UNC FOOTBALL THREAD//

A little perspective for UNC fans this a.m...

I've discussed in prior threads the connection to the UNC program now vs. Clemson early in Dabo's rise to power

I think yesterday's L to Notre Dame mirrors Clemson's 34-13 loss to SC on Nov. 25, 2011. Why?
1/ 2011 was Dabo's 4th with the Clemson program. He was coming off a 6-7 2010 campaign and wasn't working off
Tommy Bowden's recruits anymore - these were all his guys.

The team got off to a super hot start, going 8-0. They got as high as #6 in the AP Polls
2/ But, they came back to Earth, losing winnable games to GT & N.C. State before getting ready for the SC rivalry game.

SC was the superior program at the time - ranked higher and winner of the last 2 rivalry games between them.

Clemson wanted desperately to end the streak
3/ #18 Clemson would lose 34-13 to #14 SC. Clemson didn't score a TD in the 2nd half and was outgained 420-153.

Year 4 of Dabo, but a 3rd straight loss to a rival? 3rd loss in 4 games? The fanbase wasn't happy, but in reality, the tide was turning.

All Clemson needed was time
4/ Dabo's recruiting was starting to kick in.

For ex... A freshman WR named Sammy Watkins played well that day. And, it was QB Tajh Boyd's 1st season. They both turned out ok.

The 2011 recruiting class was ranked 10th in the country. More talent was on the way in future classes
5/ Patience was the key ingredient for the Clemson football program. You don't think some schools these days would have fired Dabo after the 2011 season ended with a 70–33 loss to West Virginia in a bowl game?

But, he was building something great. It just took time
6/ I think there are a lot of similarities between 2011 Clemson and 2020 UNC. Both climbed high in the polls, have fallen back to Earth a bit, lost games they shouldn't have (FSU, UVA for UNC) and been outmatched in others (ND).

It's been a bumpy, frustrating ride at times.
7/ But, looking at Mack Brown's recruiting, it's hard not to see how something great is being built

UNC's recruiting class in 2020 was ranked 13th in the country. 4 of the Top 5 recruits in that class played yesterday on defense, all played well

2021's class is ranked 14th
8/ This patience thing isn't easy. Remember "Clemsoning?" There were a lot of tough losses in close games.

And Clemson didn't win their first Dabo championship until 2017... 6 years after this 2011 season I am comparing UNC to.

But I think Clemson fans would say it was worth it
9/ My closing thought - I think Coach Glover is right. Patience is hard, losses sting, but "A few more pieces from 21’ and 22’ are on the way. Just sit back and watch the come up haters" - @dhglover https://twitter.com/dhglover/status/1332477022342438913
You can follow @bauman_john.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled:
Those who think consciousness raising & movement building are disconnected, or even a distraction from electoral politics have not paid attention to the history of social change.In this thread, we
Read more
The 2020s will be known as the Remote Work decadeA few predictions of what is likely to emerge[ a thread ] Third Space: Office and Working from Home will
Read more
1/29: Have you ever had a concept explained to you that helps frame complex issues you’ve been wrestling with and opens your eyes to new possibilities? A concept that I
Read more
By continuing to use the site, you are consenting to the use of cookies as explained in our Cookie Policy to improve your experience.