Clemson Football: No easy answers as Tigers prepare for ACC Championship Game

For the most part, I’ve sat back and listened to both Clemson football fans and non-Clemson fans for the last couple of days.

This is not a new endeavor, at varying points and for varying time spans during the season, I’ve done the same.

I’ve been trying not to overreact to what we’ve seen on the field and on the internet, but rather attempting to determine what the best path is moving forward before commenting.

As far as the quarterback position goes, I’m not sure there is one.

I certainly understand those that want a change, based on what we’ve seen on the field.

It seems to me though, that position is born out of frustration, not any real evidence that a change would lead to a significant improvement or offensive awakening.

Could a change lead to more success? Absolutely.  Could it lead to a disaster “worse” than a 10-2 season and (potential) ACC Championship? Absolutely.

That’s not necessarily Cade Klubnik’s fault, as the season has gone along the “package” for Klubnik never materialized, he’s played sparingly, hasn’t looked particularly sharp when he has played and has been put in some tough situations, when he has played.  That’s on the coaches.

While fans may feel they are “owed” a change, Dabo also owes his players and is responsible for putting his players, the current players, in the best position to win and not to throw away a possible ACC Championship and NY6 Bowl game developing a player for next season.

The coaches obviously feel that the chances of winning with D.J. at quarterback are better than if they made a change.  Simply put, no coach goes out there trying to lose a game to prove a point.

We should also acknowledge that what Dabo says has some truth behind it: D.J. can’t catch the passes he throws or cover wide receivers for the other team.  That’s not excusing D.J.’s play, it’s just a fact.  I’m not sure that’s what I’d throw out there if I were Dabo, but that doesn’t make it not true.

If there’s not a fumble on a punt return the Tigers are within 25 or 30 yards of a game-winning field goal.  If there’s not a blown coverage, we’re not talking about any of this today.  We could go on and on.

There’s also these facts: There’s no Mike Williams or Tee Higgins making spectacular catches, there’s no Hunter Renfrow, or Ben Boulware, James Skalski or Isaiah Simmons.  And yes, D.J. is not Trevor Lawrence.

This Clemson football team is not the 2016 or 2018 team and to expect them to play like those teams is an exercise in futility

I could go on, but you get my point.  This is not the same team as those that won the National Championships.  Those teams were special for a reason and expecting this team to play at that level is an exercise in futility in my opinion.

Should we expect them to play better than they did Saturday? Yeah.

There are some that have used the “Best is the Standard” saying as a way to ridicule a 10-2 team that’s in the top 10 in the nation.

News flash: Every team is not going 15-0 or 14-1.

Maybe 10-2 is this team’s best.