Since Paul Finebaum's comments

[BigTomE]

It seems many Clemson fans are comparing Datboy to Saban. They're ignoring several major facts, including that Saban has a well established coaching tree, and many top tier Universities have hired/promoted former Saban staff members. I'm certainly not a Clemson expert, but the only coach I can think of that was hired away is Morris.
Saban is considered one of the greatest football minds in the country. Dabo has had success building a program, but he isn't regarded as a great football mind. Saban has built, and found success, at every college football program he's been a part of. I'm no Bama fan, nor do I wave the SEC flag, but comparing the two is laughable. I hate agreeing with Pawwl, jack!

 

[jimnasium]

That'll learn them orange folks not to watch the SEC Network. Saban has had more asst. hired than Klempsen has had head coaches. If Clepzun was in the same league as Bama they would have the same number of big game trophies.

 

[Superior7]

And Chad Morris taught Dabo how to run a modern offense, Dabo taught him nothing....

Saban is passing on the Bill Bellichek system of coaching organization that wins in college and the NFL. Glad Muschamp is from that tree....

 

[jeff2001]

Finebaum is just mad Bama lost to Clemson.

 

[BigTomE]

Finebaum is just mad Bama lost to Clemson.

That's possible, but still, Clemson fans trying to compare Datboy to Saban is beyond one hell of a stretch.

 

[Superior7]

Finebaum is just mad Bama lost to Clemson.

He had a Clemson fan caller comparing Dabo to Nick Saban which is absurd. That's like comparing Dabo to Bear Bryant and only someone stupid would do that....

 

[clemtigerpaw]

He had a Clemson fan caller comparing Dabo to Nick Saban which is absurd. That's like comparing Dabo to Bear Bryant and only someone stupid would do that....

Depends on what they are comparing. If you take Saban's first 9 years and compare it to Dabo's first 9 then Saban pales in comparison.

 

[USCBIRDS]

The comparison is absurd. Saban is a defensive guru, and Dabo knows almost "zero" about X's and O's. Yes...Datboy is a great salesman. Saban is a good recruiter too. They are not even in the same time zone, when it comes to coaching football.

 

[Spurs Up]

73-37-1
89-28

 

[Shadow86]

Saban is the best coach of all time in my opinion. Dabo isn't even in the conversation with that. No comparison. But you guys who keep saying Dabo knows "zero" about X's and O's are just being ignorant. You don't run a successful program and win a National Title as a head coach without knowing X's and O's.

 

[Superior7]

73-37-1
89-28

Nick Saban is 106-18 since 2007 @ Alabama and has won 4 SECs and 4 National Championships. His teams @ Alabama have been ranked #1 all or part of the college football seasons since 2008.....

 

[E-Cut_22]

Dabo beat Saban and damn near beat him the year before too. You can trash Swinney all you want but he has a title

 

[jeff2001]

Saban is the best coach of all time in my opinion. Dabo isn't even in the conversation with that. No comparison. But you guys who keep saying Dabo knows "zero" about X's and O's are just being ignorant. You don't run a successful program and win a National Title as a head coach without knowing X's and O's.

This, Dabo is a very good coach. He has more than proven it.

 

[clemtigerpaw]

Nick Saban is 106-18 since 2007 @ Alabama and has won 4 SECs and 4 National Championships. His teams @ Alabama have been ranked #1 all or part of the college football seasons since 2008.....

But how do they compare through their first 9 years as head coaches?

 

[BigTomE]

Saban
210 - 61 - 1 .774 winning % over 22 seasons
11 - 9 bowl record
8 conference Championships
5 National Championships

Dabo
89 - 28 .761 winning % over 10 seasons
7 - 4 bowl record
3 Conference Championships
1 National Championship

Overall win percentage is close, but Saban has sustained success for twice as long. Also worth noting Saban's record at Alabama is 114 - 19, while competing in what's been considered the toughest division in college football.

 

[BigTomE]

Dabo beat Saban and damn near beat him the year before too. You can trash Swinney all you want but he has a title

Saban also beat Dabo and has 5 titles. "Damn near beat" = lost. We can all say that NC State "damn near beat" Clemson, but they didnt. Damn near beat still counts as a loss.

 

[tjdisbrow]

Yes, I clicked the thread. Honestly, WHO GIVES A F?!!!

 

[jeff2001]

Saban is a better coach, but anybody who says Dabo doesnt know anything about the Xs and Os of football is just embarrassing themselves.

 

[cockn'fyr]

I have never heard Finebaum more irate, don't go on his show comparing anyone or anything to Bama or their coach, he won't stand for it! It sounded a little put on, but he trashed Clemson's fans!

 

[BigTomE]

This, Dabo is a very good coach. He has more than proven it.

I didn't say that Dabo is not a good coach. I said it's a stretch to compare him to Saban. Saban has sustained success for more than twice as long as Dabo's been a HC.

 

[jeff2001]

I didn't say that Dabo is not a good coach. I said it's a stretch to compare him to Saban. Saban has sustained success for more than twice as long as Dabo's been a HC.

Agree

 

[Superior7]

But how do they compare through their first 9 years as head coaches?

Who wants to dig that far back. Nick coached with Bellicheck @ Cleveland and they were fired. Is Dabo a better coach than both of them?

Only that dumbass Walt Deptula would care about the 1st 9 years and conclude Dabo is as good as Nick Saban.....

 

[clemtigerpaw]

Saban
210 - 61 - 1 .774 winning % over 22 seasons
11 - 9 bowl record
8 conference Championships
5 National Championships

Dabo
89 - 28 .761 winning % over 10 seasons
7 - 4 bowl record
3 Conference Championships
1 National Championship

Overall win percentage is close, but Saban has sustained success for twice as long. Also worth noting Saban's record at Alabama is 114 - 19, while competing in what's been considered the toughest division in college football.

You are still ignoring the fact that Dabo had more success earlier than Saban. Saban is 65 where Dabo is still in his 40's so he doesn't have the time in to have Saban's body of work but if you look at their first 9 years as head coaches and compare them then Dabo is on a track that is ahead of Saban.

 

[NaturalGC7]

Finebaum is just mad Bama lost to Clemson.

You're right Tater/

 

[BigTomE]

You are still ignoring the fact that Dabo had more success earlier than Saban. Saban is 65 where Dabo is still in his 40's so he doesn't have the time in to have Saban's body of work but if you look at their first 9 years as head coaches and compare them then Dabo is on a track that is ahead of Saban.

I'm not ignoring anything. Saban started at Toledo. You're looking at it backwards. Did Toledo dump millions upon millions of dollars into its football program 20 years ago? You can't compare Saban's first 9 seasons with Dabo's first 9 because college football is a much different game than it was 20 years ago.
You're ignoring my point about the ever-reaching Saban coaching tree and Dabo's lack of.

 

[NaturalGC7]

You are still ignoring the fact that Dabo had more success earlier than Saban. Saban is 65 where Dabo is still in his 40's so he doesn't have the time in to have Saban's body of work but if you look at their first 9 years as head coaches and compare them then Dabo is on a track that is ahead of Saban.

Saban has coached in real leagues. Hell, Spurrier won a title in the
All Cupcake Conference. Your post is another confirmation about Tater ignorance.

 

[Superior7]

You are still ignoring the fact that Dabo had more success earlier than Saban. Saban is 65 where Dabo is still in his 40's so he doesn't have the time in to have Saban's body of work but if you look at their first 9 years as head coaches and compare them then Dabo is on a track that is ahead of Saban.

Bobby Bowden won the ACC 10 or 11 years in a row and never lost a conference game before expansion.

 

[DC-99]

This, Dabo is a very good coach. He has more than proven it.

 

[jonesz21]

Depends on what they are comparing. If you take Saban's first 9 years and compare it to Dabo's first 9 then Saban pales in comparison.

U aren't comparing acc wins to big 10 or sec are you?

 

[clemtigerpaw]

U aren't comparing acc wins to big 10 or sec are you?

By that logic I would say that the ACC was the best conference this past season since the best team from the Big 10 and the SEC lost to the best team from the ACC.

 

[ExpatCarolinian]

I'm not ignoring anything. Saban started at Toledo. You're looking at it backwards. Did Toledo dump millions upon millions of dollars into its football program 20 years ago? You can't compare Saban's first 9 seasons with Dabo's first 9 because college football is a much different game than it was 20 years ago.
You're ignoring my point about the ever-reaching Saban coaching tree and Dabo's lack of.

Overall winning percentage of all coaches combined last year: .500

Overall winning percentage of all coaches combined 20 years ago: .500

It is just as easy to win and lose as it was 20 years ago. Changes to the game do not change that.

 

[cutiger55]

I didn't say that Dabo is not a good coach. I said it's a stretch to compare him to Saban. Saban has sustained success for more than twice as long as Dabo's been a HC.

It's like comparing Spieth and Nicklaus. Speith (Dabo) has won at the highest level and has a long career in front of him. But the career is unknown other than potential. Nicklaus (Saban) is the best ever, already proven, many titles.
To even be put in the same sentence with a legend, early in your career, is pretty cool.

 

[BigTomE]

Overall winning percentage of all coaches combined last year: .500

Overall winning percentage of all coaches combined 20 years ago: .500

It is just as easy to win and lose as it was 20 years ago. Changes to the game do not change that.

I think you missed my point, or maybe I didn't state it correctly. Dabo started his career at a University that was pumping millions of dollars into its football program. Football is, and always has been, a major priority at Clemson. Football has never been a priority at Toledo. Recruiting has a lot to do with success and it's certainly a priority at Clemson. But Toledo has never recruited at a high level. Comparing each coach's first 9 years is not at all a fair comparison. It's more fair to compare the past nine years, but Clemson fans don't want to do that.

 

[78 Yardcock]

at this juncture you cant say dabo is as good as saban. not close as of today. that said dabo is 20 years younger and coached much less so who knows what will happen

 

[ExpatCarolinian]

I think you missed my point, or maybe I didn't state it correctly. Dabo started his career at a University that was pumping millions of dollars into its football program. Football is, and always has been, a major priority at Clemson. Football has never been a priority at Toledo. Recruiting has a lot to do with success and it's certainly a priority at Clemson. But Toledo has never recruited at a high level. Comparing each coach's first 9 years is not at all a fair comparison. It's more fair to compare the past nine years, but Clemson fans don't want to do that.

Ok. So it wasn't harder to win 20 years ago, just harder in Toledo vs. Taterville. But of course Toledo wasn't playing teams who were also pumping millions of dollars into their programs. So it's all relative it guess.

Comparing them to their contemporaries of active coaches (or almost in the case of Stoops) who have also won national championships:

Vs. Meyer: Saban 2-2, Dabo 2-0
Vs. Fisher: Saban 0-0, Dabo 4-4
Vs. Stoops: Saban 1-1, Dabo 2-0

 

[BigTomE]

Ok. So it wasn't harder to win 20 years ago, just harder in Toledo vs. Taterville. But of course Toledo wasn't playing teams who were also pumping millions of dollars into their programs. So it's all relative it guess.

Comparing them to their contemporaries of active coaches (or almost in the case of Stoops) who have also won national championships:

Vs. Meyer: Saban 2-2, Dabo 2-0
Vs. Fisher: Saban 0-0, Dabo 4-4
Vs. Stoops: Saban 1-1, Dabo 2-0

How does Dabo compare to Saban over the past 9 years?
Also, does Wake Forest, Syracuse, Boston College, and NC State pump as much money into football as Clemson? NC State is the only 1 of the 4 that's even close.

 

[ExpatCarolinian]

How does Dabo compare to Saban over the past 9 years?

Doesn't that go back to the whole "different stage in career" argument already espoused on this thread? I'm not bothering to look up the numbers but will answer it this way: last 2 years identical, previous 7 years, not even close.

 

[FORKCOCK]

But how do they compare through their first 9 years as head coaches?

Well, that's an entirely different discussion.

 

[clemtigerpaw]

I think you missed my point, or maybe I didn't state it correctly. Dabo started his career at a University that was pumping millions of dollars into its football program. Football is, and always has been, a major priority at Clemson. Football has never been a priority at Toledo. Recruiting has a lot to do with success and it's certainly a priority at Clemson. But Toledo has never recruited at a high level. Comparing each coach's first 9 years is not at all a fair comparison. It's more fair to compare the past nine years, but Clemson fans don't want to do that.

He only spent 1 year at Toledo and then went to Michigan State so it's not like I'm comparing 9 years at Toledo versus 9 years at Clemson. The majority of his career has been at universities that pump millions into their programs.

 

[jonesz21]

By that logic I would say that the ACC was the best conference this past season since the best team from the Big 10 and the SEC lost to the best team from the ACC.

That is exactly not my point. My point is I would much rather play Clemson's schedule than Alabama in terms of winable games Yes clemson was better than bama on that day. Pitt was better than clemson on that day and nc state and Troy were as close as they could be to an even match with clemson. Don't mean Pitt is the best team in acc cuz they beat clemson