Clemson Football: Don’t bet on the portal being the answer

There’s a raging debate amongst Clemson football fans about the merits and perils of using the transfer portal to supplement the high school signees and returning players for the Tigers.

Some believe it’s imperative, some see it as an abomination and some see it somewhere in between.

I’ve aired my thoughts on the topic multiple times on these pages and that’s not what this is about.

What this is about is reality.  The Tigers are full.  Or at least close to it.

Now you can disagree with how and to whom those scholarships have been distributed and there’ll likely be more defections and/or transfers between now and the end of the spring semester, but right now the numbers are tight.

It’s simple math and all the “Dabo is dumb for not using the portal” in the world doesn’t change the math.

There’s also the fact that loyalty and being committed is a two way street.  If you begin accepting transfers you must also realize that means some of the players that committed to you will likely leave, creating a never ending cycle of coming and going.

Don’t believe me?  Listen to K.J. Henry.

To believe that Clemson is going to be able to accept transfers (if there were open slots) and there not be any ramifications, both on the current roster and on the recruiting trail, is a fantasy.

So, let’s summarize.  We know Swinney isn’t against transfers or the portal in principle and plans to use it strategically, as he just did in signing a transfer quarterback.

We believe Clemson is at or very near the 85 scholarship limit at this time.

We know Dabo is committed to the players he recruited and believes they should be developed and not passed over by a player that either chose another school over Clemson in the recruiting process or wasn’t offered by Clemson in the first place for whatever reason.

Some Clemson football fans know why the Tigers don’t use the portal extensively, but continue to espouse strawman arguments

Knowing those three things, to continually wonder why Clemson isn’t going after this guy in the portal or that guy in the portal is a waste of time and in some ways a strawman argument (“Dabo doesn’t believe in transfers”).

While I believe arguing Dabo should change his stance is fruitless, I understand why people do it.

It’s those who think Clemson should offer every offensive lineman and receiver in the portal and a) they’ll accept and b) there’ll be no ramifications, that I believe are being disingenuous.

Argue for a change in the philosophy, but don’t argue for something that all evidence indicates isn’t going to happen.

A large part of the brand Dabo has built is based on loyalty, whether that be in the recruiting process, rules for those that commit to Clemson or in day to day management of the program.

Clemson fans love when loyalty works in their favor, but not so much when it’s inconvenient.

It’s ironic that some of the same people that are questioning why Dabo isn’t recruiting the portal obsessively to find “better” players than the ones he committed during the recruiting process, will be the first to label a player who transfers from Clemson as disloyal.

Loyalty is a two way street.  It doesn’t work when one side demands loyalty, while not being loyal themselves.