Dabo Swinney Says ‘Most’ CFB Transfer Portal Players ‘Aren’t Good Enough’ for Clemson

Head coach Dabo Swinney of Clemson continues to justify the program’s underfunding of the transfer portal by pointing out the glaring talent discrepancy.

On SiriusXM ACC Radio on Thursday, Swinney stated, “The majority of the guys in the portal aren’t good enough to play for us.”

The comment is one of those things that raises valid points but obscures the real problem.

Most college football players that sign up during the offseason are probably not good enough to contribute significantly to Clemson’s team, even if you were to stack up every single player that signs up through the portal. However, past performance has demonstrated that teams aiming for a championship can boost their roster right away by adding veterans.

Both LaDarius Henderson and Drake Nugent, who joined Michigan through the gateway, were first-team All-Big Ten offensive linemen in 2023. The top receiver on a Florida State squad that finished the regular season undefeated was Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who joined the Huskies after four years at Indiana, is essential to Washington’s College Football Playoff chances.

The conventional methods of assembling a roster cannot be entirely replaced by the transfer portal. While recruiting at the high school level is still important, the portal era has made experience and consistency within the same squad even more valuable.

Furthermore, a team hoping to qualify for the postseason may find that it doesn’t need to bring in any big names because the talent is already there.

However, Swinney’s remarks reveal a broader worldview. No university comparable to Clemson has adopted the transfer portal and the potential benefits of NIL for player recruitment and retention more slowly than Clemson.

Swinney’s strategy has clearly paid off, as seen by the Tigers’ recent performance. Their 9-4 record from the previous season was their lowest since 2010, and they last made it to the playoffs in 2020.

The success Swinney has contributed to has perhaps spoilt Clemson supporters. Do you recall when the term “Clemsoning” was used to describe the unanticipated collapse of a highly respected squad during a game or season?

But the fan base has good reason to be furious at Swinney for having such an easy method to bring in some much-needed reinforcements, and he appears to be refusing on principle.