Clemson football, that one-time juggernaut that rolled over the ACC and onto the national level, is currently entering a phase of rebalancing. Dabo Swinney, the Tigers’ indefatigable head coach, remains the image of the program- passionate and, well, a tad obstinate on what “should” be the case in college football. The 2025 offseason has been slightly unusual in Tiger Town, however. Following a series of significant departures, guys like Noble Johnson and A.J. Hoffler, Dabo finally got his feet wet, acquiring three transfers, including edge rusher Will Heldt of Purdue and Alabama linebacker Jeremiah Alexander.

Swinney holding the line: culture above speed, fit above flash. The Tigers continue to recruit well and finish in the top five of the 2025 class, but there’s no way to argue the landscape has changed. All along, he’s maintained Clemson in the national discussion, having just been ranked the No. 3 head coach in the nation heading into 2025. Dabo’s not a proponent of the professionalization of college athletics and made it very clear that Clemson employs NIL for player retention, not as a recruiting tool. Swinney claims NIL has simplified his life, enabling him to quickly sort out which recruits share Clemson’s values and which only pursue a check.

“I just think you should be able to play for five years,” says Swinney in the recent episode of Unafraid Show with George Wrighster. Dabo Swinney is old-school to his very bones. He’s always been about creating a program where guys come in, develop for five years, and graduate as refined, mature men on and off the field. He doesn’t care for the trend now where players bounce after three or four years if they get an opportunity at the NFL, or sooner if things aren’t working out for them. Swinney goes on, “Now all of a sudden here comes the portal, here’s NIL, well now kids are playing four games and they’re saying, ‘Hey I’m out.’ You know I don’t want to lose my eligibility.”

For Dabo, it’s about loyalty and commitment. He wants players to see it through, persevere through challenges, and complete what they began. “You got five years, and particularly with the financial reward, now a lot of these kids who are in a rush to go pro would remain in college, and they’d graduate, so now we’ve encouraged education, we’ve encouraged graduation.”

Swinney has always been a proponent of the theory that college football can be about something greater than making a lot of money or pursuing the NFL pipeline. Swinney believes that the many new sources of money in college football—such as NIL contracts and stipends—can be positive if utilized properly. He happily upgrades the scholarship and provides players with a bit more assistance, but he always maintains that the primary motivation should be academic. To him, the money should keep players in school, let them complete their degrees, and prepare them for life after football, rather than provide them with a quick check.

Now add the transfer portal into the mix, and things get crazy. “You’re getting your degree, so all that stuff, I think that’s part of it, but we need one portal window.” Dabo’s made it rather evident he’s not a huge fan of how simple it is for players to pick up and go at the initial sign of difficulty. He’s concerned it sets the wrong precedent that if life gets difficult, you simply flee rather than work your way through it. The portal, in his opinion, is sort of like college football’s take on “the grass is always greener,” and he’s skeptical. He’s been reluctant to get on board with it, only recently beginning to utilize the portal himself when he had no other option.

How did Clemson win the battle for top safety.

Dabo Swinney cannot stop his fixation on graduating and making men, and also his fixation on recruiting over four-star players. The most recent news that has had everyone at Clemson, and frankly, the entire college football universe, speaking is Kentavion “Polo” Anderson’s pledge. If you haven’t viewed the “Marco Polo!” viral moment, do yourself a favor and search it up, as it’s a blast. Swinney couldn’t contain his glee, and who can fault him? A 190-pound four-star safety plucked from under the noses of South Carolina is the type of victory that excites the entire Tiger community.

Ranked No. 119 player in the country and No. 10 safety in the nation, Anderson is not your typical recruit. He had offers coming from everywhere: Florida, USC, Tennessee, Texas A&M, you name it. Clemson didn’t make an offer until after last season, but once Anderson began showing up around campus, things just clicked. He made a pair of important visits, particularly after Tom Allen was added to the staff, and it was evident something special was in the works. But it wasn’t football alone for Anderson. He flat-out stated what made Clemson different was the family atmosphere and the fact that Dabo and his coaches respect their players as individuals, not necessarily as football players.

On the field, Anderson is a beast; he led Dorman High to a good season and was named All-Upstate second team. Having him alongside Kaden Gebhardt in the secondary is going to make life miserable for ACC quarterbacks. And with other defensive backs such as Marcell Gipson and Shavar Young joining the team, Clemson’s defense is scary good for the future. But the big win here? It’s a statement. Clemson’s still the best in South Carolina, and Dabo Swinney’s culture-driven program is still recruiting top players.