What has made Clemson successful? When Dabo took over Clemson prioritized their skill positions and were very successful bringing in highly talented QB's, RB's, WR's and DB's. This helped them climb to be in contention with FL State and elevated them to the top few teams of the ACC. It could be said though that they were a finesse team that lacked toughness. Clemson was successful in the ACC but found through playing the SEC that they weren't ready to compete on a national level. With South Carolina Dabo was running into Melvin Ingram, Devin Taylor, Jadevon Clowney, and frankly was getting whupped on both lines. Dabo made comments to this effect and worked in recruiting on beefing up their line talent, bringing in Brent Venables to run the defense after the beat down loss to West Virginia. After a few years Venables built a SEC defense in the ACC and there was no looking back. Clemson moved to national contention while South Carolina struggled with a coach ready to retire to a coach not up to the HC title. Clemson had talked players that could go pro into staying and playing additional seasons and had kept their coaching staff largely intact year after year. This helped them flip the script and has become the dominate team in the state and one of the best in the country.
In 2021 Clemson had a less than Clemson season. Still, they had a season that most teams would be envious of but far less then what Clemson has become accustomed to. Alabama has been able to lose half their offense and defense and half their coaching staff every year and still been able to maintain their dominance of college football. Can Clemson do the same? Venables is off to Oklahoma. It can be stated that Clemson didn't have success until Venables came on board. Sure they were winning in the ACC 9 or 10 games a year but when they played the better teams they couldn't hold up. Venables brought Clemson up to the next level. Now he's gone. In his place Clemson has a first time DC. On top of that is also promoting a first time OC to take over an offense that struggled all year with a QB that hasn't lived up to his 5 star ranking. Clemson is also suffering from talented players leaving for the NFL and players leaving the program for the transfer portal as they sense difficulties ahead. Clemson has lost a ton of talent to end the 2021 year and to add to the dismay a less then stellar recruiting cycle with decommitments galore.
If an objective person asked the question will Clemson be better in 2022 then they were in 2021 it would be a struggle to explain with any credibility or logic why anyone should expect improvement. Clemson should be in for a difficult year as they adjust to two new play callers with still a very talented team but less talent on the roster then they have had in years. Will the difficulties Clemson is likely to face in 2022 play into the narrative that Clemson is done on the national stage. Dabo's act is over and Clemson is on the decline? How will they sell that in recruiting season with players that don't want to play for or have to go through a rebuild?
Enter South Carolina. The 2021 season has outperformed all expectations. Winning more games in year one with Shane Beamer then the previous two years combined. There is a energy building in Columbia that is undeniable and has been commented on and noticed at a national level. The 2022 cycle has seen South Carolina bring in potentially the most talented QB that they have ever had along with likely the most talented TE since Hayden Hurst. A top 20 recruiting class that more importantly has hit the right note in addressing talent and depth issues at key positions and is ripe with under ranked and under the radar prospects. Add to that the talent that decided to come back and play an additional year and the additional transfer targets that are on the verge of joining the team. Granted, you would never think Clemson and South Carolina were even close judging by the game played a month ago. Clemson is clearly the better team. That said South Carolina has gotten significantly better. Clemson has lost a lot. It's fair to say going into 2022 that the gap has narrowed. How much remains to be seen but the whipping boy is set to punch back.
Should South Carolina be able to win the 2022 contest at Clemson it's going to be hard to put Jack back in the box and for Clemson it's going to be hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. This will cement the perception that Clemson is done and return South Carolina to state championship status. This should help South Carolina with in state recruiting and hurt Clemson not only in state but now with the NIL competition nationally and Clemson being such a small rural area is going to be painful for them. South Carolina in the SEC can and should be the most dominate team in the state. It's inevitable with the way college football is going. With the right coaching staff in place and the talent on the way at South Carolina, Clemson needs to enjoy it while they can. The train is a coming.
In 2021 Clemson had a less than Clemson season. Still, they had a season that most teams would be envious of but far less then what Clemson has become accustomed to. Alabama has been able to lose half their offense and defense and half their coaching staff every year and still been able to maintain their dominance of college football. Can Clemson do the same? Venables is off to Oklahoma. It can be stated that Clemson didn't have success until Venables came on board. Sure they were winning in the ACC 9 or 10 games a year but when they played the better teams they couldn't hold up. Venables brought Clemson up to the next level. Now he's gone. In his place Clemson has a first time DC. On top of that is also promoting a first time OC to take over an offense that struggled all year with a QB that hasn't lived up to his 5 star ranking. Clemson is also suffering from talented players leaving for the NFL and players leaving the program for the transfer portal as they sense difficulties ahead. Clemson has lost a ton of talent to end the 2021 year and to add to the dismay a less then stellar recruiting cycle with decommitments galore.
If an objective person asked the question will Clemson be better in 2022 then they were in 2021 it would be a struggle to explain with any credibility or logic why anyone should expect improvement. Clemson should be in for a difficult year as they adjust to two new play callers with still a very talented team but less talent on the roster then they have had in years. Will the difficulties Clemson is likely to face in 2022 play into the narrative that Clemson is done on the national stage. Dabo's act is over and Clemson is on the decline? How will they sell that in recruiting season with players that don't want to play for or have to go through a rebuild?
Enter South Carolina. The 2021 season has outperformed all expectations. Winning more games in year one with Shane Beamer then the previous two years combined. There is a energy building in Columbia that is undeniable and has been commented on and noticed at a national level. The 2022 cycle has seen South Carolina bring in potentially the most talented QB that they have ever had along with likely the most talented TE since Hayden Hurst. A top 20 recruiting class that more importantly has hit the right note in addressing talent and depth issues at key positions and is ripe with under ranked and under the radar prospects. Add to that the talent that decided to come back and play an additional year and the additional transfer targets that are on the verge of joining the team. Granted, you would never think Clemson and South Carolina were even close judging by the game played a month ago. Clemson is clearly the better team. That said South Carolina has gotten significantly better. Clemson has lost a lot. It's fair to say going into 2022 that the gap has narrowed. How much remains to be seen but the whipping boy is set to punch back.
Should South Carolina be able to win the 2022 contest at Clemson it's going to be hard to put Jack back in the box and for Clemson it's going to be hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. This will cement the perception that Clemson is done and return South Carolina to state championship status. This should help South Carolina with in state recruiting and hurt Clemson not only in state but now with the NIL competition nationally and Clemson being such a small rural area is going to be painful for them. South Carolina in the SEC can and should be the most dominate team in the state. It's inevitable with the way college football is going. With the right coaching staff in place and the talent on the way at South Carolina, Clemson needs to enjoy it while they can. The train is a coming.
