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Replies: 27
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Team Captain [486]
TigerPulse: 93%
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Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 9:49 AM
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I recall him talking about having a meeting with Terry Don Phillips and thinking he was for sure getting fired. It never happened obviously and Dabo went and found BV and made a historic run. However, back then he didn’t have a 60 million dollar buyout to fall back on and a coaching staff and administration full of “yes men”. Time will tell if Dabo still has the fire in him he once did.
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Valley Legend [12829]
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that was also pre-portal/NIL era.....Dabo seems lost in this CFB era.....
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Oct 20, 2025, 9:51 AM
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I'm not sure he knows what to do b/c he doesn't seem to see the MACRO problems through all the MICRO problems.
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National Champion [7201]
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I don't think he has ever wanted to be an NFL coach, and that
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Oct 20, 2025, 9:56 AM
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is what college has turned into. Paw journey, graduation, all that stuff is meaningless now and Dabo thinks he can wait that out, or that it will get fixed. It wont.
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Dynasty Maker [3491]
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I don' know if he necessarily thinks he can wait it out . . .
Oct 20, 2025, 10:19 AM
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... I assume rather that he simply doesn't buy that it's a true dichotomy - and believes one can do both. I see no reason why one cant, either. Now whether he gets things turned around or not is a another matter, but if he does it won't be b/c he dropped or ignored all that stuff. Whatever he's gonna do, I'd rather him do all that while keeping the program respectable than not - hard as that may be in today's CFB landscape.
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Team Captain [486]
TigerPulse: 93%
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Team Captain [486]
TigerPulse: 93%
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Re: that was also pre-portal/NIL era.....Dabo seems lost in this CFB era.....
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:32 AM
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That’s why he needs to take a step back and hire people that are gonna go recruit players at other schools even if he doesn’t agree with it.
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Starter [252]
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Hall of Famer [8773]
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Ultimate Tiger [34262]
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All-Pro [700]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
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Oct 20, 2025, 9:54 AM
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This back against the wall situation is self inflicted. Does anyone see it otherwise and should we expect Dabo to be willing to humble himself and admit change is needed? Or will he threaten to go win elsewhere or rest on past accomplishments?
I hope he can accept that change is needed and it begins with him but I am also skeptical that he can set his ego aside. This seems to be a struggle for him as he has aged.
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Game Changer [1719]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 9:57 AM
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I don’t doubt Dabo will get it turned around, he will make changes needed. I think paying incoming freshman to get the best will be a start.
I know most of you want coaching changes but I believe it’s about the jimmy and joes.
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Valley Legend [12829]
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just curious.....what makes you believe he will turn it around??...
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:07 AM
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just note:
-I'm not attacking your position/opinion
but, it's a new world and he's either not changed or "slowplayed" changes over the last 5 years. The changes that he has made have yet to "work". I'm not advocating for a change THIS YEAR, however the AD/BOT need to have a brutally honest sitdown w/ Dabo at the end of the season and give the ultimatum of what and how he needs to fix it.......If he refuses to "abide by the new rules" or doesn't want to then good riddance.
$11.5million is a lot of money to throw away each year to a coach that doesn't want/can't/refuses to live in the new world of CFB.
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Orange Blooded [2356]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Difference between before and now is he didn't have the
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:06 AM
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ego and hubris he has now. Before he was trying to prove something, now he thinks since he's proven it before, he is just fine.
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Campus Hero [13417]
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Re: Difference between before and now is he didn't have the
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:16 AM
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^^^^ yes yes yes ^^^^
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TigerNet Elite [70929]
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Head Coach [951]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 10:13 AM
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Since getting curb stomped by OSU in the 2020 semifinal Clemson has finished every year with 9-10 wins. The issues "looked" small. A player here, a coach there, tweak this, tweak that. Then comes 2025 and the wheels have come completely off. Now from "30000 feet" looking back the issues are big and everywhere. I have a hard time believing Dabo doesn't see them all. Including the ones nobody on Tnet would have clue about. I trust Dabo. I just do. I believe he will make many changes, whether or not they are successful, we'll find out soon enough. I believe he's earned the benefit of the doubt.
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Valley Legend [12829]
TigerPulse: 89%
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see.....that's where you and Dabo have been blinded.....ignore win totals.......
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:20 AM
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they are MEANINGLESS in this league. This league would insulate ANYBODY to glaring weaknesses we have had the last 5 years. You must look at the game within the game. If you want a detail of that through the years of our demise then see link below, but Dabo has leaned on the 9-10 win mantra as a badge of honor and that works to a point, but it CAN'T cloud the judgement and blind himself to the grim reality of what our program/team has become. It just can't. This is a pathetic conference and he's got us to a "NATIONAL LEVEL" to where we are judged on what we do NATIONALLY.......not just the ACC. Be honest and trust your eyes of what we've seen since the 2019 National championship game vs LSU.
The issues were EXTREMELY OBVIOUS and have been for a while now.
https://www.tigernet.com/clemson-forum/message/fall-from-elite.........signs-were-there.......just-ignored.......-37367477
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Valley Protector [1450]
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Re: see.....that's where you and Dabo have been blinded.....ignore win totals.......
Oct 20, 2025, 10:32 AM
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The secret sauce left when Jeff Scott left in 2020. With DJ being a bust TE did an amazing job to help salvage 21. Without the combination of JS and TE the offense with a poor QB couldn’t cover for a few defensive lapses on big plays that always happened under BV. And conversely the D couldn’t make the big and needed plays where needed under WG. Recruiting slipped after both JS and BV gone. We don’t have the troops right now on D to play recklessly as we used to and cannot intimidate anyone. It’s totally broken and it started in my opinion with the loss of JS. Right now neither side of the ball is anything but average on a good day and can’t complement the other when it has a bad day against good competition. The portal is a factor too. When the other team has guys with 12-24 actual games under their belt, instead of 2 years of practice, the playing field is NOT level.
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Head Coach [951]
TigerPulse: 99%
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Re: see.....that's where you and Dabo have been blinded.....ignore win totals.......
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Oct 20, 2025, 11:23 AM
[ in reply to see.....that's where you and Dabo have been blinded.....ignore win totals....... ] |
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When I said "looked" I meant from Dabos perspective. Trust me when I tell you I've been frustrated with some of Dabo's decisions the last 5 years. I've thought the OL weak since 2019. WR depth became a problem in 2020. The year we only had a good D because of Isaiah Simmons being moved all over the field was the start of the worries on the DL. I know you're frustrated, me too. I'm just saying Dabo deserves a little faith. He's earned it.
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Valley Legend [12829]
TigerPulse: 89%
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got it....misunderstood there, but I agree Dabo has been blinded......
Oct 20, 2025, 11:34 AM
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and he does "deserve" a chance to fix what HE CAUSED, with the caveat that he's given the ultimatum of how/what to do to fix it by the AD/BOT.
I'm NOT convinced he knows or willing to do the things that need to be done to fix it.............and if not, then.........sorry, but good riddance. I'm most frustrated because if I and several others on here saw this 4+ years ago and have been harping on this for that long.............then why can't DABO SEE THIS????...........that's an uncomfortable feeling when your $11.5million/year coach can't/refuses to see what the very football educated fans can see from MILES AWAY.
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Head Coach [951]
TigerPulse: 99%
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Re: got it....misunderstood there, but I agree Dabo has been blinded......
Oct 20, 2025, 11:43 AM
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I feel, in essence, we agree. The only thing I would really disagree with is "good riddance". At least if only by degrees. If it comes to that and Dabo has to be let go, it would break my heart. I like Dabo and there's no guarantee the next guy will be any improvement.
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Valley Legend [12829]
TigerPulse: 89%
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that's fair.....it's meant only if Dabo says "no I'm not doing that".......
Oct 20, 2025, 11:59 AM
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I appreciate what he's done........and I don't want him gone, but if he can't get on board with the new age of CFB, then Clemson doesn't need to waste money on paying for that. I hate where CFB has gone.......I don't like the portal.........I said YEARS ago that a simple "stipend" to CFB players would ruin the game and create a "give a mouse a cookie" scenario, now here we are, BUT I also know Clemson has to "play the game" to the fullest extent to stay nationally relevant/elite.
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Top TigerNet [28437]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:21 AM
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He definitely can, the question is, will he force himself to do the things he really doesn’t wanna do…
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Valley Protector [1450]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
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Oct 20, 2025, 10:35 AM
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I believe he won’t
I’ve said for years that when his 3rd son graduated he would retire and run for the Senate from SC.
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Top TigerNet [28437]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 10:36 AM
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He might want to think about a Plan C…
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National Champion [7992]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 11:08 AM
[ in reply to Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before ] |
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Well, he’s on another wasted scholarship right .. $11.5 million doesn’t go as far as it used to .. the gravy train of friends and family will continue until the pot runs dry.
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Game Changer [1735]
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Re: Dabos had his back against the wall before
Oct 20, 2025, 10:43 AM
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this is a good point, he was struggling before Venables, and back to struggling without. Dabo never was a good coach without venables.
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CU Guru [1555]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Did Dabo "find" BV or did Phillips tell him who to hire
Oct 20, 2025, 11:56 AM
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Much like the Tootsie Roll Pop commercial, the world will never know.
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