From Powerhouse to Afterthought: Dabo Swinney’s Impact on Clemson’s Recruitment
Dabo Swinney is steering Clemson toward a decline in recruiting relevance.
Swinney has become a prominent critic of the NIL and transfer portal changes in college football, and his outspoken stance may eventually backfire.
This week, rumors surfaced that Tae Harris, a four-star defensive back from Cedartown, Georgia, might flip his commitment from Clemson to Georgia Tech. Harris confirmed the decision with a post on X (formerly Twitter). While losing top recruits to powerhouse programs like Georgia or Alabama is understandable, losing one to Georgia Tech raises eyebrows.
Clemson fans are understandably upset, as Harris marks the sixth decommitment for the 2025 class. The last time Clemson experienced a similar situation was three years ago, during the 2022 cycle, when four recruits decommitted. Even so, that class ranked No. 14 in the country, according to 247Sports, with 21 total commitments. This year, with Harris’ decommitment, the Tigers have slipped to No. 29, with only 13 commits.
Clemson has also faced significant player losses to the transfer portal in recent seasons, with 11, 12, and 12 players leaving in the past three years. When factoring in departures due to eligibility, the Tigers’ scholarship roster will continue to shrink, leading to both a reduction in player numbers and an overall drop in the team’s average age.
Whether you agree with his views on the evolving landscape of college football or not, Clemson’s recruiting struggles fall squarely on Swinney’s shoulders. It’s one thing to stick to your principles, but it’s another to remain inflexible when the program is clearly heading toward a cliff. Can Clemson afford to continue down this path? It may take years for the program to recover its recruiting reputation if it’s seen as an anti-NIL team.
Swinney is undoubtedly a talented coach and capable of returning Clemson to its former glory, but his stance on NIL and the transfer portal needs to evolve quickly. Clemson doesn’t need to go all-in like programs such as Florida State or Ole Miss, but it must find ways to compensate for the losses from the portal. If not, losing recruits will likely become a regular occurrence.
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