Steve Spurrier Weighs In on Dabo Swinney’s Tampering Claims: “There Ain’t No Rules Anymore”
Steve Spurrier has never been one to hold back, and on Friday, the Head Ball Coach delivered another classic when asked about Dabo Swinney’s recent tampering accusations against Ole Miss. His message? Welcome to the new era of college football-where the old rules don’t seem to matter much anymore.
During a Zoom call with reporters ahead of his upcoming induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, Spurrier was asked about Swinney’s claims that Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding tampered with linebacker Luke Ferrelli after the player had already signed and enrolled at Clemson.
Spurrier didn’t mince words.
“I thought by now, somebody would've told Dabo, ‘Dabo, there ain’t no rules anymore,’” Spurrier said, with the kind of dry wit that’s become his trademark.
Swinney had made headlines back on January 23, when he publicly accused Ole Miss of reaching out to Ferrelli after the linebacker had already committed and begun classes at Clemson. If those allegations hold water, the potential consequences for Ole Miss could be serious-think suspensions, fines, and recruiting limitations.
But Spurrier, who spent a decade coaching at South Carolina and remains the winningest coach in Gamecocks history, sees the situation as a byproduct of a college football landscape that’s been turned upside down.
“They're still on the books, I guess, back there [at Clemson] about you can't do it after this date or that date,” Spurrier said. “I don't know if they're going to ever enforce any rules now or not, but I think Dabo has learned now, he's got to start paying his players just like everybody else is, or you'll get left behind.”
That last line hits at the heart of what’s changed most dramatically in recent years-name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, the transfer portal, and a recruiting environment that looks nothing like it did even five years ago. Coaches like Swinney, who built their programs on long-term player development and loyalty, are now being forced to adapt to a game where roster turnover is constant and retention often comes with a price tag.
“You can complain,” Spurrier added, “but I don't know how good it's going to do.”
It’s a reality check from a coach who’s seen it all-from winning a national title at Florida in 1996 to leading South Carolina to its most successful stretch in program history from 2005 to 2015. Spurrier knows the grind, and he knows the game has changed.
His comments come as he prepares to be inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame on May 18, joining a 2026 class of 10 honorees at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. With an 86-49 record at South Carolina and a 228-89-2 mark overall, Spurrier’s legacy is secure. But even now, he’s still calling it like he sees it.
And in this case, he’s pointing out what many in the sport are already whispering: the rulebook may still exist, but in today’s college football, it’s often more of a suggestion than a standard.