The latest on Clemson and the transfer portal

Dabo Swinney says there's too much of a microwave mentality when it comes to decisions.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Jan 09 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2023

Christmas is in the rear-view mirror, and Clemson is a long way from Bethlehem, but right now, there is no room at the inn.

Florida State is making headlines by using the transfer portal to build a highly competitive program in Tallahassee. Head coach Mike Norvell has added three offensive linemen, two tight ends, a kicker, one of the best cornerbacks in the ACC, a running back, and two defensive linemen who should make an immediate impact. Right now, Norvell is the king of the transfer portal.

So why hasn’t Clemson made inroads into the portal? No room is the easiest answer.

“Roster-wise, we don’t hardly have any room at the inn. We’re pretty stacked,” Swinney said last month. “It’s a great problem to have.”

Right now, TigerNet has Clemson at 88 scholarships. That number includes the recent news of Etinosa Rueben leaving and the returns of the defensive linemen (Tyler Davis, Justin Mascoll and Xavier Thomas) and cornerback Sheridan Jones. That 88 number also includes wide receiver Joseph Ngata, who has yet to announce a decision on whether he will turn pro or return for another season (he did share that he's been invited to a pre-NFL combine all-star game).

In other words, Clemson needs a little more attrition just to hit the magic of number of 85 allowable scholarships. That number doesn’t have to be hit right now, but when the rest of the 2023 recruits arrive on campus in early June, that 85 is the target number (the way I understand it, you can’t have more than 85 on campus at once).

And that number of 88 doesn’t include coaches’ kids or a lot of former walk-ons. Most of the 88 are players who were recruited for scholarship spots. But, as the Tigers enter and then exit spring practice, there is little doubt that number will change. Also, the portal will open again for 15 days on May 1. The current window closes on January 18th.

“Ask me tomorrow. It might be a different answer,” Swinney said. “Anything can happen. With where college football is right now, you’re always evaluating your roster and evaluating everything As we sit today, we’re in a great spot from a roster standpoint. Things could change, and if it does, we’ll address it.

“Somebody can get hurt. Somebody could leave. There are always things to evaluate. It’s a very small pool when it comes to filling our needs, but that could change because the roster could change at any given moment in today’s college football. It could change, and you have to be ready to respond to that.”

And I do expect that number to change. A side effect, if you will, of those experienced players coming back is that younger players who have been waiting their turn might decide to not wait around for another season and seek immediate playing time elsewhere. That’s just the way it is these days. Swinney calls it the microwave mentality.

"We all want this microwave (playing career). We need to have a crock pot mentality," Swinney said. "The best meals come from that crockpot when you leave at about 8:00 in the morning and mama's got some food in the crockpot. You're like, oh, that's going to be good when I get home about 6:00, right? But everybody wants it in the microwave, and that's usually not the best meals, the one you just heat up.”

I have been told that the thinking (about the portal) inside the Reeves building has changed from two years ago. Two years ago, it was pretty much a no. Then last year it was passive. And this year it has been active, and that there were two players in particular the Tigers were expecting to chase. However, there wasn’t as much attrition as expected and things are on hold. For now.

In other words, the inn might have some rooms available in May. Or sooner.