is right, I think there's a good chance we could see Dabo at the helm someday.

I'll be honest, if I'm Dabo, why should I leave Clemson to come home to my alma mater IF offered? Devil's advocate here for a moment. I have built Clemson into a title contender and just won it all. My recruiting is already at a high level. I have to get my team up for 1-2 games the entire regular season. I'm getting $5.1 million a year right now thru 2021. Why go to BAMA and be in the toughest division of the toughest conference year in and year out?
 
I'll be honest, if I'm Dabo, why should I leave Clemson to come home to my alma mater IF offered? Devil's advocate here for a moment. I have built Clemson into a title contender and just won it all. My recruiting is already at a high level. I have to get my team up for 1-2 games the entire regular season. I'm getting $5.1 million a year right now thru 2021. Why go to BAMA and be in the toughest division of the toughest conference year in and year out?

The challenge, I suppose. He is gonna be sitting pretty for life if he stays at Clemson. But coming back to Bama would be a storybook way to wrap up his career. Hell, if he ever won a championship with us, it would be a real full circle.
 
I'll be honest, if I'm Dabo, why should I leave Clemson to come home to my alma mater IF offered? Devil's advocate here for a moment. I have built Clemson into a title contender and just won it all. My recruiting is already at a high level. I have to get my team up for 1-2 games the entire regular season. I'm getting $5.1 million a year right now thru 2021. Why go to BAMA and be in the toughest division of the toughest conference year in and year out?


From what I am understanding, the ACC is now the best and toughest Conference in CFB now. So, perhaps he wouldn't mind coming to the weak, has-been SEC.
(Sarc. off.)

Roll Tide, next year's NC.
 
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