Dabo Swinney is obviously a great coach. A decade-long dominance of the ACC and two national titles speak to that greatness, and even the staunchest of critics have to relent. The guy has won and won big. But the single-minded focus that led to those titles is also going to lead to a continued regression of the Clemson football program.
Dabo’s recent interview on Sirius XM College Sports Radio regarding the transfer portal is another example of how he’s just not adapting to the new world of college football, and it’s biting him in the butt. Take a listen….
"Most of the guys in the portal aren't good enough to play for us." @ClemsonFB HC Dabo Swinney explains to @RoddyJones20 the three types of players in the transfer portal and why none of them landed in Death Valley. #ALLIN
Hear the full interview: https://t.co/0qgyAQVk3y pic.twitter.com/9HFwUY4BfX
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) May 16, 2024
Some of the points he makes are valid. Many players in the portal are already tampered with and have destinations in mind. And Clemson likely won’t win many bidding wars with Dabo’s feelings about NIL and pay-for-play.
But some of the points he makes aren’t smart, either. High school kids are also transfers? C’mon man. And many kids who enter the portal aren’t locked into a destination and need to be recruited but most won’t give Clemson a glance for one reason — they know the head coach doesn’t like the portal or transfers. Dabo has made it clear he’s set in his ways, and that message resonates with players looking for a new home and a new handout. I hate tampering, hate it with a passion. But if everyone is doing it and you’re not, you’re going to be left behind. It’s like strictly adhering to the speed limit on a highway — everyone else is going to zoom past you, and eventually, you’ll find your way to the right lane. Dabo and his program are slowly merging that way. If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.
Swinney lost to an Ohio State team led by Justin Fields and Trey Sermon. His program has been surpassed by FSU. The reigning ACC champs have been led by a litany of outstanding transfers, including the likes of Jordan Travis, Keon Coleman, Jared Verse, and many more. Georgia won a national title with Dabo’s former CB Derion Kendrick locking folks down. Dabo has built a great culture at Clemson and has won with it, but his approach to college football now is akin to an NFL team relying solely on the draft and ignoring all aspects of free agency. It’s simple-minded and won’t work.
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Clemson’s current roster talent is good enough to make another run at the ACC and the playoff this upcoming season, especially in the weak ACC. But if Dabo remains steadfast in his portal avoidance, he will never win another national title again. Never. And that would be a shame.
