Lane Train/Dabo
- Thread starter Husker88
- Start date
Clemson has an easy schedule this year. Granted, nobody saw that 6-6 collapse coming last year, but they could finish 8-4 with their schedule.
I do think Dabo’s time is coming to an end rather soon, maybe even after this season. I can tell you that many of the fans here are getting toward the end of their patience with him and his aversion to adapting to the current landscape.
I do think Dabo’s time is coming to an end rather soon, maybe even after this season. I can tell you that many of the fans here are getting toward the end of their patience with him and his aversion to adapting to the current landscape.
Currently at $57 million, which is slightly less than Rhule’s, but still quite a bit. It would be the 2nd most all-time.
They have the funds to do it if they wanted. I think it just depends on the urgency of the athletic department wanting to retain some of the hype/allure/prestige of their not-so-distant dominating stretch they had. Plus they were in the playoffs 2 years ago. Back to back years of something like 6-6 might make them want to make that move in fear of further falling into mediocrity.
Don't fire him unless you have an absolute stud in place to replace him.
Agree there. You don’t want to have a run like we’ve been having since firing Bo. Not saying Bo and Dabo are on the same level. But obviously, making the wrong hire could do even worse for your program than firing the plateaued coach.
And being the first to fire your coach doesn’t guarantee you get the top dog either, looking at you Penn State.
The thing about Dabo is that his problems are easily rectifiable but his stubbornness makes it impossible to do so. He also made the boneheaded decision to replace Garrett Riley with Chad Morris in hopes of recapturing their glory days.
Not only that, but it is pretty widely known that the success he did have was all done by cheating. So, it's like a double whammy for them. Once he couldn't pay players under the table anymore to get an advantage, they took a big step back (just like Bama). Then when Dabo didn't adjust and embrace the new era of college football, it went back even further.
His portal class rankings the last few years...
2026 - #56 (11 transfers)
2025 - #82 (4 transfers)
2024 - NR (zero transfers)
2023 - #104 (one transfer)
Yeah that won't get it done in today's game. He probably should have retired when Saban did.
Two extremes in the NIL era. Dabo trying to prove that the old way still works vs Lane where everything is on the table. I respect Dabo for giving it a try, because I hate this NIL era - but ultimately if the old ways don’t bring success, you have to adapt or step aside.
Funny thought experiment…imagine if Lane Kiffin was coaching college girls basketball. Dude would be paying for dudes to convert and have a team that was blowing others out by 50 points or more each game.
Funny thought experiment…imagine if Lane Kiffin was coaching college girls basketball. Dude would be paying for dudes to convert and have a team that was blowing others out by 50 points or more each game.
I like Dab but Dabo was one of the biggest cheaters pre NIL .
Maybe they’ll luck out and find the next Dabo. He was a complete nobody when they took a shot on him.
That's what I'm hearing from Clemson guys around here as well (Greenville).
He basically dared them to fire him last year wasn't it? I think he has a HUGE buy out our something so if they fire him he's gonna get paid.
I think Dabo should've left when he was ahead of the game. The NIL era and his stubbornness is killing him. I think he's trying now but it may be too late.
Holla
Yeah I want to say its like $56 mil. It would be the 2nd highest of all-time and still somehow less than Rhule's buyout.
He really should have retired when the game he loved so much evolved into something he doesn't like, like his mentor Saban did and the Kansas State coach. Nothing wrong with it, but man its always "better" to go out when you're on top.
Add to it, losing Venables and Elliott really hurt him too. Head coach caliber is important, but your coordinators will ultimately define your program if you aren't running the offense/defense yourself.
He’s also a lot like Rhule in that he cannot go back and “re-invent” himself as a coordinator and work his way back up, because literally no one would want him in that role.
Yeah I do not see another coaching stop for Dabo.
So true because I think it's safe to say Venables at OU and now probably even Elliott at UVa has their programs in better shape than Clemson.
The NIL era is not really for the "old school" coaches. Im a huge UVa basketball fan and it ran Tony Bennett also. I'd guess guys like Boeheim, K, Wiliams and others would say it played a part. It's definitely not for everyone. I could see guys like TO bowing out as well in this era if he coached
Holla
Facts! Hope you made it out clean from the storms this weekend. We had a few trees down on my property. Messed up my butterfly bushes and an apple tree.
Dabo said last year of they fired him he wasn't gonna stop coaching I think.
Holla
Yeah luckily we did avoid most of it . Actually went down to Columbia and tailgated their game Saturday. Probably be down in Clemson in early October to do the same.
We usually hit both during the season. Was extremely hot in Columbia. Heat index was 107 and of course you know about the humidity.
I'm sure it won't be as bad down at Clemson though .
Holla
Can't wait for big 10 to vote on kicking out Indiana when it looks like they are going to win another big 10 title.
No Jimbo F. At A$M was 75 million.
A&M thats chump change for them not even a speed bump. For Nebraska 57 million is an absolute no go- Hes got us held hostage for the next few years thanks to Dannons stupidity and Rhules own selfish greed.
You have to give it to Lane. Arriving at the stadium in a custom designer suit, looking like 13 million dollars, strolling through the crowd with Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader in tow. Now that is how to make an entrance.
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Which makes it extremely ironic that he doesn’t want to pay for players in the portal. They have to have the money.
Wow. If I had his kind of money, I would just say see ya, grow a beard, and never be heard from again. Maybe change my name to Yeah Igot Morenyou.
Plus Jimbo and Dabo at least have National Championship(s) on their resumes. We put a 500 coach with not only zero national championships, but has barely beaten a ranked opponent, in the same conversation with his contract/extension.
Think about that for a second. It borders on criminal how egregious that is. Like seriously should be some kind of misappropriation, fiduciary duty investigation into our athletic department.
Not right away. But with a year off, he would be highly employable as a coordinator or head coach.
And not very desirable as a head coach when it is so widely known that he is highly resistant to today's game. Sure, some lower tier program would give him a shot, but I doubt he's landing any top tier gigs ever again. I know I wouldn't want him at NU. Which probably means he'll be our coach in a few years lol
Not sure how you can say no one saw that?
Everyone I run with knew that Clemson was going to be the most overrated team last year. Dabo is one of the dumbest most ignorant coaches in coaching and he has proven it every year since the portal came about.
He lost his magic sauce in Venables and then his OC and has been a disaster since in both recruiting and game day.
Before Brent Venables (2008–2011)
- Record: 32–22 (about 59.3% win rate)
With Brent Venables (2012–2021)
- Record: 121–17 (about 87.7% win rate)
- Context: Venables built an elite defense. Clemson won two National Championships (2016 and 2018) and made regular appearances in the College Football Playoff. [1]
After Brent Venables (2022–Present)
- Record: 37–18 Trending down
They should kick out Michigan and guarantee you if Nebraska had done the same things as Michigan the last few years Nebraska would be booted!!
Yeah anyone who says they saw preseason ranked #4 Clemson finishing 6-6 is a liar.
Anyone that believed that BS is a Homer Idiot. You can go back and read the thread where I claimed pre season nebraska was capable of beating Clemson and called them the most overrated team in football. 5 of us went to Vegas this past weekend and as a group bet we took down over 300k keying Clemson on a parlay wheel to get beat by Lane and the boys.
Dabo has bought me a 150k Raptor R with his sucking so bad after his bowl game and I had to dip in the well for more than that on the game vs LSU
You have to be an idiot that ignores how bad he is on his own to believe he was top 10 material in 2025 and he couldnt have coached Indiana-Ohio State or Georgia to that record!. The good ole boy role doesnt work on game day! Lane made a fool of him
Clemson Tigers favored by 2.5 points over the Penn State Nittany Lions
One of those teams fired their coach for non producing at their expected level Final-22-10 PSU with the interim and best coach on the field
They hit huge home runs with two QBs named Watson and Lawrence that could carry a team to a championship. They have had a lot of 5 star recruits including Ungalalele... and Klubnik but neither were as good as they hoped. They had a lot of great supporting players on those championship teams but it was the QBs that carried them.
Clemson is also just not as aggressive about pursuing championships as a place like LSU that will spend whatever it takes. They are more willing to just hope the stars align with Dabo in charge. The Carolinas are different than the rest of the South when it comes to college football. They love it, but it's not the umber one thing in life in the fall.
I agree Dabo hates the modern NIL and transfer portal reality and it shows. It's also worth saying that I think Saban hated the NIL reality of modern CF and wanted out before it took full effect. Osborne, Bowden, Stoops, etc all wanted to recruit kids and grow them into players. They would all have likely hated the current CF world and probably would have had none of their past success in this environment.
Clemson is also just not as aggressive about pursuing championships as a place like LSU that will spend whatever it takes. They are more willing to just hope the stars align with Dabo in charge. The Carolinas are different than the rest of the South when it comes to college football. They love it, but it's not the umber one thing in life in the fall.
I agree Dabo hates the modern NIL and transfer portal reality and it shows. It's also worth saying that I think Saban hated the NIL reality of modern CF and wanted out before it took full effect. Osborne, Bowden, Stoops, etc all wanted to recruit kids and grow them into players. They would all have likely hated the current CF world and probably would have had none of their past success in this environment.
Never said they would be top 10 material. Never said they would be good this year (not sure why you're talking about this past weekend's game when I am clearly talking about last season.) You can put whatever words in my mouth you want.Anyone that believed that BS is a Homer Idiot. You can go back and read the thread where I claimed pre season nebraska was capable of beating Clemson and called them the most overrated team in football. 5 of us went to Vegas this past weekend and as a group bet we took down over 300k keying Clemson on a parlay wheel to get beat by Lane and the boys.
Dabo has bought me a 150k Raptor R with his sucking so bad after his bowl game and I had to dip in the well for more than that on the game vs LSU
You have to be an idiot that ignores how bad he is on his own to believe he was top 10 material in 2025 and he couldnt have coached Indiana-Ohio State or Georgia to that record!. The good ole boy role doesnt work on game day! Lane made a fool of him
Clemson Tigers favored by 2.5 points over the Penn State Nittany Lions
Final-22-10 PSU with the interim and best coach on the field
However, anyone who says they knew Clemson would be 6-6 last year is a liar. Overrated for being preseason ranked #4, sure. Knew they would suck and be 6-6, liar.
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