In case you didn't already know, Clemson won the national title on Monday night.
As the Tigers bask in their post-title glow, their excellent social media team dug out of the archives a question from Dabo Swinney's introductory press conference. Dabo looks precisely the same, but the way we see him from then to now has completely flipped. Back then, he was trying to outrun the shadow of Tommy Bowden, not taking down Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in the course of 10 days.
"Do you think Clemson's taking a gamble on you," the questioner asks, "just because of your lack of coordinator and head coaching experience?"
Flash through the next eight-and-change seasons, and now, 89 wins, four ACC Atlantic championships, three ACC championships, seven bowl wins, seven top-25 finishes, four top-10 finishes, two College Football Playoff championship appearances and the program's first national championship in 35 years later, we now know what Dabo knew then:
"No."
Belief.
It's a powerful thing. pic.twitter.com/1ZLxMGSClR
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 13, 2017