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CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney reiterated his transfer portal stance Saturday after Clemson football’s spring game.
The Tigers welcomed three transfer additions after taking only two in the previous six years of the portal’s existence. Swinney has been criticized for his portal use, including for Clemson being one of four FBS schools not to land one after the 2023 season. Still, he is undeterred.
“Last year, everybody said, ‘I need to get rid of Cade Klubnik,’ ‘We’re never going to win with Cade Klubnik,’ ‘He’s terrible,’ ‘Swinney’s crazy’ and ‘Go get this hot-shot quarterback,'” Swinney said. “Now, everybody says he’s the front-runner for the Heisman. It’s amazing.
“I told Cade, ‘Better not listen to none of that. Don’t listen to all that crap last year that you ain’t good enough to get it done, and don’t listen to when they tell you you’re the Heisman guy, or you’re the whatever.’ Just do the work.”
Swinney has been adamant about prioritizing high school recruiting then using the portal to fill roster availability and needs only if the Tigers’ coaches believe the player is talented enough and fits Clemson culturally. It didn’t have much roster flexibility in 2025 as it retained all of its end-of-year starters who had eligibility remaining, but it needed to fill holes.
Two of its transfers shined Saturday. Southeast Missouri State transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith had five catches for 137 yards with a touchdown, and Alabama transfer linebacker Jeremiah Alexander led Clemson’s defense with seven tackles.
Clemson dipped into the portal to land Smith after two wide receivers transferred away. It landed Alexander in January after initially wanting to wait until May to fill the need. It also nabbed Purdue transfer Will Heldt because four-star edge rusher Bryce Davis flipped his commitment to Duke, four-star signee Ari Watford…
Source link : https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/clemson/2025/04/05/clemson-football-dabo-swinney-cade-klubnik-spring-transfer-portal/82707676007/
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Publish date : 2025-04-05 20:54:00
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