Even in retirement, Steve Spurrier hasn’t lost his fastball-especially when it comes to speaking his mind. The former Florida and South Carolina head coach, never one to shy away from a strong opinion, weighed in this week on Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s recent claims of transfer portal tampering. And in classic Spurrier fashion, he didn’t mince words.
“I thought by now somebody would've told Dabo, ‘Dabo, there ain’t no rules anymore,’” Spurrier said Monday during a Zoom call with reporters ahead of his upcoming induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
The comment came in response to Swinney’s frustration over the case of linebacker Luke Ferrelli, a transfer from California. Swinney alleged during a January 23 press conference that Ole Miss, led by new head coach Pete Golding, continued to pursue Ferrelli even after the linebacker had signed with Clemson and enrolled in classes for the spring semester.
Ferrelli ultimately flipped to Ole Miss, prompting Swinney to call it “blatant tampering” and to submit evidence to the ACC. That information was then forwarded to the NCAA and SEC.
By the letter of NCAA rules, contacting a player who’s already signed and enrolled elsewhere is a violation-potentially carrying penalties like fines or recruiting restrictions. But Spurrier, now 80, was skeptical that those rules carry any real weight in today’s college football world.
“They’re still on the books, I guess, where you can’t do it after this date or that date,” Spurrier said. “But I don’t know if they’re ever going to enforce any rules now or not.”
It’s a sentiment that echoes what many coaches are privately feeling: that the traditional boundaries of college football have been blurred-if not outright erased-by the rise of the transfer portal, NIL deals, and revenue-sharing models. Spurrier, never one to tiptoe around controversy, essentially framed this not as a violation to be punished, but as a wake-up call for Swinney and others who may still be clinging to the old way of doing things.
“Gosh, basketball, they’ve got pros coming back to play in college,” Spurrier said, referencing Alabama’s Charles Bediako, who returned to the college ranks after signing an NBA contract and spending time in the G League. A judge recently denied Bediako’s motion to remain eligible for the rest of the season, further highlighting the murky eligibility waters schools are navigating.
“I think Dabo has learned now he’s got to start paying his players just like everybody else is,” Spurrier added. “Or you’ll get left behind. You can complain, but I don’t know how good it’s going to do.”
That’s vintage Spurrier-blunt, insightful, and not afraid to challenge the status quo. And when it comes to Clemson, his words carry a little extra sting.
During his 11-year run at South Carolina from 2005 to 2015, Spurrier went 6-4 against the Tigers, including a five-game winning streak over Swinney from 2009 to 2013. He left Columbia with 86 wins-the most in program history-after previously leading Florida to a national championship and six SEC titles.
So when Spurrier speaks on college football’s shifting landscape, especially when it involves Clemson, it’s not just talk-it’s coming from a coach who’s been there, done that, and still has the scoreboard to prove it. His message to Swinney was clear: the game has changed. Either adapt, or risk being left behind.