Since the first offseason where NIL and the two portal windows were in effect, Clemson has gone 1-2 vs Carolina. In the 10 seasons prior, Clemson was 7-2 vs this same program. They’ve leaned into NIL and the portal and both our coach and fanbase have been reluctant at best to to pursue either.
When you say “if not contributing to NIL means we’re mediocre then I’m ok with it”, don’t forget that it means more than losing a couple of ACC games and averaging 7-8 wins every year, it means falling behind the JV program in Columbia because they’re modernizing and adapting while we’re doing the same damn thing that happened after Danny Ford and insisting that what won titles 5-10 years in the past is good enough to win them 5-10 years in the future.
Let’s embrace honesty and replace “I don’t contribute to NIL” in the lexicon with “I’d rather perennially lose to Shane Beamer’s goofy ass the Saturday after Thanksgiving than give some money to college football players.”
When you say “if not contributing to NIL means we’re mediocre then I’m ok with it”, don’t forget that it means more than losing a couple of ACC games and averaging 7-8 wins every year, it means falling behind the JV program in Columbia because they’re modernizing and adapting while we’re doing the same damn thing that happened after Danny Ford and insisting that what won titles 5-10 years in the past is good enough to win them 5-10 years in the future.
Let’s embrace honesty and replace “I don’t contribute to NIL” in the lexicon with “I’d rather perennially lose to Shane Beamer’s goofy ass the Saturday after Thanksgiving than give some money to college football players.”
