Dabo Swinney when asked about why Clemson didn’t sign any transfer portal players: “Every player is technically a transfer. We just signed a whole class of guys transferring from high school.”

[Blake Munroe]

Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts (especially @Gerry Hamilton) on what Dabo and Co. are doing. Only one of a handful of teams who didn’t pick up a transfer. 

 

[CJ Vogel]

Adapt or die is the name of the game in college football and Clemson is not adapting.

[Red Five]

If I were a Clemson fan I'd probably consider that quote a fireable offense. 

[Tuco Ramirez]

Yikes! Just a wee bit arrogant. As Gerry keeps pointing out, there’s no excuse for a young team when you have the portal. 

[Shane]

3 minutes ago, Red Five said:

If I were a Clemson fan I'd probably consider that quote a fireable offense. 

It’ll be the cause of his eventual firing if he doesn’t adapt. Which he won’t 

[Adam Lane]

Blake,

I believe we are witnessing the slow death spiral of Clemson football.  Eventually, he we be outclassed talent-wise by his opponents.

What is really concerning for Clemson is the current realignment landscape.  Dabo may actually be destroying Clemson football on a permanent basis if he continues with this recalcitrance!  

This continued behavior could push the program to irrelevance and make Clemson substantially less attractive to the SEC or BIG 10.  Clemson would essentially become what it was before Dabo.... another private university also ran.  At that point it will be unable to compete and it will be virtually impossible to make up ground with major players both competitively and financially.

With the musical chairs of realignment, there will only be so many places at the table and these conferences have no desire for a program that could ultimately be a drain with zero luster that will not attract veiwership (i.e. Baylor, TCU, etc.)

 

 

[ArizonaLonghorn]

Clemson lost 12 players to the portal this cycle; only two were 4* (Mukuba to Texas and Pride to Missouri).  Seven ended up at P4 schools. 

Many top programs are losing a lot more players to the portal - Texas 25 xfers out, 11 in; Georgia 24 out, 10 in; Ohio State 25 out, 6 in, including a 5* and four 4*.

I fully get the criticism - it seems foolish not to spackle over some cracks in your depth chart (or recharge a depleted position like Texas at WR), but Dabo's philosophy is to keep a home-grown roster and develop kids from high school.  Time will tell if he can do it and still win at a high level.

As an aside I was born in NC and grew up in SC.  Clemson was sort of the A&M of the Carolinas (minus the wacky traditions, so maybe the Texas Tech), located outside the major population centers.  I doubt they would have the NIL resources to compete against the big boys in the ACC, much less the SEC.

As for the two championships, it's amazing what you can do when you have the right QB.  Had D.J. Uiagalelei played up to expectations (# 1 QB out of high school, 5* and Top 10 recruit) they would not have dropped like they did after Lawrence left.

I think this move is a mistake but Dabo may feel that not chasing transfers is his best hope of keeping the roster together.

[4thandFive]

Woof.

[syracusehorn]

Clown gonna clown. Love to see it.

 

[stunnedandpissed]

1 hour ago, ArizonaLonghorn said:

Clemson lost 12 players to the portal this cycle; only two were 4* (Mukuba to Texas and Pride to Missouri).  Seven ended up at P4 schools. 

Many top programs are losing a lot more players to the portal - Texas 25 xfers out, 11 in; Georgia 24 out, 10 in; Ohio State 25 out, 6 in, including a 5* and four 4*.

I fully get the criticism - it seems foolish not to spackle over some cracks in your depth chart (or recharge a depleted position like Texas at WR), but Dabo's philosophy is to keep a home-grown roster and develop kids from high school.  Time will tell if he can do it and still win at a high level.

As an aside I was born in NC and grew up in SC.  Clemson was sort of the A&M of the Carolinas (minus the wacky traditions, so maybe the Texas Tech), located outside the major population centers.  I doubt they would have the NIL resources to compete against the big boys in the ACC, much less the SEC.

As for the two championships, it's amazing what you can do when you have the right QB.  Had D.J. Uiagalelei played up to expectations (# 1 QB out of high school, 5* and Top 10 recruit) they would not have dropped like they did after Lawrence left.

I think this move is a mistake but Dabo may feel that not chasing transfers is his best hope of keeping the roster together.

I'm kinda glad Dabo's taking this thoroughly stubborn approach.  It gives us some data/evidence as to whether a fully committed high school development model can work in modern football.  I agree with most people's conclusions that it can't and won't.  But it will always be speculative without someone like Dabo.  

IF he believes in their evaluation ability, and if they believe in their culture and ability to develop . . . and if they can keep from losing very many guys to the portal . . . there's certain virtues to his method.  That's a lot of IF's though.  But Dabo has more information with which to answer those questions than any of us, if he's honest with himself.

We'll see.  I don't think it will work, but I love that he's trying it!

[Adam Lane]

9 minutes ago, stunnedandpissed said:

I'm kinda glad Dabo's taking this thoroughly stubborn approach.  It gives us some data/evidence as to whether a fully committed high school development model can work in modern football.  I agree with most people's conclusions that it can't and won't.  But it will always be speculative without someone like Dabo.  

IF he believes in their evaluation ability, and if they believe in their culture and ability to develop . . . and if they can keep from losing very many guys to the portal . . . there's certain virtues to his method.  That's a lot of IF's though.  But Dabo has more information with which to answer those questions than any of us, if he's honest with himself.

We'll see.  I don't think it will work, but I love that he's trying it!

Just an interesting requirement for Dabo how he will have continue to even possibly make this work is by over recruiting.  He will now have to sign more folks in his recruiting classes in anticipation of portal exits that occur after the signing period.  Elsewise, he will likely enter the fall with less than a full roster via annual attrition.

Additionally, this will force him to bring in more players of higher caliber.....not even remotely sustainable considering the competition/NIL.

 

[Lnghrn]

Head in the sand!  He’s going to start to lose a lot of the goodwill he gained with the Clemson fanbase with the national championships.  

[Bobby Burton]

He’s above the transfer portal. Good luck. 

[NothinButDaHorns34]

He reminds me of mack so much in the way of him being ignorantly stuck in only HIS way of doing things. 

[jonbailey]

Dabo won his the first natty in 2016. Here are his recruiting class rankings based on On3.

2017 - 11th

2018 - 6th (another natty)

2019 - 9th

2020 - 3rd

2021 - 5th

2022 - 14th (start of NIL)

2023 - 11th

2024 - 14th

 

[Tuco Ramirez]

21 minutes ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

He reminds me of mack so much in the way of him being ignorantly stuck in only HIS way of doing things. 

This 100%. We saw how complacency and arrogance borne from success ended Mack’s era. Unless Dabo changes, I think we see the same at Clemson. 

[Red Five]

Recruiting outside of the top 10 while bringing in nothing from the portal is going to work out really well for Dabo.

Is he quiet quitting, a la Jimbo?

[Neil Leininger]

It's funny that he thinks they are above the portal, but not above paying players before NIL was legal. Those DLs didn't just happen because of his excellent recruiting and developmental skills.

In college, just like the NFL, when you have elite QB play along with elite DL play, you are going to win a shitload of football games.

[Texas fan in Georgia]

The fact he said no players that entered the portal were good enough to play for Clemson is what will be what he’s remembered for. I give it 3 years before he’s outta Clemson

[4thandFive]

10 minutes ago, Texas fan in Georgia said:

The fact he said no players that entered the portal were good enough to play for Clemson is what will be what he’s remembered for. I give it 3 years before he’s outta Clemson

That’s simply not how college football is played anymore. 

[Red Five]

51 minutes ago, Texas fan in Georgia said:

The fact he said no players that entered the portal were good enough to play for Clemson is what will be what he’s remembered for.

They better be 2005 Texas or 2001 Miami good for that to make any sense at all. Yeah I'm sure Isaiah Bond would be running third team at Clemson right now.