CLEMSON – In July of 2024, while speaking the media at the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C., Dabo Swinney said, “If I took a job somewhere else, I’d be the greatest portal recruiter ever because half of my roster would be gone, and I’d have to go put it together.”
At the time it was tongue-and-cheek comment by Clemson’s head coach, as Swinney answered questions on why he refused to use the transfer portal in the new world of college football. The 56-year-old prided himself on building his program through high school recruiting and development.
While other programs use NIL to bring players into their program, Swinney has used it to retain his home-grown talent.