"The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict.  He must inflict them once and for all."  Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

I doubt that this post will discuss anything that hasn't already been discussed on other posts and threads, but I will add that Day's hiring of Mattison and Washington was genius.  But not only genius, Machiavellian.  

At first, the hiring of Mattison was a real head scratcher for me.  What was this young, new head coach who is at the cutting edge of the new wave of offensive football doing hiring a 69 year old D line coach from a rival team as his co-DC?  The hiring of Al Washington made sense and was desired by many.  A young, up and comer, to replace a generally understood unsuccessful LB coach.  Washington makes complete sense.  But why Mattison?  His hiring really makes no sense when you think about it.  Or does it?

In tandem, the hiring of these former coaches from ttun's defensive staff was a brutal move befitting a Prince.  Not only does it weaken the rival on the field, it strikes at the historical source that the rival has always sought for talent - Ohio.  Is Ohio closed off to ttun as its most fertile and historical recruiting base?  Of course not, but over the course of 48 hours while the rival's head coach remained on vacation, the rival is now reeling and massively weakened, not only from a leadership standpoint, but also from its life blood.  "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."  Machiavelli.  The message has been sent, and it was ruthless.  I wonder what James Franklin is thinking?  What could be in store for him?  Maybe Justin Fields was a message?

"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him."  Machiavelli.  I despise Dabo Swinney.  I think he's a fraud ("There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious."  more Machiavelli).  I don't doubt for a moment that something dirty is at the core of his Clemson success.   But I also don't doubt for a moment that Dabo has surrounded himself with some outstanding assistant coaches.  Like Dabo, Ryan Day is a first time head coach.  Dabo has built a top 2-5 program.  Day has inherited a top 3 college football blue blood.  The hiring of Mattison was genius, because he not only hired a highly regarded, very experienced co-DC, but also a co-DC who knows the Big Ten, the other offenses, and the other Big Ten coaches.  Mattison is Day's consigliere, so to speak.  Ryan Day has never had to worry about the defense, but now he does.  Mattison can also be Day's secretary of defense.  I also think, from what I've read, that Mattison is a man who commands respect and can also get his assistants to play well in the sandbox in pursuit of the common goal.  I think that was something that was missing last Fall.  There was dysfunction amongst the Ohio State defensive staff, and it showed. 

"It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things."