Clemson is set to welcome 19 new high school recruits later this week-a reminder that, even in an era dominated by the transfer portal and NIL-fueled roster reshuffling, there’s still a place for building through traditional recruiting. But let’s not sugarcoat it: the landscape of college football has shifted dramatically, and the Tigers are feeling those tremors just like everyone else.
There was a time when National Signing Day was the crown jewel of the offseason. Programs would haul in 20 or more high school prospects like clockwork, and that was how you built a contender.
But those days are fading fast. Now, rosters are in constant flux.
Players come and go with the portal spinning like a turnstile. Coaches, too, are on the move-sometimes abruptly.
Just look at Lane Kiffin, who didn’t blink before leaving Ole Miss for LSU, leaving his 2026 recruiting class behind on the tarmac. That’s the new normal.
The sport has become a year-round carousel, and loyalty-once a cornerstone of college football culture-is increasingly rare. Even programs that pride themselves on strong internal bonds and a “family” atmosphere aren’t immune.
Clemson, long known for cultivating that kind of environment under Dabo Swinney, has seen nine blue-chip defenders walk out the door in just two recruiting cycles. That’s not a knock on the Tigers specifically-it’s a reality check for everyone.
The portal doesn’t care about culture; it cares about opportunity.
So where does that leave Clemson? At a crossroads.
This past season was supposed to be a statement year. A chance to show that stability, continuity, and doing things “the Clemson way” could still win in a sport that’s rapidly evolving.
But the results on the field told a different story. Over the course of 12 games, it became clear that the Tigers’ formula-while admirable-might no longer be enough on its own.
That’s not to say Clemson can’t compete. The talent is still there.
The infrastructure is still strong. And bringing in 19 new high school players shows there’s still belief in the long-term approach.
But in today’s college football, you’ve got to be willing to adapt. That means embracing the portal, being nimble with roster management, and understanding that the game off the field is just as important as the one on Saturdays.
If Clemson wants to stay in the national conversation-not just as a respected program, but as a true contender-it may be time to loosen the grip on tradition and start playing by the rules of the new era. The Tigers don’t need to abandon who they are.
But they might need to evolve to survive. Because in this version of college football, standing still is the fastest way to fall behind.