Clemson’s Turning Point: Dabo Swinney, the Transfer Portal, and a Program at the Crossroads
Dabo Swinney’s name has never been far from the national college football conversation - but this season, the tone around it has shifted. And if you ask Paul Finebaum, it’s not just about wins and losses.
When asked to sum up Swinney’s current standing in one word, Finebaum didn’t hold back: *“Grandpa.” *
That single word hit a nerve, especially among Clemson fans. But it also captured a broader sentiment that’s been simmering all season - the idea that Swinney, once the face of innovation and energy in college football, is now lagging behind in a sport that’s evolving faster than ever.
The critique isn’t new. Finebaum has been vocal throughout the 2025 season about what he sees as Swinney’s reluctance to fully embrace the modern realities of college football - namely, the transfer portal, NIL, and the constant churn of roster turnover. Those elements have reshaped the way programs build and sustain success, and Swinney’s more traditional approach has drawn increasing scrutiny.
That conversation hit a fever pitch during Clemson’s rocky start to the year. The Tigers opened 3-5, a stretch that had many questioning whether the program had slipped from the upper tier of college football. And Finebaum didn’t mince words during that stretch, suggesting in November that Swinney might be better off finding a new challenge elsewhere - not because he should be fired, but because the situation had grown, in his words, “so bad.”
“I hate to see a Hall of Fame coach act that petulant and that poorly,” Finebaum said at the time.
But here’s where the story takes a turn.
Clemson didn’t fold. Instead, the Tigers rallied to win their final four games heading into bowl season, stabilizing what had looked like a lost year.
That late-season surge didn’t just salvage their record - it complicated the narrative. Swinney’s team is now preparing for a Pinstripe Bowl matchup against Penn State, and the tone around the program feels different than it did just a month ago.
Still, the questions haven’t gone away. Finebaum’s “Grandpa” jab may have been blunt, but it speaks to a real tension: how Clemson adapts - or doesn’t - to the new era of college football.
For years, Swinney built Clemson into a powerhouse by leaning heavily on high school recruiting and player development. The Tigers weren’t just good - they were stable, consistent, and disciplined.
But in today’s game, stability isn’t enough. Programs are expected to be nimble, aggressive, and portal-savvy.
And until recently, Clemson wasn’t.
That’s beginning to change.
This season, Clemson dipped into the portal to land edge rusher Will Heldt and wide receiver Tristan Smith - two additions that ended up playing meaningful roles. It wasn’t a philosophical shift as much as a practical one. Swinney himself admitted as much earlier this month, explaining that necessity is now forcing his hand.
“That’s the first thing that puts you in the portal,” Swinney said. “Somebody leaves that you didn’t want to leave.
That puts you in the portal because now you’ve got to fill your numbers. There’s nowhere to go get a high school kid in December or January.”
That’s a far cry from the Swinney of just a few years ago, who was openly skeptical of the portal and hesitant to build through it. But reality has a way of rewriting the playbook.
With key departures in the secondary - including Khalil Barnes and Avieon Terrell - Clemson is expected to be active again this offseason. And how aggressively they move could say a lot about the direction of the program.
Swinney is still very much the face of Clemson football. He’s the architect of two national titles and the builder of a brand that’s become synonymous with elite college football. But the landscape has shifted beneath his feet, and now the challenge is adapting without losing the identity that made Clemson successful in the first place.
Finebaum’s comment may have sparked headlines, but the real story is still unfolding. Clemson is at a crossroads.
The late-season surge showed there’s still fight in the program. But the offseason - and how Swinney navigates it - will go a long way in determining whether Clemson remains a contender or continues to drift from the top tier.
The question isn’t whether Swinney still has what it takes. It’s whether he’s willing to evolve fast enough to keep pace with a sport that waits for no one.