Attitude Shifts About Dabo?

BamaMark.

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Jun 21, 2012
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I did just that. He's 75-27 at Clemson. Now that's not quite Les Miles at LSU good (112-32 which was almost good enough to get fired), but it's pretty good. Then I remembered he coached in the ACC, the weakest major conference. So what is so darn special about that record?

The fact is he still hasn't won the big game, he still hasn't knocked off a top 2 team and up until this year his resume was completely hollow. He did what, win the ACC with 4 losses? That makes a guy something special? Sorry, he hasn't done anything special outside of this year and that was with Watson.
Well to be fair, Les can thank NS for a lot of his early success at LSU and Les has had a hard time winning the big game for a while now. But back to Dabo, I don't care if you like him or not but to try to question his success at Clemson is ridiculous. He's brought them back from the dead basically. He's been building that program for 7 years now and was darn close to winning it all this year. He's won 10 games or more in each of the last 5 years. I'm not saying he's the best coach out there and maybe not in my top 5 but he's done about as good as anybody could do considering he's at Clemson.
 

Intl.Aperture

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I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but a superlative player and a team feeding from a coach's emotion can go a long way - do you really think Chizik is a great HC? He accomplished more than Dabo did with a superlative player and lots of emotion - the auburn players would have run through a brick wall for him...

People were ready to hire Sumlin to replace Saban a few years ago, but a few of us were suggesting people slow down and see what happens. Time is the judge of whether a coach is lucky, good, or great. One or two good seasons proves little.
You raise some good points.
#1: I'd say he has had more than 1 or 2 good seasons at Clemson. A school not known for sustaining success in football. Remembering just how difficult it is to maintain any degree of success in the current CFB climate. That's remarkable and admirable to me.
#2: Whether I agree with his style or his choice of job venues I wouldn't say Gene Chizik is a bad HC. Relativity plays a lot with the way we gauge "Great" around here, I think. The truth is that our current HC isn't just great, he's transcendent. This is my own definition, so it's easy to see why many of us could be on separate pages. Whether luck or a great player is involved I still believe...for that year...you have to be a great coach to win a national championship. You still have to put some of the pieces together. We both seem to agree that sustainability is the key. Chizik, from what I understand, is doing great things at NC. He's not a HC anymore but has really turned their defense around (which is more than we can say for some would be defensive saviors returning to the state of Alabama! cough-Muschamp-cough), so he's not a fluke or a miserable coach. He wasn't able to sustain greatness. That's what separates the Saban's and Bryant's and Leahy's from the Swinney's and Miles's and Brown's. I think those guys are great HC's (though I recognize I listed 2 guys who have achieved Natl' Championships, they also worked at programs capable of achieving those championships) Dabo seems to be what I would identify as a great HC....just not an all time transcendent one. But time will tell.
 

BamaMark.

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Jun 21, 2012
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As far as I can remember, Dabo has used some form of the "us against the world" mentality every year at Clemson. This year he fed the players "no one respects us" aspect of it. That's not going to work at Alabama. I question if he can use any other form of motivation since that's all he's known. If he can't, he'll have issues at another school.
He has definitely used that mentality but it may just be his way to get to his players. He has definitely shown that he is a player's coach and they love him. There have been successful coaches at every level who use that approach. We haven't had a coach like that at Bama in my lifetime, well except for Mike Price I guess and he doesn't count. Who knows if he would be successful at Bama or not, my opinion is we will never know.
 

twofbyc

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Oct 14, 2009
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Dabo is a very good coach; so is Urban the Turban. So is Hugh Freeze. So is Jimbo Fisher. Doesn't mean I have to like their personalities or styles. Actually in all cases I dislike them a lot.
 

TheAccountant

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Mar 22, 2011
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I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but a superlative player and a team feeding from a coach's emotion can go a long way - do you really think Chizik is a great HC? He accomplished more than Dabo did with a superlative player and lots of emotion - the auburn players would have run through a brick wall for him...

People were ready to hire Sumlin to replace Saban a few years ago, but a few of us were suggesting people slow down and see what happens. Time is the judge of whether a coach is lucky, good, or great. One or two good seasons proves little.
Except Dabo has had sustained success since 2011 where as Chizik or Sumlin has not. 5 straight 10 win seasons with bowl wins over LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma (2x) in the past few years is pretty decent.
 

CrimsonForce

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Dec 20, 2012
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As far as I can remember, Dabo has used some form of the "us against the world" mentality every year at Clemson. This year he fed the players "no one respects us" aspect of it. That's not going to work at Alabama. I question if he can use any other form of motivation since that's all he's known. If he can't, he'll have issues at another school.
I was thinking about this also. What will Dabo use as the rallying cry next year? It can't be the disrespect card because they will be everyone's preseason #1 and I read yesterday that they would probably open as an 8-9 point favorite in their first game @ AU. This is the biggest potential flaw I see with Dabo's coaching and motivational style. Will be very interesting to see how next year turns out when Clemson is the hunted instead of the hunter..
 

RTR91

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Nov 23, 2007
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He has definitely used that mentality but it may just be his way to get to his players. He has definitely shown that he is a player's coach and they love him. There have been successful coaches at every level who use that approach. We haven't had a coach like that at Bama in my lifetime, well except for Mike Price I guess and he doesn't count. Who knows if he would be successful at Bama or not, my opinion is we will never know.
That's my point, though. He's used it every year. It makes one believe he doesn't know anything else.
 

TIDE-HSV

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I LOLed when I saw where this discussion has gone since yesterday.

First, I only asked if attitudes have shifted about Dabo being a good coach...not about him suceeding CNS at Bama.

Second, I'm aware there is some baggage left over from the Dubose regime of which Earle speaks of from time to time. I don't know specifics but I believe he knows some things and is concerned about it.

Third, I know CNS and Dabo's styles are drastically different, but I'm very concerned if we try to replace CNS with a CNS clone he'll flame out in a couple of years. Anytime you are replacing/following a long tenured/wildly successful person, you have to "be yourself" or you will fail.

Fourth, does anybody know how many NCs CNS had at 46, Dabo's age??? That's right, CNS didn't win his first NC until he was over 50 at LSU. So, it's almost impossible to project Dabo's worth as a replacement for CNS not knowing what he might/might not do in the next few years.

All said, I do think his career is on the right trajectory as a head coach. The big question might be, "If he breaks thru and wins a NC or gets Clemson in the 4 team playoff another time or two, would this be enough to make folks forget whatever happened when he was a young assitant at Bama?" TPTB, I assume, will be the ones to answer that if/when the time comes to consider CNS's replacement.
True, but it was inevitable, considering that the "Dabo to Bama" theme is constant. I agree with CA. Let's see how he does for a few years without superman at QB, and we'll know then how he rates as a coach. Whether he's a "good man" really doesn't bear on his coaching ability. There have been some very good coaches who were very low in character and good men who couldn't coach their way out of a paper bag. Dabo may now be a "good man;" IDK. I'm basing my opinion on whether or not I'd want him on our sideline on his behavior before. Some people change and maybe he has. (See - I just hijacked your thread again.) :)
 

92tide

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As far as I can remember, Dabo has used some form of the "us against the world" mentality every year at Clemson. This year he fed the players "no one respects us" aspect of it. That's not going to work at Alabama. I question if he can use any other form of motivation since that's all he's known. If he can't, he'll have issues at another school.
that mentality will be hard to maintain when espn and others are camped out in clemson all off-season talking superlatives about clemson and watson.
 

trenda

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As far as I can remember, Dabo has used some form of the "us against the world" mentality every year at Clemson. This year he fed the players "no one respects us" aspect of it. That's not going to work at Alabama. I question if he can use any other form of motivation since that's all he's known. If he can't, he'll have issues at another school.
After this season, it will be hard for him to use that mantra. Clemson is likely to start next season at #1. Two seasons of being one of the top 1-3 teams is going to shift the bullseye on to the Tigers. He'll get a chance to show if he can handle that.

As far as attitude towards Dabo, I have been really happy that a former Bama player and coach has done well. The caveat has been that he's been doing it in the ACC. That said, I was impressed with how the Tigers performed against Bama Monday night. They were the real deal. Does that mean I want him for our next coach? Not right now. Once Coach Saban has decided to hang it up, there is no telling who will be best for our program. Dabo may or may not be a part of the mix. Only time will tell.
 

crimsonaudio

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that mentality will be hard to maintain when espn and others are camped out in clemson all off-season talking superlatives about clemson and watson.
He'll figure something out. Maybe he'll just buckle down and learn to coach from the lead, though that's a tough position t be in for very long.

Dabo's done a good job at Clemson, and while they play a tougher schedule than BSu, I'm reminded of how Petersen suddenly looks mortal having left Boise. I'm still not convinced Dabo's an elite coach.
 

Im_on_dsp

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Oct 10, 2007
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For everyone so enamored of Dabo let me state the following:

Gene Chizik + Scam Newton = Great Team
Dabo Swinney + Deshaun Watson = Great Team

Let's see how good they are once DW is gone. DW's performance was about 75% of that team on Monday. Without him they would have gotten DRILLED!
 

TheAccountant

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Mar 22, 2011
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True, but it was inevitable, considering that the "Dabo to Bama" theme is constant. I agree with CA. Let's see how he does for a few years without superman at QB, and we'll know then how he rates as a coach.
3 years prior to Deshaun Watson (2011-2013) he was 32-8 with a blow out loss in the Orange to West Virginia, a win over LSU in the Chickfila, and a win over undefeated Ohio State in the Orange.
 

TheAccountant

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Let's see how good they are once DW is gone. DW's performance was about 75% of that team on Monday. Without him they would have gotten DRILLED!
And we would have gotten drilled if our QB play sucked or we didn't have the Heisman Trophy winner. That's championship football played at a high level.
 

BamaMark.

1st Team
Jun 21, 2012
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That's my point, though. He's used it every year. It makes one believe he doesn't know anything else.
Yeah, I get your point and I should have explained my point better. It's working for him at Clemson so why would he change it. It was mention above that he will more than likely be ranked #1 at the start of next season so we'll see how he handles it.
 

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