Clemson does not have a realistic path to paying Dabo Swinney’s buyout, and that reality should push the program toward a different kind of spending decision: investing more aggressively in offensive help through the transfer portal.
The number is staggering either way. If Clemson administrators and boosters ever decided they had seen enough, it would take $57 million to make Swinney go away. That price tag makes a coaching change feel out of reach for now, which leaves the Tigers with a more practical task - building the roster in ways that give them a better chance to win over the long haul.
Pete Thamel raised that exact idea in his ESPN.com piece on the “six college football buyouts that will determine the coaching carousel.” He noted that the buyout is too steep for Clemson to move on from Swinney, but he also pointed to the possibility that the program keeps leaning into the portal as it tries to modernize.
"There has been some evolution," Thamel wrote. "Clemson took in 10 defensive transfers last year.
It only took one on offense. It is reasonable that there could be continued evolution there as the program slowly modernizes."
That evolution has already shown up on defense. Through the first five games, Clemson’s secondary and other transfer additions have made real impacts, with Elliot Washington II (Penn State), Jerome Carter III (Old Dominion), and Corey Myrick (Southern Miss) all factoring into the back end.
The defense has also gotten help from Will Heldt, who previously played at Purdue before arriving at Clemson two years ago, and Jeremiah Alexander, who came from Alabama. Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong was hurt in Week 1, but Clemson at least made the attempt.
Those moves have helped Tom Allen get the defense pointed in the right direction. The same cannot be said for the offense, where Chad Morris’ unit and especially Matt Luke’s offensive line have been the problem spots.
Swinney’s choice not to add a quarterback through the portal was a miss, and the offensive line whiffs were worse. Clemson knew it was losing a lot of talent to the NFL, yet it did not do enough to offset those departures. The program banked on retention, struck out in the portal, and paid for it.
That is part of why true freshman Tait Reynolds has taken over as the starter at quarterback moving forward. Barring injury, there is no reason to go back to Christopher Vizzina this season.
Swinney has built Clemson into a major program and remains a strong high school recruiter, while also working as a receivers coach at his core. But if the Tigers want their offense to stop lagging behind, he cannot be stubborn about using outside help again this offseason.
If Clemson does not add more pieces to supplement the offense in the portal, the results figure to look a lot like what they have already seen.
In Other News...
Clemson Hits Bye Week With Recruiting Pressure Building On Two Fronts
Clemsons bye week arrives with the recruiting machine still humming on two fronts, and the Tigers already have a sizable head start in both the 2027 and 2028 classes. The 2027 group is up to 24 commitments and includes a five-star wide receiver along with multiple four-star prospects, while the 2028 board already has a footing in place with four-star quarterback Trace Hawkins committed and several other names showing strong interest.
Even with that early momentum, the pressure is not easing. Clemson is still working to add more pieces to both classes as the staff keeps pushing through a busy stretch of evaluations and visits, and recent roster movement has made the margin for error a little thinner. A linebackers de-commitment is part of the backdrop now, leaving the Tigers to protect what they have already built while trying to keep the class climbing. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Offense Has A Problem That Could Catch Up Fast
Clemson has been getting by with enough defense, enough timely play and just enough resilience to keep the season moving, but the offensive numbers keep pointing to a bigger issue. The Tigers rank 136th nationally in offensive touchdown rate, third-worst in the country, and the one touchdown pass over the last seven games is the kind of stat that can turn a few uneasy wins into something more troubling if it lingers much longer.
Even with comeback victories against North Carolina and Cal, the margin for error has been thin, and the upcoming home game against Charleston Southern offers a chance to look cleaner and more productive. Clemson does not need a complete reinvention overnight, but it does need signs that the offense can start finishing drives with more than occasional help, because the schedule will not always be forgiving enough to cover for this kind of drought. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Luke's Confidence Puts Clemson's Biggest Problem Under A Harsh Spotlight
Clemsons offensive line has become one of the clearest pressure points in a season that still has plenty of time to turn. The Tigers have already allowed 17 sacks in five games, a pace that stands out sharply next to the 21 sacks they surrendered over the entire 13-game run a year ago. Offensive line coach Matt Luke has not tried to gloss over it, instead pointing to the need for the group to play with more cohesion as the team heads into its open date.
The break now offers a chance to reset some fundamentals before the second half begins, but it also puts a harsh spotlight on where this position group stands. If the protection issues continue, the conversation around Clemsons offense will only get louder, and Lukes future will naturally become part of it. For a unit that was expected to stabilize things up front, the next few weeks feel especially important. [Read more 🡒]