BY CHUCK OLIVER
680 THE FAN, ATLANTA – Two words give insight into why Clemson has achieved a place few have, and none by THIS path.

“Except Dabo.”

Doesn’t matter if it’s “Everybody takes transfers” or “Everybody loses coaches each off-season” or “Everybody has decommittments” the answer seems to always be the same: “Except Dabo.”

I was talking with a recruiting guy from SDS, talking about South Carolina’s projected receiving corp and he said the following when I asked about the group Will and Bobo want on the field:

“You gotta have diverse talent across your receiver corp, different sizes and lengths and skills, almost like a basketball team. Except Dabo.”

Interesting comment and sums up a bunch of exceptions to all kinna “rules.” Such as . . .

Last season Clemson’s first four were:

6’4” 215Tee Higgins

6’4” 210Diondre Overton

6’4” 205Justyn Ross

5’10” 210 Amari Rodgers

This season, with two of those gone, they’ll be just as big. Projected:

6’3” 215Joseph Ngata

6’3” 195Frank Ladson

6’4” 205Ross

5’10” 210Rodgers

Added to this is a pair of FR, and with the Tigers it’s a little different than talking about most programs and freshman WRs. These dudes play, every year, for Dabo. This season it’s

E.J. Williams 6’3” 190

Ajou Ajou 6’3” 220

And the worst part for the opposition is, they’re not just big, they’re good. Routes, hands, speed, timing, all of it. My heavens!

Good for Dabo getting the program here by whatever means. But by taking an approach in so many areas where the only observation is, “Except Dabo” it’s just a great commentary on the culture, the team, the environment, every facet of where Clemson is currently.

Listen to Chuck on “Chuck & Chernoff,” weekdays from 3PM to7PM on 680 The Fan!