Clemson cleaned up yet again on National Signing Day.
The 2022 ACC Champions were able to scoop up a healthy number of incoming freshmen. The first day totaled 28 signees, with 16 coming aboard mid-year. One of the iron-clad attributes about Dabo Swinney is that he can flat-out recruit. This is his 13th consecutive recruiting class that is ranked in the top 15. An interesting note to this year’s signee statistics is that only one of them is a college transfer – Arizona State Quarterback Paul Tyson, who previously was at Alabama and played the role of QB2 behind Heisman Winner Bryce Young.
So where do the recruits come from, and how does he do it?
In the past couple of years, the transfer portal is booming in a way no one could have predicted, and coaches are using it as an avenue to essentially “reload” their locker rooms with veterans. For Dabo Swinney, that won’t be his main source of recruiting anytime soon. Swinney has, and looks, as though he will continue to, almost exclusively recruit from the graduating high school classes. Coach defends his techniques by explaining how Clemson is a developmental program and always will be. As he told The Clemson Insider, Clemson is “…constantly bringing in guys on top of guys, that changes your culture. That’s just part of it. If I was just coming to Clemson right now, half of my roster would be (the) transfer portal. If I was just taking over a team and you’ve got to win, like, yesterday.”
So, it’s not that Dabo despises the transfer portal in nature, but it’s just not the right fit for his program. In the midst of all the excited star players looking to shine at other schools, this perspective on the portal is unique. Just because it’s there and available, does it mean it must be used? Multiple CFP appearances, 12+ win seasons, and a great retention and graduation rate has been the Tigers’ identity for the past several years now. KJ Henry even gives his two cents on player retention at Clemson, in what could be speculated as an affirmative use of the eyes emoji.
BT Potter gives a less-than-cryptic response to this. We’ll sure miss this guy.
Since Dabo’s recruiting techniques are not resulting in any shortage of talent, is the coach onto something here? Chat with us in the Geneva app.