How has Clemson kept hold of their staff?

DzynKingRTR

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Dec 17, 2003
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Honestly, I think most people thought Clemson was an also ran team,. Nobody wanted to poach a coach from a team that “just got lucky” and had a once in a lifetime player in Watson. After last night things have changed and they might start getting offers. Who knows? Maybe some are just happy not being “the man”. Maybe some have seen the failures of others and just don’t want the risk. I do think there are some ambitious coaches that are just using Saban and Alabama as a stepping stone to something better. Maybe Saban needs to re-evaluate his hiring process.
 

rgw

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Yup. DL made plays down there close though. That's really it. He called an adequate game. He's a great coordinator but this was just an adequate effort from him. If their offense was getting stopped, his defense would've been in deep doodoo.
 

EnterBama

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I saw in an interview that DC Venerbles had been with Clemson for 7 years. How has he not been snagged for a head coaching job before now? Bama seem to lose their coordinators every year, but Clemson just chugs along. Looking at the rest of the staff, the majority have been with Dabo for over 6 years. That kind of continuity can't be bought. What is Dabo's secret? Don't these guys have any ambition to move up the coaching ladder? Thoughts?
I don't know the answer but I think we need to see if we can entice their offensive coordinator to come to Bama because other than last year we've been unable to stop them even with one of the best defensive teams in Bama history.

They also seem to be able to keep a lot of their junior talent from bolting to the NFL. Clemson may have problems reloading this coming year because they lose a lot of seniors.
 

Chukker Veteran

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And, I know it makes some people feel uncomfortable, but I appreciate that he wants to give God credit for his success.

FWIW, I don't think God is a football fan and cares who wins, but I appreciate people who are successful remembering to give God glory for their success.
I understand Dabo's mindset, it's very nice he's a dedicated Christian. I've always seen Saban as a moral man who is also a Christian. I think he's Catholic, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I'm much more comfortable with Saban's approach to religion than I am with Dabo's, but I also understand that's just a personal preference.
 

CrimsonForce

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Clemson's national rankings in sacks:

2018 1st
2017 t-1st
2016 3rd
2015 2nd
2014 7th
2013 12th
2012 60th
2011 63rd

TFLs

2018 1st
2017 6th
2016 1st
2015 1st
2014 1st
2013 1st
2012 28th
2011 65th

Amazing numbers produced by Venables..
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
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Also heard another interview by Ryan Fowler the other day where Dabo will host a dinner at his house for all the new staff members... and he’ll invite all the media folks over so they can meet and visit with the new guys in a relaxed atmosphere.

For everything we hear from AU about “family”, it seems Dabo does it at Clemson.
Not to nit-pick but "family" at Auburn seems more like a slogan that seems to be a jab at Bama's business model.

But I think Dabo actually has figured out a way to make it work at a very high level and Auburn hasn't yet.

It kinda reminds me what companies like Google do...lot's of built in, personal benefits for working for them and they allow alot of flexibility.

BTW, I don't think anyone here is saying Dabo's approach is better or worse than CNS...but I'm just suggesting it's proven to work.
 

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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Saban attracts a different type of coach. When it works, it works very well, and it almost always works. But when you have to replace this many coaches at once, you invite disaster into your home.

Can't fault Dabo in his approach, but he got lucky to land this many guys with no desire to move up combined with a strong work ethic. Usually, when a person settles into a job, they become complacent. That hasn't happened there (yet).
 

ptw1961

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Dec 8, 2011
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It is called LLoyd's of London Insurance policies paid for by the school or boosters. That is how they do it.
I don't know the answer but I think we need to see if we can entice their offensive coordinator to come to Bama because other than last year we've been unable to stop them even with one of the best defensive teams in Bama history.

They also seem to be able to keep a lot of their junior talent from bolting to the NFL. Clemson may have problems reloading this coming year because they lose a lot of seniors.
 

ptw1961

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Half of Dabo's staff is made up of Alabama guys he played with in Tuscaloosa. They have reached as high as they will ever go and will never leave.
 

Sevenmm

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Nov 16, 2018
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I saw in an interview that DC Venerbles had been with Clemson for 7 years. How has he not been snagged for a head coaching job before now? Bama seem to lose their coordinators every year, but Clemson just chugs along. Looking at the rest of the staff, the majority have been with Dabo for over 6 years. That kind of continuity can't be bought. What is Dabo's secret? Don't these guys have any ambition to move up the coaching ladder? Thoughts?
First of all (I'm a former Bama resident as a child), congratulations on beating us OU, soundly as even though the numbers were under the 14 predicted, the game was never in doubt unless we connected on the on side kick.

To the question above, Brent V. came to OU with Mike and Bob Stoops, from Kansas St. where they created great defenses for them under Coach Snyder, also a great coach; Mike Stoops and Brent V. were more like a single person than two individuals when working together; After Mike went to U of Az. Brent had our D all by himself and we didn't do very well; but that was about the time the spread offenses came in and no one and even now no one really has an answer, much like the wishbone when atm, us and you guys came out with that; it stayed (Still does with Army, Ga.Tech.etc) strong and pretty much unanswerable till Jimmy Johnson and his great Miami teams. It was during this time the Oklahoma fans became negative toward Brent, it just wasn't getting done and left people believing since the downturn happened after Mike Stoops left, then it must be just Brent and the move started for getting Mike Stoops back (lesson learned, huge, super huge mistake) after he was let go from U. of AZ. we should have paid attention to the folks in Az.

So Mike came back and we still weren't as good on D as before. The fan base began to divide on the issue and since Mike, being Bob's brother, had that going for him, it was going to be Brent who left, everything else the same; when Clemson came calling Brent interviewed and wasn't snowed over, but liked it all the same; he in fact almost refused to board a connecting flight on his way for a final interview with Dabo; had he done that who knows ?? but he did and all reports are it was a match in every way. The rest is history, but and of interest is, Brent was always a good, very good recruiter and in the talent rich area he's in now, it was inevitable he would do well; what people are saying here are, that in the game last night, with Bama, that Brent had versions of the new trend in defending the spread and that is speed and attack modes. Of course the schemes matter and again the word here in OU land the thought is he took chances with his D and had them play to the Bama trends on plays and it worked....your thoughts can take it from there.

Brent of course still has many friends in Oklahoma and word here is as many on this thread have said, he's happy with his salary (and OU does not pay that much yet unless the new guy Grinch will be paid that), family and accomodations; still everyone here is guessing he will be getting real serious Head Coaching offers for some time and that he will likely take one, though as an assistant it's probably as good as it gets for him now.

Personally I don't buy into this being the end of the era for Bama or Nick Saban as some media pundits ask, I think simply to bring attention to themselves; there is always room to learn in this game and nobody does that better. Bama is a dynasty, just flat out is and this game though negative does not deter from that but for the very brief period of time. I look for pretty much the same cast to be in the playoffs for some time and with a defense OU may get one soon, IF OU can keep a top notch Offense; it looks easy when its going on but football smart people know you never ever take any success for granted; it's all worked for and hard work.

Hat's off to you guys for another truly great season and hope to see you again very soon.
 

Mystical

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I think someone said Coach Saban grinds on his coaches and holds them to a standard. Not many can live up to his standard for 7 years. At Clemson Venables gets full credit for the defense. If he came here he would be running Coach Saban's defense. I do wonder with his credentials if he came here would Coach Saban turn the defense over to him and step back? My guess would be no.
 

uafanataum

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Oct 18, 2014
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I think someone said Coach Saban grinds on his coaches and holds them to a standard. Not many can live up to his standard for 7 years. At Clemson Venables gets full credit for the defense. If he came here he would be running Coach Saban's defense. I do wonder with his credentials if he came here would Coach Saban turn the defense over to him and step back? My guess would be no.
Saban finally let an offensive coordinator have more freedom when Kiffin came. I think with Venables he would do the same.
 

deliveryman35

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Jul 26, 2003
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Venables for one obviously does not want to be a HC and is satisfied with being a high paid coordinator. Otherwise he would have taken the HC job at K State when Bill Snyder retired last month.

Like someone said earlier, he’s this generation’s Bud Foster.
 
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Sevenmm

BamaNation Citizen
Nov 16, 2018
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Venables for one obviously does not want to be a HC and is satisfied with being a high paid coordinator. Otherwise he would have taken the HC job at K State when Bill Snyder retired last month.

Like someone said earlier, he’s this generation’s Bud Foster.
The K State job may still be open; the local issue there in part is Coach Snyder wanted his son to take his place as head coach and words is the powers there do not want that; not sure Brent would step in on a situation like that has he highly respects coach Snyder; Brent is definitely his own person. He has a son at Clemson a player I think....it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the most successful people. OU blew it on Defense (till recently it appears the Alex Grinch hire may be a good one, he was not the D play calleer at tOSU) but hit it big time on offense with Lincoln Riley and the book is still out till we see what he does in total, i.e. the latest defensive hire; all eyes will be on Coach Saban as what he does is copied across the country by many; it works for him obviously.
 

BamaMoon

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He's embraced the offensive change we've experienced this year, so...
I'd hold up on saying he's "embraced" it just yet. Kinda remains to be seen if we lean on the pass that heavily next year and going forward.

I posted in another thread that ESPN reported that our total offensive yardage was 67% passing this year.

Not only will we probably not have a Tua type talent at QB after he leaves, but I think it could be argued that our failure to run the ball more over the course of the season kept us from being able to enforce our will at various times.

The struggle to get into the endzone at the goal line shocked us, but I remember a few times earlier in the year when our offense struggled in similar situations.

Guess what I'm saying is I kinda think we'll see that 67% passing adjust downward with possibly more emphasis on the running attack.
 

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