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1. The end of the regular season, including conference championship games, spells the unofficial beginning to recruiting season.

Of course, we all know recruiting never actually stops. And many coaching staffs have bowl prep and other team-related functions to deal with in the coming weeks, too – Clemson figures to reconvene on-campus practices next week in prep for the Dec. 31 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.

But the page also turns to recruiting with a reset to the contact period, and much more attention and resources are channeled to recruiting through National Signing Day in February.

Clemson’s coaching staff will hit the road recruiting this week until the NCAA contact period reaches Christmas break next Monday. The period reconvenes Jan. 11.

As we’ll document later today, the next two months figures to not only cap a third straight stellar class. It projects to set the foundation for what could shape into the best signing group per-prospect of the Dabo Swinney era – which is saying something considering the previous two carried overall rankings of No. 4 and 6, respectively.

But first things first.

2. Two prominent if not longstanding names remain in play to close this class, although it’s certainly within reason those circumstances change before all is said and done.