and in no particular order.

Clemson AD had a vision and sold it to alumni and got IPTAY reinvigorated, Clemson went from 6th in ACC in revenue to first by 2013. Sold the program.

Dabo recognized his own deficiencies and went out and got the best coordinators he could find and left the day to day schemes etc. to those guys and like you said "sold the program."

Clemson hit while the ACC was down, Miami/FSU are in a down cycle.

Now having said that you make it sound like Clemson's way is the only way. Fuente is a lot like Nick Saba, have you ever heard Nick Saban being Ra-Ra with alumni/boosters? Never heard or seen anything like it. Saban and Fuente are cut from the same cloth in the sense of philosophy, evaluate talent, get that talent in, coach them up.

Let me be clear, I don't think Fuente will ever be close to Saban's success because they are a blue blood with blue blood money. @Chris Coleman has written about many times the schools that are successful have money, kids go there regardless of the coach because of the name, and most coaches are either great X and Os and terrible recruiters or vice versa. Rare to find a great X and Os and recruiter.

Clemson isn't the only way to success, VT needs donations and alumni/boosters to increase giving to be successful which is one of the major factors for success.

HokieForever