Many thanks to friend Ryan Kantor for taking the time to answer my questions.
BSD: Dabo Swinney currently has the Clemson Tigers ranked #1 in the country. The Clemson program, while it has always been good, has clearly seen a steady ascent under Swinney's leadership. What separates this year's Clemson team from even the teams of the past few years, which have seen bowl victories over programs such as LSU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma?
STS: Dabo Swinney became the interim head coach midway through the 2008 season and immediately shook things up. He endeared himself to the fan base by dismissing struggling offensive coordinator (turned Syracuse assistant, turned high school coach) Rob Spence and beating South Carolina.