1. Here’s where the pace of Clemson’s recruiting slows on purpose.

Coaches departed for vacation Thursday for a brief respite from the action.

The traditional National Signing Day marks the end of their season-long grind, so to speak.

The new NCAA recruiting calendar makes February a dead period, so most programs faced a scheduling tweak in not hosting prospects on campus this month. The change saves them from themselves and makes the effort to give everyone a short pause from recruiting.

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But this has always been Dabo Swinney’s mode of operation. The staff unplugs for a stretch before reconvening for spring practice preparations. And with spring practice seemingly starting earlier and earlier, there’s not a ton of time off, relatively speaking.

Clemson begins spring practice Feb. 26, then conducts its standard second junior day the next week in conjunction with its March 7 practice.

Whereas the January elite junior day is usually restricted to less than two dozen recruits, the staff's March junior day expands the range of quality and quantity.

The cast usually includes the latest wave of new offers, some potential down-the-line candidates, some instate names and area friends of the program … and sometimes even a target or two who couldn’t make the January date.