I'm a 52 year old lifelong Gamecock fan, but this question is posed as a more national question, not just how the Gamecocks can compete.
Now that it looks like Clemson is killing it yet again in recruiting, getting a verbal from #1 recruit in the nation (Bresee)...
What has to happen in the years ahead for Clemson to fall off the throne, to have 7, 8, 9 win seasons vs ACC and National contenders? Face it...I don't ever see them having a losing season...the ACC just has no football oomph these days to come anywhere close to competing with what Clemson has.
Some would say coaches have to shuffle and move on. True. But whatever formula they have now is indeed keeping all integral coaches on board. Thought that the O or D coordinator(s) might seek head coaching jobs...that has not happened. Winning + super pay + family culture = everybody stays.
Dabo has to leave? I don't know why he ever would. Clemson has absolutely no competition in conference. They are shoe-ins to the ACC title game each year. Their main competition comes from one or two non-con games each year. Dabo knows this. Why would he leave to go anywhere else? To Alabama? Why? The week-to-week completion they face in conference is much tougher. Plus the SEC championship game is always gritty. Just don't see Dabo leaving.
Just beat them? Much like the Ric Flair days, yes...to be the man you have to beat the man. Problem is, who is going to do it? They need 2, 3, 4 losses each year to come back to earth. Losing just one game a year right now will still get them into the 4. The ACC has no one that can compete with Clemson now...not within touchdowns. Once a year, they seem to get into a closer one with somebody in conference, but again, one loss doesn't destroy them. The non-con games are junk, minus us and A&M, etc., and we've been blistered by them lately with no signs of closing the gap.
Each year I think they've reached the height of their run, then they keep adding "best QB in the nation, best WRs in the nation, best DL in the nation" to their recruiting gains.
So...what has to happen for this Clemson era to come back down to earth?
Don't want any kid to be injured...the fun of being a fan isn't nearly that important as to pull for that.
But it might take a key injury here, a missed field goal there, an upset somewhere. Then, after a 9-3 season, maybe they don't recruit as well, a few more ACC teams actually decide to compete in football, maybe we get a few more recruits going our way, then maybe it starts to flutter for them.
Again this is from a national point of view, not just "what can the Gamecocks do to catch up"...all of college football is trying to catch them.
Thoughts?
