It all seems to go back to losing at BC to a mediocre Spaz team in 2010. After that Swinney removed himself from the offense and went out to hire the best coordinators he could. He kept himself heavily involved with recruiting and let the coordinators own their sides of the ball. Swinney's gung-ho persona always played well with recruits, but rededicating himself to recruiting kept the pipeline full before anyone knew if Chad Morris's offense would work in the ACC. Since then, Clemson has gone on their best run since the Danny Ford days. Dabo -- despite my skepticism -- seems to know what works for him and Clemson.
Despite the different backgrounds and different jobs, Addazio and Swinney have a lot in common. Both wear their emotions on their sleeves. Both seems to love recruiting and both have been criticized for their play calling. Addazio avoided one of Swinney's first mistakes by not being his own playcaller or co offensive coordinator. He influences the process but it is Day's game. Addazio also realized he needed an ace defensive guy before he joined the ACC, so he hired Don Brown. That's where BC benefited from hiring Addazio after he had gone through coordinators and been a head coach at Temple. Swinney learned those issues while on the job. Where Addazio has yet to meet Swinney's success is on the recruiting trail. Early returns are promising, but Clemson's been doing it for a few years.
Clemson could still pull a Clemson this year. Swinney's show could fall apart when Chad Morris finally gets a head coaching job. I don't know. But right now, he's where we want to be. And should be a example to Addazio to recruit like heck and hire the best guys you can find. It seems to work for these rah rah types,
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BC has a ranking of 28 for 2014 in recruiting, I believe with "Rivals". Obviously, that is pretty darn good.
Atl: great post. This is why I read Eagle in Atlanta. very insightful. I agree that Dabo is an appropriate, if not unexpected, role model for Dazz. Would also add that in all of the comments I have ever read, Dabo is unfailingly classy and always takes the high road. Good for him. If I am not mistaken, Clemson was the first to honor Mark Herlzlich, which other schools then followed. Good on you Dabo, and good on you Dazz if you emulate Dabo.... when not rooting for the Eagles, I always wish the Tigers well...
Atl: great post. This is why I read Eagle in Atlanta. very insightful. I agree that Dabo is an appropriate, if not unexpected, role model for Dazz. Would also add that in all of the comments I have ever read, Dabo is unfailingly classy and always takes the high road. Good for him. If I am not mistaken, Clemson was the first to honor Mark Herlzlich, which other schools then followed. Good on you Dabo, and good on you Dazz if you emulate Dabo.... when not rooting for the Eagles, I always wish the Tigers well...
ATL, your broad-brush comparison between Dabo and Dazz-o is interesting, but too superficial.
I agree, like Dabo, we need Dazz-o to be the head cheerleader, the positive force and the recruiter-in-chief. But that's where the comparison should end.
Dabo presides over a football-first culture and an anti-academic culture.
For example, here is Dabo calling raising student athlete academic standards "crazy"
Last week, Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive proposed raising grade-point average requirements from 2.0 to 2.5 in 16 core high school classes for prospective student-athletes. It is an idea Swinney is against.
"I think that is crazy," Swinney said. "I have a real problem with that."
Yes, Dabo thinks an SEC academic standards proposal is "crazy." (Isn't the phrase "SEC Academic Standards" an oxymoron?)
No one from BC should ever want a coach like that -- a coach who will go lower than the SEC for academic standards. Yeesch.
Plus, he always strikes me as sort of a fool whenever I hear him talk. Yes, he does seem charitable, as eddierock says, and is probably a nice guy ... but not BC material
I actually agree with M34b. Academics should not be compromised for athletics. Just think! what is the point of the university? They can, and do, coexist at many places.
Well said, Mod.
Dabo is an SEC coach at heart - academics are not very important, probably. Just stay eligible somehow.
Be that as it may, we have our 3rd very tough (brutal?) contest in the last 4 games - 2 of them on the road.
Forget Clemson's offense for a minute - check out their defense.
Clemson in the Top 25 on Defensive Side of the Ball
•1st in Sacks/Game, 3.8
•2nd in tackles for loss/game, 10.0
•2nd in turnover margin, +1.8 per game
•4th in three-and-outs, 6.8 per game
•5th in third down conversion defense, .244
•6th in red-zone defense, .600
•7th in passes intercepted with 9
•14th in pass efficiency defense, 102.56
•14h in turnovers forced, 13
•16th in scoring defense, 16.6 points per game •17th in fewest passing yards allowed, 185.4
From everything I have read, They will be making an extra effort to stop our run game and Williams - thus making us try to score on them with our passing game.
Go Eagles - we have not been afraid in Death Valley in the past. Walk tall!
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