“What is going on at Clemson? Something’s broken at Clemson,” said Joel Klatt on his podcast. But what made him hold such a notion about Dabo Swinney’s squad? Maybe the Tigers’ 34-21 loss against Syracuse has come off as a big shock for Klatt. He also observed how Clemson is “being down two, three scores every single time you turn on the TV, and it’s the first quarter.” Looks like the frustration in Swinney’s squad is just going to get bigger, and it’s now reflecting in the transfer portal, as one of Clemson’s big weapons has already made up his mind to swap the wagon…

Third-year junior defensive back Shelton Lewis is hitting the transfer button. This news came just before Swinney and Co. travelled to Chapel Hill to face off against North Carolina on Friday, October 3. Originally committed to Pittsburgh on June 4, 2022, after taking his first official visit, Lewis decommitted 22 days later. He then committed to Swinney’s squad on his 17th birthday on August 8, 2022. And three years later, Clemson is going to lose him. 

On October 2, Pete Nakos tweeted, “Shelton Lewis is repped by @BNM_777k of The Familie. Has 30 career tackles and 2 INTs. Will have 2 years of eligibility remaining.” His earlier tweet hinted at the heartbreak that Swinney is going to face in the near future. “The expectation is Clemson’s Shelton Lewis will enter the transfer portal,” read Nakos’ tweet. The sports agency called The Familie has taken up the duties as Lewis’ agent to pursue professional opportunities outside of Swinney’s squad. 

The Stockbridge (Ga.) product lost his starting grip to Misun Kelley in camp, yet fate handed him his largest role two weeks back, playing 33 snaps against Syracuse while Kelley sat out with what appeared to be a concussion. But time runs short. 

He has given notice to Swinney and Co. of his intention to use this year as a four-game redshirt season. So, he has already made a step to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Lewis was absent from scrimmage duty in the LSU opener, saw just four snaps against Troy, and added 12 more versus Georgia Tech. A former three-star prospect per Rivals, Swinney’s star player tallied seven tackles and a pass breakup this fall. 

Last year, he logged 198 plays and finished with 12 tackles, after a true freshman season where he produced 10 tackles and two interceptions in 150 snaps. He was listed as the backup DB to Kelley this week. So, Clemson just witnessed their first heartbreak, even though the 2026 season is still a long way to go. Well, if you are wondering why Swinney did not take any steps to stop the bridge from burning, the head coach himself is busy keeping his head above water. 

Time’s running out for Dabo Swinney

Talking about the firing of head coaches? The 2025 season has been the most active in pulling the trigger. First, it was UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster, then it was Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, followed by Arkansas Razorbacks’ Sam Pittman. So, Swinney no longer lives in denial about how short his tenure is in the Tigers’ squad. 

Under Swinney, the Tigers have a 27-19 record against the three other Power Four conferences. He has a 12-9 record in bowl games and has led Clemson to national title wins in 2016 and 2018. But who cares? Not to forget, Oklahoma State got rid of Gundy, who for nearly two decades has been the heartbeat of the program. 170 wins, 18 consecutive winning seasons, and a Big 12 crown to show for it. 

Talking about Gundy’s fate, Shannon Sharpe dragged Swinney into the conversation. He said, “Some people have a tougher time embracing the whole idea of paying players, especially some of us old-timers. It’s a little bit more difficult. Embracing paying the players has been a little bit harder, and I think ultimately that’s what got them at Oklahoma State. It’s gonna get Dabo, too.” Resistance to NIL is a big red flag. 

Gundy faced dire circumstances. Swinney will face the same problem if he keeps resisting NIL and the transfer market. As Sharpe highlighted, “Dabo makes 112 million a year. Why do you care? In order to still build a good competitive team and go to that and win national championships, why do you care if a player makes a million, $2 million? It’s not coming out of your salary. I don’t know. It’s just something, you know, he’s an old school coach, huh?”

Remember what former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins said about the Clemson head coach? “He don’t do the portal. He hates NIL too, though,” Wiggins said. So, maybe it’s high time Dabo Swinney gets rid of his old school mindset and figures out ways to lock the gates tightly.