Dabo Swinney is taking a contrarian approach to the modern era of college football. He is not going to force any players to leave Clemson if they are not choosing to do so on their own accord.
That is really cool.
To be completely honest, I do not know if other college football coaches are also doing this. They have not said so publicly. Regardless of whether they are or not, Swinney is, and he is saying it publicly.
College football players are often “processed out.”
It is no secret by now that the transfer portal and NIL changed the entire landscape of collegiate athletics. Athletes who were previously shackled to the guise of amateurism by the term “student-athlete” are now able to operate as professionals— without any rules. They sign contracts that guarantee financial compensation as high as seven figures. They are able to leave their current program at any point in time to seek a new opportunity (or more money) elsewhere.
It’s like the NFL if the NFL didn’t have a salary cap, free agency or really any kind of regulation.
On the flip side of that equation, the players’ spots are not guaranteed. Coaches can encourage (read: force) players who are lower on the depth chart to enter the transfer portal to clear up a roster spot. They can rework (read: cancel) the financial agreements and send them on their way. It’s business.
Dabo Swinney is not going to push anyone out.
As the end of the regular season comes to a close, the focus is only on the task at hand. However, because of the current calendar structure, there must also be some thought about next year’s roster. Who is going to stay? Who is going to leave?
At Clemson, players will only leave if they choose to do so on their own accord.
Dabo Swinney recently spoke about the transfer portal and how he is going to handle turnover. His stance is admirable.
In his opinion, if a player is not good enough to compete, that is on him and his staff. They are not going to force anyone out the door. It is “Til Graduation Do We Part” so long as he is the head coach.
Dabo Swinney made it clear today: Clemson is not going to push players into the transfer portal to find new ones. It’s still “Til Graduation Do We Part” as long as Swinney is the coach. pic.twitter.com/PLlBd2rEpt
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) November 18, 2025
Say what you will about Swinney. Laugh at him all you want. I do often. This is really admirable.