Question: How does Clemson do it?

[BamaMoon]

There's a simple answer to this question: they have nailed the QB position the last 8 years. From Watson to Trevor Lawrence is about as good as it gets in college football. Put an above average QB on their team instead of those 2 and they don't sniff the playoffs. Watson (especially) and Lawrence bailed them out of so many games. Of course, they have talent at other positions but the reason they've been as good as they've been and a team like AU hasn't is the QB position..

I think there's a lot of truth to your point about the QBs. We know there are exceptions and we know first hand. Last year we were on track to go 15-0 and then Tua got hurt, but really our lack of success last year was about the defensive struggles and not about Tua.

So I'd add this: Clemson has had great QB play BUT ALSO their defense in recent years has outplayed ours.

 

[BamaNation]

That's true. We just played 10-11 games a year including the bowl game.

I'll say what nobody else is willing to say (and I understand some of you don't like Dabo) but at some point, you've got to give him credit for being a pretty good coach too.

All those other ACC schools play in the same conference but aren't racking up wins like him and then when he meets a good team he has them ready to complete.

I think Dabo is approaching all-time great coaching list. If he wins another NC, he'll be in amongst top 8 all time, IMHO. Especially when you consider what he took over and was expected to achieve. He's irritating as all getout right now (like CNS was at LSU & MichSt). AND he's been able to put together one of the great coaching staffs that has pretty much stayed together without much turnover AND is an elite recruiter. If he were to take over Bama in 20 years when CNS retires, I'll be 1000% behind him

 

[TideEngineer08]

To answer the original question... they may not have had the draft picks but draft picks aren't everything.

Let us consider the case of Boise State, from about 10 years ago and prior. They were a program that had far outpaced their conference competitors and ran roughshod over them every season. Then, every once in a while, they got a non-con game against a BCS school, or were able to snag the BCS bid allotted to the small conferences, and they would upset the big boy school. A one game scenario is much easier to manage than a full 8/9 game conference schedule.

This is the precise formula Clemson is using today, but, they are starting from a much more talented position by already being a big boy school. But they have so far outpaced their conference opponents that they've been able to whittle their season down to 1 or 2 meaningful regular season games, and then the playoffs. You don't need a super talented and deep roster to manage that schedule. You just need enough to manage 2 or 3 games in a season.

The coaching continuity helps. A lot. But the insanely easy schedule is the other half of the coin. I feel absolutely 100% confident that Dabo Swinney/Clemson would not have enjoyed the same success as Nick Saban/Alabama over the past decade+ if the schedules were swapped. Someone mentioned the QBs. Yes it has helped a TON that Dabo has hit 2 consecutive home runs in Watson and Sunshine.

 

[BamaMoon]

I think Dabo is approaching all-time great coaching list. If he wins another NC, he'll be in amongst top 8 all time, IMHO. Especially when you consider what he took over and was expected to achieve. He's irritating as all getout right now (like CNS was at LSU & MichSt). AND he's been able to put together one of the great coaching staffs that has pretty much stayed together without much turnover AND is an elite recruiter. If he were to take over Bama in 20 years when CNS retires, I'll be 1000% behind him

I agree that if CNS retired right now he's the most capable coach available and I think he'd come "home." I know there is strong dislike for him among many here on Tidefans. I know there are reasons, but at the end of the day if he's the guy who can continue this glorious run then I think a lot of his antagonists will warm up to him.

 

[denver]

The SEC has 5X the players drafted than the ACC so far. The fact that in the SEC you play higher level talent every week and have to play at a higher level to win has a cumulative effect on physical and mental fitness. Clemson gets to breeze through 90% of the season with no problem. That is a major advantage. Talentwise they are an SEC team so being rested helps at the end of the season. Faster, stronger and mentally ready for the playoffs

 

[Con]

The SEC has 5X the players drafted than the ACC so far. The fact that in the SEC you play higher level talent every week and have to play at a higher level to win has a cumulative effect on physical and mental fitness. Clemson gets to breeze through 90% of the season with no problem. That is a major advantage. Talentwise they are an SEC team so being rested helps at the end of the season. Faster, stronger and mentally ready for the playoffs

I hate to give Kirby Smart credit but they had an interview with him on ESPN where he was talking about this. When the Colorado receiver was chosen yesterday they alluded to the fact that he had offers from Alabama and LSU but he chose Colorado because he wanted to blaze his on path or something to that effect. I took it as he didn't want to wait behind or outwork the stud receivers in front of him at those schools. Everybody has their reasons for the choices they make, but at the end of a player's career they ALWAYS get measured by how many championships did they win. Fair or not.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

The SEC has 5X the players drafted than the ACC so far. The fact that in the SEC you play higher level talent every week and have to play at a higher level to win has a cumulative effect on physical and mental fitness. Clemson gets to breeze through 90% of the season with no problem. That is a major advantage. Talentwise they are an SEC team so being rested helps at the end of the season. Faster, stronger and mentally ready for the playoffs

It's a double edged sword. In one sense it is an advantage from a health standpoint. But from another sense it puts them at a disadvantage of having to play against much inferior talent and somehow being able to then flip a switch and compete and beat teams who are their equal or better. The competition you play against impacts you, good or bad. The better competition you plat the better you get. The worse, the worse you get. It's not static. I know this isn't popular to say, but it once again goes to show you what kind of job Dabo has been able to do with Clemson. If you don't think it's hard to play crappy competition for 13 games then be able to not only compete against, but beat truly elite competition. I've got some land I'll sell you...

 

[dtgreg]

It's Bobby Bowden's plan finally being put into action.

 

[cindym]

Heath to me is a factor alabama lost the star players we needed to finish the season clemson had their players mostly intact.. so luck is a part of it to me

 

[The Ols]

Heath to me is a factor alabama lost the star players we needed to finish the season clemson had their players mostly intact.. so luck is a part of it to me

Very true...but playing tougher competition makes injuries much more likely...