The way his commitment to Clemson came about was strange indeed. It certainly smells like a fish wrap. With Clemson's past reputation, one would have to think the kid's recruitment by Dabo was not above board. I really don't think his playing us the fool will contribute to our downfall one bit. I doubt if he becomes the superstar Clemson tells him he will be. Just another kid not at all serious about college, just one that "will take my greatness to Clemson" in hopes to get a quick jump to the NFL and big bucks. Personally, I don't think you build a truly great program with these types. I'll take character kids if they are only 3* recruits coming out of high school any day.
Ah, there’s the Manafold I expect to see… There’s just so much wrong with this post. First of all (just like Manafold) I have no actual knowledge of how XT’s recruitment ended up here. For all I know, someone paid him off or Dabo used the Jedi Mind Trick on him. I just have no idea. BUT, before I go wildly accusing someone (whom everyone on here thought was a good kid with high character when he was trending USC) of being bought and taking cash, I generally look for a legitimate reason for their actions.
I’m not sure how the smell test isn’t passed here. Sure, when a blue chip prospect suddenly commits to a school he’s never visited (a la Ole Miss), then YES, that smells. But XT has been on Clemson's campus 3 times already this year and multiple times last season as well. Sure, he’s been to USC more, but that was as much a function of geography (USC is much closer to Florence) as anything else. He’s had enough trips to both campus’s to get a feel for where he want to be… There’s no suddenly to it.
Again, with the assumption that something is not above board given Clemson’s past reputation. Clemson has not been penalized since before TB in 1999. USC certainly can’t say the same. Ancient history. Dabo (since becoming head coach) has recruited 16 5-star players to Clemson (USC has 1- Clowney). How is getting one more some sort of indication of cheating? That’s just business as usual in the upstate. With the NC in our pocket and the rise of our national brand over the past few years, Clemson EXPECTS lots of elite players to visit and some of them to decide to commit. This is no surprise at all, just the natural results of consistently winning on the field at the highest level.
Only USC fans think he played you… Even Clemson fans (as much as we’d love it) don’t. I guess this is some sort of reaction to not getting an elite player that a lot of people were counting on. He made a decision and shut down contact with your school and coaches… it’s as simple as that.
Contribute to your downfall? Dude, take a look at your program from 2010 forward. You’ve gone from being a really good football team to a losing squad over the last two years. The downfall has happened. A more accurate statement would be that he won’t contribute to your rebuilding the program. Well, OK... If you don't think that the #3 player in the country (Rivals) can help elevate the talent on your DL, I am not going to try to argue with you. Take some random 3-star instead. We’ll stick with XT.
Who knows if he will pan out in college? He may be a bust, he may be a superstar. No one can say at this point… He certainly has all the tools to be great.
So you don’t build a great program with top level talent? Bama, FSU, Ohio State, and (yes) Clemson would disagree with you. Each of these programs recruit at an elite level and lose junior classmen every year to the NFL draft. Yet somehow these programs seem to soldier on…
To end on a positive note, I agree about taking 3-star character kids. That’s what USC has to do to build back up talent wise. Take those kids that are willing to work their asses off, red shirt them and let them play. By year 5, a team full of players like this that know the system inside and out and are all about the team can play with anyone.
