#1 thing I learned from last night's game!

[Canes1968]

Coaching still trumps sheer talent! Sure, Clemson is a very talented team on paper, but if you compare their roster to Alabama's, there is still a HUGE gap. Clemson has just done a superior job of evaluating talent, coaching up that talent, and maximizing that talent via scheme and play calling. They've been doing it for almost a decade now, and guess what, it's increased their ability to recruit more sheer talent.

This gives me hope that we can still solve this problem despite the paper recruiting losses.

 

[jjjrcanes]

Coaching still trumps sheer talent! Sure, Clemson is a very talented team on paper, but if you compare their roster to Alabama's, there is still a HUGE gap. Clemson has just done a superior job of evaluating talent, coaching up that talent, and maximizing that talent via scheme and play calling. They've been doing it for almost a decade now, and guess what, it's increased their ability to recruit more sheer talent.

This gives me hope that we can still solve this problem despite the paper recruiting losses.

Bingo!!!

 

[kingzmountain]

HUGE gap? Really?

 

[Gsugradcanefan]

Watching the game last night it was clear that Clemson out-schemed Bama on both sides of the ball. Even with Tua this past season they hadn't done anything spectacular on offense, they just beat teams with talent advantages and depth. Dabo coached circles around saban last night.

 

[Brandinho]

Coaching and experience for sure is what led to last night's dominance. Most of that defense last night had 59 games under its belt, there hasn't been a play or formation they haven't seen.

 

[ICANEDOIT]

I didn't see a huge gap in talent. In fact, I saw Clemson with a better QB, RB, OL, WR corps, DL, secondary, and kicker. Didn't notice the LBs. Oh, And the Clemson cheerleaders were better looking too.

 

[gacaneaddict]

huge Gap?

Trevor lawrence
Travis Etienne
Justyn Ross
Tee Higgins
Mitch Hyatt
Christian Wilkens
Dexter Lawrence
Clelin Ferrell
Austin Bryant
Xavier Thomas
Trayvon Mullen
AJ Terrell

You’re talking about guys that are going top 2-3 rounds and many 1st round picks.

I don’t think their is a huge gap at all.

 

[The Svengali]

Lol

Clemsons is more talented than Bama.

Better talent on Oline, better talent in secondary, better talent on front 7, better QB, their equal with depth, and it’s a wash at RB

 

[Atom Atlas]

Clemson having the second coming of Peyton Manning helped a bunch... That kid Lawrence is really freaking good.

 

[bigpurk45]

To add to that as well, Clemson had their JRs return for their senior season that makes a difference. We needed to keep guys like Joe Jackson to stay, Every year this seems to be a problem with guys ready to jump ship... Once we change that culture and have guys realize what they could be with 1 more year on tape... They should use the Clemson seniors as an example of what could be. Remember Georgia almost beat Alabama last year with a senior loaded team. Imagine if we kept 1 or both our DTs from last year to pair with Willis... Imagine a line with McIntosh and Willis... JJ and Garvin on the Ends... That would have won us at least 2 more games. We just need our JRs to give us that 4th year and find a **** QB and an OC... Justin Fields would have been a God send this year if he would have came.

 

[canadianhurricane]

I dont know if the gap is "huge" but I'd definitely say Bama has more talent. That said, Clemson outcoached Bama and won the game with great performances by a couple of freshmen!!!

Clemson invests in their program but more importantly their staff. Dabo has always had quality assistants. Venables earned every dollar last night. That is why you pay the right guys to be OC/DC and dont just hire a 'recruiter'.

 

[brock]

Lol

Clemsons is more talented than Bama.

Better talent on Oline, better talent in secondary, better talent on front 7, better QB, their equal with depth, and it’s a wash at RB

Rb and maybe db(they didn’t play like it) May be the only position bama is more talented than Clemson at. Also receiver but Clemson got some pure ballers

 

[RightSaidFred]

Coaching still trumps sheer talent! Sure, Clemson is a very talented team on paper, but if you compare their roster to Alabama's, there is still a HUGE gap. Clemson has just done a superior job of evaluating talent, coaching up that talent, and maximizing that talent via scheme and play calling. They've been doing it for almost a decade now, and guess what, it's increased their ability to recruit more sheer talent.

This gives me hope that we can still solve this problem despite the paper recruiting losses.

Clemson has the most elite QB I’ve ever seen.

Tua is pretty good, but the difference between Tua and Lawrence is huge.

Lawrence is the next Joe Montana. I really believe that. This kid looks better than any QB I’ve ever seen at the college level.

He will go on to win Super Bowls.

 

[For_The_U]

Coaching still trumps sheer talent! Sure, Clemson is a very talented team on paper, but if you compare their roster to Alabama's, there is still a HUGE gap. Clemson has just done a superior job of evaluating talent, coaching up that talent, and maximizing that talent via scheme and play calling. They've been doing it for almost a decade now, and guess what, it's increased their ability to recruit more sheer talent.

This gives me hope that we can still solve this problem despite the paper recruiting losses.

Coaching is a huge factor. But what I took away from last night even more is that winning is a whole lot easier when you have a generational player under center. Oh, and when 4 surefire top pick d-linemen all decide to return, your defense will be really really good.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

ROTFLOL at Huge Gap....

 

[jjjrcanes]

It's better to have skilled teachers and talented coaches then great recruiters!! If we didn't learn from James Coley before Golden plucked him from FSU the year after he was named the best recruiter in college football only to come to Miami and really couldn't close on any of the high quality QBs, then we will never learn anything!! James Coley couldn't sell a bad product under Golden. These kids don't care about a sales pitch anymore if you'er not producing and putting a quality product on the field!

Under golden we were not winning on the field so we couldn't win any recruiting battles. It's the same now and nothing will change until Diaz produce on the field!!

 

[Novacane32000]

The OP is comparing "on paper" talent and he is right. Bama has had the #1 recruiting class 3 of the last 5 years (#2 and #7 the other 2 years) and while Clemson has been very good their best class is #4 and had one class ranked #22. So yes Bama is better on paper.

Bama last 5 Classes---#7, #1, #1, #2, #1
Clemson last 5 classes #8, #22, #6, #4, #13

 

[Brandinho]

Lol

Clemsons is more talented than Bama.

Better talent on Oline, better talent in secondary, better talent on front 7, better QB, their equal with depth, and it’s a wash at RB

Last night possibly because of experience, over the course of 3-4 years I don't think so

 

[Ammok]

Clemson was hungrier.

 

[Justcanes]

The OP is comparing "on paper" talent and he is right. Bama has had the #1 recruiting class 3 of the last 5 years (#2 and #7 the other 2 years) and while Clemson has been very good their best class is #4 and had one class ranked #22. So yes Bama is better on paper.

Bama last 5 Classes---#7, #1, #1, #2, #1
Clemson last 5 classes #8, #22, #6, #4, #13

That's a misleading stat.....Clemson signs classes of 15-20, which weighs down their ranking. Bama signs classes of 25+ a year. A more telling stat is average ranking per recruit. There is NOT a talent gap in any way