About 10 years in the past, it appeared like Dabo Swinney was lastly getting it.
His Clemson groups had turn out to be the gold commonplace of the Atlantic Coast Convention, dominating the league and going toe-to-toe with Alabama. The Tigers gained 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 might need been the very best school workforce of the final 20 years.
Past that, Swinney established every little thing else a championship program requires—tradition, relationships and accountability—whereas doing issues his approach. Life was good within the Upstate, and it appeared it will keep that approach for some time.
Quick-forward to Saturday. Clemson opened the 2024 season with a 34-3 loss to Georgia, a sport 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 gained’t. And so they most likely gained’t till Swinney stops dwelling within the was and begins dwelling 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 right down to eat a four-course meal with out silverware. You may get full ultimately, 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 could’t unsee.
Not that a lot of the ACC is a lot better nowadays. Florida State dribbled down its pants leg final weekend in Eire, dropping to Georgia Tech in a sport that uncovered the Seminoles’ lack of toughness. Virginia Tech was touted as a possible sleeper workforce by some specialists, then misplaced in extra 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 stated he needed to go to a silent rely on his workforce’s profitable landing due to the noise Hokie followers had been making. Silent rely at house? That might be just like the Cameron Crazies making an attempt to rattle one among their very own gamers on a key foul shot.
If relegation existed in school 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 night time’s sport and might need gained in Boulder if the Massive 12 refs hadn’t whiffed a blatant concentrating on that price 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 put up a giant win at Florida? Effectively, sure, in case you’re into profitable 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 apart from that, the Hurricanes haven’t been related in 20 years, or in regards to the time Kellen Winslow Jr. referred to himself as a soldier in one of the underrated postgame rants of our time after a house loss to Tennessee.
Perhaps Dabo can do 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 perhaps contending for championships once more.
