and dabo lost more games in the last 4 years in the ACC than Saban has in the last 8 years in the SEC
not to mention Clemson is leaps and bounds better than 95% of the ACC in terms of talent. The talent gap closes in the SEC
Is Smart ready to take the job?
This isn't a perfect world so there won't be a perfect candidate. But comparing anyone to Saban is going to make that coach look bad in comparison. Dabo lost 12 games in the past 4 years, clearly he needs to right the ship (although to reiterate I predicted NIL being an issue for Clemson).
Kiffin lost 15 games at USC in four years though, and USC was absolutely loaded. We're also comparing what appears to be a down point in a career to other coach's peaks. For instance, in the previous 4 years, Dabo only lost 4 games!
Bear Bryant once lost 15 games over 4 years mid-career at Alabama. Every hire I see being brought up is a risk.
Dabo needs to adapt to the changing landscape
Kiffin needs to be good Kiffin and not bad Kiffin (he also lost 15 games the past four years).
Sark has been a head coach ten years and won double digits once!
The closest DeBoer has been to the southeast was Indiana and he has no history of recruiting well.
Norvell has 17 losses (in four years) in the soft ACC, with more fertile recruiting territory than Clemson. Also he couldn't get his team to show up for a bowl game.
And... that's the list of the best candidates that might be in play, right?
Interesting - second former player who says it's already a done deal...
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Well, only names I can think of that would shock the world would be Bill Belichick or Kirby Smart, heh.