How has Clemson recruited so well?

[ShotgunDawg]

47% of Clemson's roster is 4 and 5 star recruits. How did they do it?

They are generally near Atlanta, but they are also only a state school from South Carolina, that was modeled after Mississippi State (look it up, this is true), is in a small town, and has had fairly good success in the past, highlighted by a national title in the 80s but nothing special.

Are they just Auburn in an easier conference? In attribute some of Auburn's success with trying to keep up with Bama, but who motivates Clemson?

Does anyone know their story and tradition well enough to explain how they've acquired this many good players?

[Schultzy]

Dabo got skill.

[confucius say]

Two things that help are they an hour from Georgia, which we all know has a ton of talent, and South Carolina is second in NFL players per capita. So a good recruiting base.

Factor in that USCe under spurrier was not a recruiting beast. I look for USCe to recruit harder and better under Boom, which will make it tougher on Clemson.

http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/blue-chip/daddy-where-do-nfl-players-come-from-101414

[defiantdog]

Dabo is a recruiting monster, but he also has Bama boosters that back him up with funds.

[PassInterference]

Clemson took a DB from us on signing day. But they weren't sly enough for #TheNetwork when they lost Nkemdiche.

[BrunswickDawg]

Clemson has been "all in" for a long time. Pre-FSU they ran the ACC - 13 titles prior to 1992. SC hasn't been their prime motivation, the NC schools are. The basketball snobs look down on Clemson and their Aggie past (NC state too).

Clemson has a well run network - IPTAY - I Pay The Athletes Yearly.

They made some terrible hires over the years that have kept them down. If you can get over their fans, Death Valley East is cool place to see a game.

[engie]

They are the state school from SC -- but they are also historically the football school in SC. Outside of Spurrier's blip on the radar, they've owned that rivalry. Won 7 of 10 in the 2000s. 7 of 10 in the 90s. 7 of 9 with a tie in the 80s. Etc... They have history and are situated in the middle of a tremendous recruiting hotbed and you see them rise to the forefront when other football powers are not on the top of their games. Notably -- Tennessee, Auburn, and Clemson's success are almost interchangeable IMO.

There are 53 composite 4*s and 5*s in states surrounding Clemson -- and they are the only currently elite program. They are going to win more recruiting battles than they lose from their geographic location north. They are roughly equivalent to Auburn in recruiting Georgia. Then they pull a couple rabbits out of Florida. Clemson is generally motivated by FSU -- and by SC when they were up. And, yes, they are one of the dirtiest recruiting programs in the country -- and Dabo's shtick is basically identical to Hugh's.

[Dawgowar]

They have a good regional history of winning in that part of the world. Decent traditions. One National Title. And who doesn't want to wear 'Push-up Orange' ?

[BrunswickDawg]

They have a good regional history of winning in that part of the world. Decent traditions. One National Title. And who doesn't want to wear 'Push-up Orange' ?
My Dad always said - "True rednecks turn orange in the fall" - Clemson, Tennessee & AU.

[AlSwearengen]

Dabo is a recruiting monster, but he also has Bama boosters that back him up with funds.

Can you expand on this? Not doubting you because the recruiting world is bizarro world anyway, but why would bama boosters help fund clemson's recruiting? I know dabo went to bama, but still.

I guess I could see a bama booster pitching in for a recruit that was down to clemson and auburn though. Yeah, I guess it could be feasible in certain situations.

[Mutt the Hoople]

My Dad always said - "True rednecks turn orange in the fall" - Clemson, Tennessee & AU.

And Texas and Oklahoma State.

[War Machine Dawg]

They are the state school from SC -- but they are also historically the football school in SC. Outside of Spurrier's blip on the radar, they've owned that rivalry. Won 7 of 10 in the 2000s. 7 of 10 in the 90s. 7 of 9 with a tie in the 80s. Etc... They have history and are situated in the middle of a tremendous recruiting hotbed and you see them rise to the forefront when other football powers are not on the top of their games. Notably -- Tennessee, Auburn, and Clemson's success are almost interchangeable IMO.

There are 53 composite 4*s and 5*s in states surrounding Clemson -- and they are the only currently elite program. They are going to win more recruiting battles than they lose from their geographic location north. They are roughly equivalent to Auburn in recruiting Georgia. Then they pull a couple rabbits out of Florida. Clemson is generally motivated by FSU -- and by SC when they were up. And, yes, they are one of the dirtiest recruiting programs in the country -- and Dabo's shtick is basically identical to Hugh's.

http://i.imgur.com/FOZk31b.gif

[Mutt the Hoople]

Clemson has a system that would make Bammer and olemiss jealous. I lived in Anderson, SC for a year in the 1980's, during Danny Ford's tenure, working with Crisis Ministries.

We were all the time getting phone calls from women getting attacked by Clemson football players at parties. Once, we got a phone call from a woman who claimed she was attacked by Kenny Flowers, who was on several Heisman Trophy lists that year. Turned out, it was one of Flower's teammate's MOTHERS, who was wanting to party and, ahem, "bit off more than she could chew".

[Liverpooldawg]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned but they have been winning fairly consistently for a number of years now. It helps