Listening to Dabo presser

[Udynasty]

He mentioned a couple things that caught me off guard. The first one being this was the first game they were out gained all year. Even in the FSU game they held them to 17 points of offense in regulation, 311 yards and 22 yards rushing on 20 carries. Which is crazy with all the multiple looks they give in the run game mixed with a dual threat qb.

Later in the presser he discussed their running game and how we dared them to pass. We stayed in a bear front most of the night with one safety deep. I thought the media misspoke when they asked about holding them to 31 yards on 34 carries ( 0.9 ypc). But that was in fact true. Lastly he mentioned our 200 + yards rushing while they were selling out to stop it. I would’ve never expected that with a first time starting Fr qb.

Which leads me to my point. This isn’t your same Clemson from years past but don’t get it twisted , that’s a playoff caliber defense we pushed around even though they were playing downhill. With a very good good secondary. Their Ol although not great but more than good enough got mauled by our DL , with most of our starters playing majority of the snaps. Clemson had outplayed most of their opponents this year but they continue to have the same issues, mostly losing the turnover battle and having a flaming idiot at qb. That trend continued Saturday. I will say the biggest area they’ve fallen off is skill guys out wide. They don’t have their typical dudes stretching the field. I think the air is coming out of the ballon there.

This game showed what I’ve been saying since the summer “ this Miami team is different , from leadership , mimd set on down to work ethic. They’ve had multiple times to fold camp , quit and they refuse to do it. They continue to be resilient.

Now the next test will be how do they handle success and a big win. Can we start a trend of consistency, which is an important step with building a program. After UVA’s win this weekend the coaches shouldn’t have to try too hard to get players attention.

tremendous post. spot on

 

[Canezum5]

What I feel we have done is come into every single game with a good gameplan, good enough to win. The games we lost didn't have much to do with the gameplan. We poorly executed the gameplan against Texh but still should've won.

Clemson offense has been bad, but I felt we executed our gameplan tremendously this week, on both sides of the ball.

Idk about poor execution.

Tech came out begging us to take the short to intermediate throws and it seemed quite clear our plan was to go bombs over Baghdad. Either it was our plan or TVD just decided to go Rogue. I'd like to believe the former.

Bad gameplan.

 

[Canezum5]

I’m all for looking at the stats. But am I wrong for feeling like it wasn’t that great once you take away the 80 yard Breshard run? Then is 131 yards in 37 attempts 3.54 a carry, which is still better than Clemson obviously.

Also we didn’t let Emory get sacked vs a good DL which is huge!

F that.

It was great. Respect what you're looking at. The Oline and backs faced 8 to 9 man box and grinded out some TOUGH *** yards. A lot of effort given on both units. If you truly watched and know what you're looking at. That was textbook ****. You honestly couldn't have asked for better given the circumstances.


Them boys EARNED every **** yard and we gone honor that **** my guy.

 

[E1k]

I think dabo knew this was really important game for them, he looked devastated at the end and in the presser.

 

[Canezum5]

I think dabo knew this was really important game for them, he looked devastated at the end and in the presser.

That won't the 305 humidity. That man was sweating like a frozen water bottle with the windows up in the summer.

That was the perspiration of stress and anxiety.

He needed to be able to hang his hat on " we beat a really talented Miami team... blah blah"

 

[E1k]

That won't the 305 humidity. That man was sweating like a frozen water bottle with the windows up in the summer.

That was the perspiration of stress and anxiety.

He needed to be able to hang his hat on " we beat a really talented Miami team... blah blah"

Yea, not even with just us tho. It was the same type of game for us if we lose we 4-3 and the season looks super dark, they 4-3 now with multiple games they should have won.

A win could have got them back on track just like I think it did for us

 

[Canezum5]

Yea, not even with just us tho. It was the same type of game for us if we lose we 4-3 and the season looks super dark, they 4-3 now with multiple games they should have won.

A win could have got them back on track just like I think it did for us

Agreed. That's why I won't honor any downplay of Clemson to humble that win.

Clemson wanted that game really bad and needed it just as much as we did.

It was clear in how emotional their players were. Great game for the Canes from a mental standpoint.

Game management may be questionable but Mario's methodology of building a mentally and physically tough team is not.

 

[E1k]

Agreed. That's why I won't honor any downplay of Clemson to humble that win.

Clemson wanted that game really bad and needed it just as much as we did.

It was clear in how emotional their players were. Great game for the Canes from a mental standpoint.

Game management may be questionable but Mario's methodology of building a mentally and physically tough team is not.

Mario checks alot of boxes, culture builder, knows how to build up the standard of a program, talent acquisition

Some really great attributes but the negatives are he cant coach one side of the ball like most so we will be looking for top coordinators alot, gameday coaching bad, needs a just a philosophy update I wouldn’t say complete change but there’s just new ways to get what he wants it seems he thinks u have to do it the same to get the same results but hiring dawson could be a step in a new direction

 

[S.CarolinaCane]

Idk about poor execution.

Tech came out begging us to take the short to intermediate throws and it seemed quite clear our plan was to go bombs over Baghdad. Either it was our plan or TVD just decided to go Rogue. I'd like to believe the former.

Bad gameplan.

I dont think so. First drive TVD decides not to run and shuffles it to Young for no reason. Loss of 4. He tucks it there and gets 3 yards, next down is manageable. Then on the 4th down, we run the screen and no one blocks, not even a little bit.

Next drive, on 3rd down, TVD throws behind McCormick, when X was actually wide open at the 1st down marker in the other slot.

3rd drive Williams has the ball in his hands on 3rd down, cant haul it in.

We get the pick, TVD does what you said, B.O.B., gives it right back.

Despite all the sloppy offensive play, we go to the half up 3-0. Defense has dominated.

We find a way to go up 10, and then the defense has a breakdown, I saw more breakdowns in our secondary in this game, than anywhere else.

The next pick was on TVD

Defense breaks down again

Then the 3rd pick, it was a read route, George runs the hitch, then tries to go out but TVD has thrown the ball. If George goes to the ball, he may or may not catch it, but its not a pick. Probably just broken up. Although TVD shouldn't have been so trigger happy either.

Despite all of that, we still go up, midway through the 4th, and the coach's brilliance come in to play. 3rd & 10, we snap it with 33 seconds left and decide to hand it off. We know the story.

and lastly, to top it all off, poor execution by the defense. 2nd & 10 we give up the big play. Then the last play of that drive (10 seconds left), for some ungodly reason we think we should bite on a double move. The WR gets behind the defense. Catches the ball with 3 seconds on the clock. If we keep him in front, make the tackle, the clock still runs out after its spotted. Game over. Canes still win a very sloppy game

 

[Empirical Cane]

Some interesting comments about Clemson from ESPN.

Few answers for slumping Clemson

Times are tough in Death Valley. Clemson is 4-3, with three losses in ACC play for the first time since 2010. The Tigers' playoff hopes, conference title hopes, hope in general -- they're all gone. Just days after Dabo Swinney suggested a few losses might cull the herd of ungrateful fans on the team's bandwagon, Clemson fell in overtime to Miami and that bandwagon is just an empty car speeding off a cliff.

For the second time this year, Clemson blew a double-digit lead and lost in OT.

For the third time this year, Clemson lost a game Swinney knows his team had no business losing.

For the first time in a long time, there seems to be no clear path forward for a program that dominated the ACC for the past decade.

What's so frustrating is the underlying metrics largely suggest a very good football team. Clemson is 18th in the Football Power Index (FPI), 19th in SP+, ninth among Power 5 teams in successful play differential and 11th in explosive play differential. Swinney now must fix something that doesn't really appear to be broken.

"This team is in a position to win," Swinney said after the loss to Miami. "I don't have an answer. I just don't."

There are ample places to point fingers, but none reveal a true villain.

Swinney has blamed turnovers, and indeed, Clemson has an issue with fumbles. But the Tigers are in the middle of the pack in turnover differential, a margin created by little more than some bad luck and the law of averages.

Fans are rightly upset with quarterback Cade Klubnik after he changed a playcall on fourth down that ended the game in double OT, but since Week 3, he has accounted for 11 touchdowns, just one interception and a 70.7 Total QBR, just a step behind UNC's Drake Maye.

The defense certainly didn't live up to expectations given Miami was starting a freshman quarterback (Emory Williams) with little prior experience, but that unit, too, has been one of the most consistently stifling in the country, posting a successful play rate in line with those of Michigan and Alabama.

Garrett Riley's offensive scheme has frustrated some -- too many short throws, not enough big plays. But Clemson averages 10 explosive plays per game, the same rate as ACC leader Florida State.

After last year's Orange Bowl frustrations, Swinney fired his OC. DJ Uiagalelei, the favored punching bag in each of the past two years, left for Oregon State (where he has been one of the better QBs nationally). The defense is loaded with NFL talent. The Tigers have been in every game.

And yet, here they are -- losers of six of their past 11 Power 5 games, with little room to maneuver in another direction. The only plan might be to stay the course, and that's a plan almost certain to send whatever fans remain on the bandwagon diving for cover. -- David Hale

I've said it for a bit now...

Clemson is headed towards (probably already arrived) to where Miami and other "stuck in the mud" programs have been sitting for years.

You know the last people to know the Roman Empire had fallen?

The Romans.

The same cracks are showing in Tuscaloosa too....

 

[Ghandi]

I've said it for a bit now...

Clemson is headed towards (probably already arrived) to where Miami and other "stuck in the mud" programs have been sitting for years.

You know the last people to know the Roman Empire had fallen?

The Romans.

The same cracks are showing in Tuscaloosa too....

The difference is that Bama is still finding a way to win, which will mask the issues that are apparent.

I don’t know how they can keep pulling out these squeakers against lesser teams.

 

[Canezum5]

I dont think so. First drive TVD decides not to run and shuffles it to Young for no reason. Loss of 4. He tucks it there and gets 3 yards, next down is manageable. Then on the 4th down, we run the screen and no one blocks, not even a little bit.

Next drive, on 3rd down, TVD throws behind McCormick, when X was actually wide open at the 1st down marker in the other slot.

3rd drive Williams has the ball in his hands on 3rd down, cant haul it in.

We get the pick, TVD does what you said, B.O.B., gives it right back.

Despite all the sloppy offensive play, we go to the half up 3-0. Defense has dominated.

We find a way to go up 10, and then the defense has a breakdown, I saw more breakdowns in our secondary in this game, than anywhere else.

The next pick was on TVD

Defense breaks down again

Then the 3rd pick, it was a read route, George runs the hitch, then tries to go out but TVD has thrown the ball. If George goes to the ball, he may or may not catch it, but its not a pick. Probably just broken up. Although TVD shouldn't have been so trigger happy either.

Despite all of that, we still go up, midway through the 4th, and the coach's brilliance come in to play. 3rd & 10, we snap it with 33 seconds left and decide to hand it off. We know the story.

and lastly, to top it all off, poor execution by the defense. 2nd & 10 we give up the big play. Then the last play of that drive (10 seconds left), for some ungodly reason we think we should bite on a double move. The WR gets behind the defense. Catches the ball with 3 seconds on the clock. If we keep him in front, make the tackle, the clock still runs out after its spotted. Game over. Canes still win a very sloppy game

Love this reply. You've done ya homework. Respect. Point taken bredren.

 

[S.CarolinaCane]

Love this reply. You've done ya homework. Respect. Point taken bredren.

Yeah should all be able to make the case to be undefeated, but we're 5-2. That's it.

Hopefully we can just handle business going forward.

 

[ben]

Unpopular take, but I like Dabo

 

[BS85]

He mentioned a couple things that caught me off guard. The first one being this was the first game they were out gained all year. Even in the FSU game they held them to 17 points of offense in regulation, 311 yards and 22 yards rushing on 20 carries. Which is crazy with all the multiple looks they give in the run game mixed with a dual threat qb.

Later in the presser he discussed their running game and how we dared them to pass. We stayed in a bear front most of the night with one safety deep. I thought the media misspoke when they asked about holding them to 31 yards on 34 carries ( 0.9 ypc). But that was in fact true. Lastly he mentioned our 200 + yards rushing while they were selling out to stop it. I would’ve never expected that with a first time starting Fr qb.

Which leads me to my point. This isn’t your same Clemson from years past but don’t get it twisted , that’s a playoff caliber defense we pushed around even though they were playing downhill. With a very good good secondary. Their Ol although not great but more than good enough got mauled by our DL , with most of our starters playing majority of the snaps. Clemson had outplayed most of their opponents this year but they continue to have the same issues, mostly losing the turnover battle and having a flaming idiot at qb. That trend continued Saturday. I will say the biggest area they’ve fallen off is skill guys out wide. They don’t have their typical dudes stretching the field. I think the air is coming out of the ballon there.

This game showed what I’ve been saying since the summer “ this Miami team is different , from leadership , mimd set on down to work ethic. They’ve had multiple times to fold camp , quit and they refuse to do it. They continue to be resilient.

Now the next test will be how do they handle success and a big win. Can we start a trend of consistency, which is an important step with building a program. After UVA’s win this weekend the coaches shouldn’t have to try too hard to get players attention.

Not to focus on Clemson or be negative but Cade truly is one of the dumbest players I've ever seen. He might be smart off the field but hia football IQ is extremely low.

 

[JayCane20]

We run...



...and we stop the run.



That's us this year.

This basically tells me what I've thought all along... this would be a CFB playoff team with an elite RB like a top 3 round NFL kind of guy. We have a stable full of 2nd and 3rd string caliber guys.

 

[AlexCane]

Great post. I haven't read this entire thread, but it is a testament to Mario and this team's resolve to have played that way Saturday. Still a little concerned about a couple things but the desire was there-and after the last 2 weeks, glad to see it.

 

[BS85]

Are people still doing the fire Salaeva posts, or is 0.9 YPC against Clemson no biggie?

Yes, he should still be fired. Turns out you have to coach AND recruit to be useful. Also, the scheme is the biggest reason for the d-line playing better.

 

[PennsylvaniaCane]

4th quarter there were a bunch of times we were blocking 7 + a safety just outside the box with 6. Just flat out manhandled them. Francis flat out sent one of their DE flying one time with a single arm push. Very impressive.

Thankfully they got away from the DL rotation. There was one series in the first half where 2nd/3rd team DL was out there and Clemson gashed us. Coming up this week I want to see starters non stop until we have a comfortable lead. Then rotate.

 

[E1k]

This basically tells me what I've thought all along... this would be a CFB playoff team with an elite RB like a top 3 round NFL kind of guy. We have a stable full of 2nd and 3rd string caliber guys.

A couple game changers would put us in another realm