About 10 years in the past, it appeared like Dabo Swinney was lastly getting it.
His Clemson groups had develop into the gold normal of the Atlantic Coast Convention, dominating the league and going toe-to-toe with Alabama. The Tigers received nationwide championships over the Crimson Tide in 2016 and 2018 and performed for a title the next yr however misplaced to LSU’s Joe Burrow. No shame there, as a result of these Tigers may need been one of the best faculty workforce of the final 20 years.
Past that, Swinney established all the things else a championship program requires—tradition, relationships and accountability—whereas doing issues his means. Life was good within the Upstate, and it appeared it will keep that means for some time.
Quick-forward to Saturday. Clemson opened the 2024 season with a 34-3 loss to Georgia, a recreation that was shut till it wasn’t. Technically, the Tigers may nonetheless win the ACC, may nonetheless seem within the expanded playoff, and will nonetheless win the nationwide title.
However they received’t. They usually in all probability received’t till Swinney stops residing within the was and begins residing within the is. As in, he must stop being so cussed and begin realizing the switch portal and NIL are instruments each coach has to make use of.
By ignoring the portal and NIL, Swinney is actually the man who sits all the way down to eat a four-course meal with out silverware. You may get full finally, however you’re certain going to be a large number by the point it occurs. And Clemson soccer is presently the four-car wreck in flip 4 at Darlington that you would be able to’t unsee.
Not that a lot of the ACC is a lot better lately. Florida State dribbled down its pants leg final weekend in Eire, dropping to Georgia Tech in a recreation that uncovered the Seminoles’ lack of toughness. Virginia Tech was touted as a possible sleeper workforce by some consultants, then misplaced in additional time at Vanderbilt.
So long as we’re on the topic, a particular dishonorable point out to Commodore followers, or what existed of them Saturday. Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia mentioned he needed to go to a silent depend on his workforce’s successful landing due to the noise Hokie followers had been making. Silent depend at dwelling? That may be just like the Cameron Crazies making an attempt to rattle one in every of their very own gamers on a key foul shot.
If relegation existed in faculty soccer, the ACC would throw out about half its colleges and usher in both half the Solar Belt or half the Missouri Valley Soccer Convention. Suppose North Dakota State couldn’t end within the prime half of the ACC this yr?
The Bison had been higher than Colorado for many of Thursday evening’s recreation and may need received in Boulder if the Huge 12 refs hadn’t whiffed a blatant focusing on that value NDSU 15 valuable yards on its final drive. Coaches come and go in Fargo, however blocking and tackling sticks round. It’s the way you win soccer video games.
Oh, what about Miami, you ask? Didn’t it submit an enormous win at Florida? Properly, sure, in the event you’re into successful towards applications who’re about to flush a $26 million buyout on a coach, Billy Napier, whose seat is hotter than the climate in Gainesville.
And moreover that, the Hurricanes haven’t been related in 20 years, or concerning the time Kellen Winslow Jr. referred to himself as a soldier in one of the crucial underrated postgame rants of our time after a house loss to Tennessee.
Perhaps Dabo can try this. Or begin taking calls on his coaches present once more.
Or he may hit the replace button and begin utilizing the portal and NIL like everybody else does. And possibly contending for championships once more.
