Clemson Football passed a milestone when they played their fifth game of the season (a 31-14 victory at Syracuse), and it quietly passed without much attention.
The Tigers did not have anyone leave the team after their fourth game to preserve eligibility and transfer at season’s end.
Clemson had perhaps the most famous mid-season transfer of all time in 2018 when Kelly Bryant elected to leave the team and enter the transfer portal so he could preserve his final season of eligibility. Bryant was the first high-profile veteran player to take advantage of the NCAA’s new redshirt rules.
Clemson’s new starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, was injured in the next game against Syracuse. Since Bryant wasn’t on the team, Chase Brice had to step in, and the rest is a Clemson legend that I won’t forget anytime soon.
Last season, it was wide receiver Dacari Collins who decided to leave. He entered the portal at season’s end and eventually transferred to NC State. In 2021, it was running back Lyn-J Dixon who left after only three games played.
The threshold between games four and five is not a hard stop. Players who haven’t redshirted before can play in four regular-season games without losing a season of eligibility. If some players only played in two games up until now, they can appear in two more before they cross the line where they must decide if they want to leave.
Clemson Football could still have players leave in midseason, but the odds go down every week that passes
Clemson could have a player leave at some point, but odds suggest that if they haven’t left yet, they will probably stick out the year. Almost certainly there will be transfers at the end of the season.
The NCAA just adjusted the transfer portal windows for Division I. There will now be a total of 45 days to enter the portal, reduced from 60 days this past scholastic year. The first window will open after the conclusion of the regular season, and a second will open in late April for those who want to transfer after spring practices.
Players can leave teams in mid-season to preserve eligibility, but they can’t officially enter the portal until December if they have not graduated. Graduates can enter the portal at any time but must enter by May 1st to be guaranteed clearance to play the following season.