Our defense make HUGE, momentum swinging plays that change the course of a game and lead to a win?
The pattern goes like this. Our high powered offense looks like it's sputtering a bit inexplicably. Tigers fans have their face in their hands going, "What the hell is going on?? This doesn't make any sense". The other team is hitting some plays on us and moving the ball down the field. Our defense looks vulnerable. We maybe even have a flash of doubt in our minds - "Are we going to win this game?"
Then, our D makes a huge play, like a goal line stop a turn-over or just a 3 and out. Offense gets the ball back and we look like a different team. The D play lights out the rest of the game.
I was just thinking about this yesterday and it hit me, and along with this just how much Brent Venables has meant to us. Venables brings such an intense will to win that may only be matched by Dabo himself. Our defense has single-handedly willed us back into the drivers seat in games more times than I can count in the last 5-6 years.
We have grown so accustomed to this as Clemson fans. But honestly, I don't think there is any other D coordinators out there who bring this factor as much as Venables. This intense will to win. We are so fortunate to have him, and maybe only Dabo knows his true value to this program.