Clemson's success highlights Texas A&M's ability to win championships

Clemson proved it.

Yep, Clemson proved a small-town, historically mediocre, non-blue blood football program can rise up and win a national championship.

Therefore, coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers proved that Texas A&M can, too.

Well, that’s what Aggies should take from Clemson’s 35-31 victory over Alabama on Monday night.

If Clemson can win a national title, there is no reason that Texas A&M cannot.

A&M and Clemson have more in common than despising a snooty state rival that competes in another conference.

For example, Clemson is less than two hours from a huge metropolitan area – Atlanta – that’s teeming with talented high school football prospects. That’s very similar to A&M’s proximity to Houston.

Clemson was once a perennial underachiever that routinely choked in big games.

Sound familiar?

Seriously, until just two years ago – when the Tigers finally first reached the College Football Playoff final and faced Alabama– Clemson was known for starting fast and fading late.

In fact, the term “Clemsoning” (verb, to underachieve or disappoint) came into existence.

But that changed because mediocrity would not be accepted there.

From 1999 to 2008 Clemson’s was a mediocre program under then-coach Tommy Bowden. The Tigers finished no better than 9-3 (2000) and were 8-4 or worse seven times during his tenure.

Then midway through the ’08 season, Clemson officials grew tired of that mediocrity and made the switch to Swinney, a position coach who previously had not even been a coordinator.

There have been some rough patches. There have been setbacks. But Swinney proved to be “the guy” who could turn Clemson into a national power.

Clemson was 10-4 in Swinney’s third season. The Tigers have not posted fewer than 10 wins since 2011.

The secret to his success? It’s just Dabo being Dabo.

“Dabo is a magnetic guy, and he has a high emotional IQ,” ESPN college football analyst Ivan Maisel wrote in an e-mail. “He likes people and, more important, he understands people. He also has the same drive to succeed that all the great coaches have.”

Chris Lowe, an ESPN college football writer, agreed that Swinney’s success stems from his genuine personality.

“He is a master at relationships – be it with his administration, players, parents of players and other coaches,” said Lowe, who recently penned an article about the secret of Swinney’s success. “You can look at that by the way their recruiting has taken off under him, the incredible staff he’s been able to assemble and the way Clemson, as a school, has bought into him and is now spending millions of dollars to make Clemson’s facilities as good as anybody’s.”

Hmmm …. good recruiting, a solid coaching staff and an administration that’s willing to raise millions to upgrade facilities.

“His blueprint is a little different than anybody else’s,” Lowe continued. “It’s such an upbeat, fun, family atmosphere. That appeals to a lot of kids.”

No doubt, Swinney is well-known as an excellent recruiter. But compare his last five recruiting classes to Texas A&M’s.

According to 24/7Sports’ annual team recruiting rankings, both Clemson and A&M brought in top 20 recruiting classes in each year from 2012 to 2016.

Clemson’s had just one top 10 ranked recruiting class in that span (9th in 2015). A&M had two (5th in ’14 and 9th in ’13).

In fact, A&M’s recruiting class was ranked higher than Clemson’s three times in that five-year span.

But while Clemson has flourished, A&M is stuck in a rut of three consecutive 8-5 finishes.

Perhaps Swinney and his staff are more adept at developing players. Maybe they’re more effective with in-game decisions and adjustments. It could be they’ve just had better luck.

Not playing in the SEC West could be a factor, though being in the ACC Atlantic Division with Florida State and Louisville is certainly no picnic.

Maybe A&M is on the brink of breaking through like Clemson did in Swinney’s third season.

A&M’s 2017 recruiting class is currently ranked ninth by 24/7 Sports. Clemson’s is ranked 13th.

Perhaps quarterback Kellen Mond will develop into A&M’s version of Deshaun Watson.

Linebacker Anthony Hines could be A&M’s Ben Boulware. Receiver Jhamon Ausbon could be the Aggies’ answer to Mike Williams.

Maybe in the near future A&M will put it all together and finally win another national championship.

Aggies should aim for that. They should expect it. Heck, they should demand it.

Clemson did it. A&M should be able to do it, too.