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1. The last few weeks – shoot, even this entire cycle – make a case supporting Clemson throttling down recruiting pursuits even further.

An overriding theme over the last month has been the Tigers’ tempered chasing on the recruiting trail.

The pandemic has made for a seller’s market to close this recruiting class, as so many seniors secured reservations at schools earlier – and the absence of recruiting visits has given less impetus to look around.

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Then with the junior class, two factors -- the lack of evaluation opportunities, and scholarship number uncertainty created by the NCAA giving players another year of eligibility – combine to give someone like Clemson a little more pause before filling a future spot. Places in the 2022 class have become even more valuable, if that makes sense.

We would argue that should be a good thing for the Tigers in light of the year’s developments -- which have included freshman Demarkcus Bowman’s abrupt transfer and the program’s first two legit decommitments in basically five years.

Maybe it’s just been that kind of calendar year that can be written off as pandemic exemption, while it’s not as if Clemson has rolled the dice a few times before. But there have been several instances where time will tell if the Tigers maybe veered from their standard vetting process prematurely, and this stretch is the equivalent of the injury that forces one to slow down, recover and reassess.

In the meantime, as we foreshadowed, the season outcomes and context can serve to restore the shine that was somewhat dulled by the summer’s storylines. Dabo Swinney and program are back in front of cameras and mics as the No. 1 team in the land again.