Clemson coaching rumors

[Charleston Pony]

listening to local ESPN affiliate "fan talk" show and the news out of Clemson is that A.D. met with administration regarding a "high level personnel matter"

two rumors from supposed "insiders":

1) that Gene Stallings will be next head coach with acting head coach Dabo Swinney (who played for Stallings at Bama) assuming the "head coach - in waiting title)

or

2) that Gary Patterson is going to be offered the job


Aren't you glad we aren't looking for a coach this year? I do wish we had a coach someone else was trying to hire (or at least whose name came up in rumors) Maybe 3-4 years from now???

[George S. Patton]

The Clemson job will not get Patterson where he wants to go. If he wants to a win a national championship, it won't be there, despite what those rabid fans think.

[OC Mustang]

The Clemson job will not get Patterson where he wants to go. If he wants to a win a national championship, it won't be there, despite what those rabid fans think.

Geez...what's with you and "rabid fans"?
First SMU fans, then Southlake Carroll fans (for an entirely different reason)...then these Clemson guys...

Relax, General.

[FroggieFever]

This year, Clemson, Kansas State, and Tennessee have made contact with Patterson's agent.

[Charleston Pony]

Clemson doesn't have rabid fans? Suggest you tune into ESPN2 Saturday morning. And...it's easier to win the ACC and go unbeated than it is to do that in the SEC or Big XII right now.

[orguy]

Clemson football is considered a big time program. It is a state school with a rich football tradition despite the mediocrity of the Bowden era.

I think 85000 fans at Death Valley every home game speaks volumes.

TCU draws 25k a game on average at amon carter? Clemson could also pay a guy like Patterson double what TCU boosters would come up with to keep him.

[Hilltopper]

Clemson's stadium (a.k.a. Death Valley) is one of the loudest places I've ever been, and that includes rock concerts, airplane hangars, etc. It's literally almost painful.

[EastStang]

Of course Clemson through no real work of their own is still remotely in the hunt for the ACC title. A few breaks here or there and Clemson could be in a BCS bowl. If that happens, they take the interim tag off Dabo. I think the K-State was where Patterson really wanted to go, but the leak of a potential offer killed that deal. I think Patterson will wait for a Big XII opening or perhaps a Big Ten opening. I don't see him going to Washington or WSU. Syracuse might be an interesting opening for him, a tradition filled program on the skids with great facilities. The BE is mediocre enough that he could go to a BCS bowl every now and then.

[Mountain Mustang]

Of course Clemson through no real work of their own is still remotely in the hunt for the ACC title. A few breaks here or there and Clemson could be in a BCS bowl. If that happens, they take the interim tag off Dabo. I think the K-State was where Patterson really wanted to go, but the leak of a potential offer killed that deal. I think Patterson will wait for a Big XII opening or perhaps a Big Ten opening. I don't see him going to Washington or WSU. Syracuse might be an interesting opening for him, a tradition filled program on the skids with great facilities. The BE is mediocre enough that he could go to a BCS bowl every now and then.

Pretty well off base here. Clemson is not yet bowl eligible according to ESPN at 6-5. The only game left on the sched is against South Carolina, which is a non-conference game; their conf record is 4-4. FSU is 5-3 in conf. and conference sched is complete. It's not possible for Clemson to go to a BCS game and it's going to be tough for them just to get bowl eligible this year.

As for Dabo, I live in earshot of the Clemson radio network and get to hear all of the speculation. The knock on Dabo is he's going to need to bring in an experienced group of coaches as coordinators, but who would be willing to work under someone who has less experience than they do. Remember Dabo hasn't even been a coordinator of a program yet. He's a very likeable guy and a good motivator, young and energetic. I think his lack of experience will hurt him now, and they'll probably try to go with a bigger name hire. Dabo does have support from the players and the AD Terry Don Phillips likes him as well; so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

If they go elsewhere, Clemson's got a lot going for it. Rabid SEC-type fans in an easier conference to win in. Good facilities, and good booster support.