Dabo Swinney continues to make headlines for his stance on NIL and the transfer portal. The Clemson head coach has been hesitant to completely concede to the changing landscape of college football, which many believe will ultimately lead to his downfall.
Swinney has a different take on the way he runs his program, though, and given the success he’s had throughout his tenure, it’s one that’s hard to argue.
The coach built his program from the bottom after taking over a seven-win team in 2009. A little-known assistant at the time, he’d instill his beliefs and values into his squad.
One of those pillars is loyalty, something that was shown to him by the university when he was offered the job. Unfortunately for Swinney, it’s also something that seems to be fading throughout college football as the era of NIL takes over.
The transfer portal is more active than ever as a number of players test the market to see their value. We’re now hearing rumors of seven-figure NIL asks from stars at the top of their game, and even six-figure demands from those in reserve roles.
Tampering and bidding wars are now the norm as team pride and affiliation continue to take a backseat. Dabo Swinney refuses to engage in such activities, and he broke down his outlook on the ever-growing list of transfer portal players during a recent interview with Sirius XM.
“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)
Swinney says there are three types of transfers in college football.
(1) The players that “aren’t good enough to play for” Clemson, (2) those that have been tampered with and already have a deal in place, and (3) the players that enters “just to see what he can get.”
The head coach gave those designations to explain why his team hasn’t been successful in the portal while others around the country make it a priority.
Simply put, Swinney views high school talent as a better investment than a short-term rental. Plus, everyone is a transfer when you really think about.
A lot of what the coach says are things that most fans agree with.
With no restrictions put in place on NIL, being the highest bidder often provides the best result. Combine that with essential free agency in the transfer portal, and you’ve introduced the Wild, Wild West.
The criticism on Swinney is that he’s been slow to adapt in any way, noted by his 0 transfer takes this offseason, while others around the country have embraced the new landscape and passed Clemson by.
What’s the biggest reason why Dabo Swinney won’t compete in the transfer portal?
The morals have already been mentioned, but his most recent answer might’ve given insight to another – NIL funds.
When mentioning that final group of transfer players (those that “see what they can get”), Swinney said that Clemson will “never win that war.”
But why?
Most would agree that Clemson is a top tier program in the current era of college football. Most would also agree that there were areas to be improved after an 8-4 regular season and that there are talented players who’d want to join the roster.
Why admit transfer portal defeat before even making an effort?
Swinney saying that the Tigers will “never win” a bidding war would suggest that the school’s NIL package isn’t quite as strong as its competitors. Programs competing for the same talent like Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and FSU seem to a never-ending supply of funds, which they’ve used to quickly better their lineups. Is Clemson at a financial disadvantage?
Then again, maybe Swinney’s just unwilling to overspend as the asking prices continue to soar. Unfortunately for him, that’s not something likely to change in the near future.
Swinney chose not to improve his roster over the offseason – maybe because his NIL hands were tied! Whatever the case, the criticisms of his transfer portal approach will continue unless the on-field results turn around.
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