Clemson Tigers face a razor-thin margin for error on defense ahead of the 2026 season. Can the revamped linebacker unit—centered around rising star Sammy Brown—hold the line after high-profile departures like Luke Forelli and failures in the transfer portal? Morgan Thomas confronts lingering concerns about Clemson’s linebacker depth, questions Ben Boulware’s coaching impact, and highlights the team’s gamble on defensive line and secondary reloads.

As college football’s pay-to-play landscape shifts, Clemson must adapt or risk falling behind big spenders like LSU and Ohio State. Will Coach Dabo Swinney embrace a survivor’s mindset, focusing on roster development over superstar recruiting? Morgan Thomas draws intriguing parallels to Brad Brownell’s success with scrappy basketball teams and explores how Clemson can compete by doubling down on culture, identity, and player development instead of chasing first-round draft picks.

00:00 College Football's Inequality Problem
04:37 "College Football Playoff Expansion Debate"
09:20 Linebacker Concerns and Opportunities
14:19 Run Game Strength, Pass Weakness
18:15 Kobe McLeod's Role Challenge
26:10 "High Stakes, Low Returns?"
28:17 Clemson's Challenges and Brad Brownell
32:05 Reinventing Clemson Football Identity

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