CLEMSON, S.C. — As the college football world continues to swirl with controversy and confusion surrounding the transfer portal, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney remained characteristically unfazed on Wednesday, offering a knowing grin.
“We’re just sitting back, watching the madness unfold around us,” Swinney told ESPN. “It’s a wild time, but honestly, no one in this sport should be shocked. I’m just thankful we’re not caught up in it.”
Now heading into his 17th full season at Clemson, Swinney has been vocal about his cautious approach to the transfer portal. He’s made it clear he views it as a tool to plug roster holes—not a marketplace to outbid other programs for unproven high school talent with hefty payouts.
“This isn’t just a recent issue—it’s been going on for years,” Swinney said. “There haven’t really been any rules, and when there were, they’d get changed the moment someone tried to enforce them. You’d blink and six months later, everything’s different again.”
Despite the upheaval, Swinney sees opportunity in the disorder.
“I’ve told our staff—we’re heading into a chaotic era,” he said. “But honestly, the more chaos there is out there, the better it is for us. We’re built for it.”
Leave a Reply