Dabo Swinney is taking a different route in the transfer portal. Clemson has emerged as a potential landing spot for Kansas safety Lyrik Rawls, but Swinney isn’t pushing the recruitment himself. Instead, he’s leaning on defensive coordinator Tom Allen and his Indiana ties to help bring Rawls to Clemson.

Tom Allen served as Indiana’s head coach from 2017 to 2023. During that stretch, current Kansas defensive backs coach Brandon Shelby was also on staff. Shelby coached Indiana’s cornerbacks and had been with the Hoosiers since 2011, spending a significant portion of his time working under Allen before both left the program in 2023.

And now that Tom Allen joined as the defensive coordinator for the Tigers this season, Dabo Swinney is practically counting on him to land Lyrik Rawls. But does the coach have a cordial relationship with Brandon Shelby? Shelby was actually the longest-tenured member of Tom Allen’s staff at Indiana. He worked under Allen for eight seasons, covering Allen’s entire run as head coach. When Allen took over playcalling duties, Shelby stayed on staff. And in March 2021, Allen even promoted him to assistant head coach.

Shelby has always spoken highly of Allen’s “Love Each Other” (LEO) culture, crediting it as a huge part of Indiana’s growth. That kind of connection makes Clemson’s interest in Lyrik Rawls feel pretty natural. And especially since Shelby already has a strong relationship with him. Shelby led Rawls’ recruitment to Kansas out of the transfer portal, and Rawls couldn’t say enough good things about him.

“Coach Shelby, he’s a cool coach. He welcomed me with good love, and I think he can help get me to the next level,” Rawls said.

Rawls transferred to Kansas in December 2024, joining a program where Shelby had previously worked as an analyst before earning a promotion to DB coach. On the field, Rawls quickly became a key piece of the Jayhawks’ defense after transferring from Oklahoma State. He started all 12 games at boundary safety, finished second on the team with 73 tackles, and led Kansas with 57 solo stops. He also added seven pass breakups, three QB hits, and a highlight-reel interception against Fresno State.

With one year of eligibility left, Rawls is looking for his next move. And with Swinney, Allen, and Shelby all aligned, Clemson is in a strong position to be that fresh start. Dabo Swinney’s need for a safety was inevitable after Tyler Venables, Brent Venables’ son, wrapped up his college career. Coming off a 7–6 season, Clemson can’t afford to leave any position unaddressed. Still, Venables didn’t exit quietly. He made sure to give Swinney his respect, offering words of appreciation for his former coach before moving on.

There is nothing called too many favors for Dabo Swinney

Tyler Venables delivered a heartfelt public recognition of Dabo Swinney just before his final Clemson game at the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State. In a December 25 interview with Clemson Tiger Net, the sixth-year safety passionately defended Swinney’s leadership, framing the Tigers’ struggles as not permanent. Tyler declared, “Coach Swinney is an unbelievable leader. He’s an incredible molder of men. I’ve got all the faith in the world that he’s going to right the ship next year.”

He urged zooming out from year-to-year disappointments, citing Swinney’s unmatched track record. “When you zoom out… and see Coach Swinney’s track record and the alignment that we have here, it’s really trending in the right direction. I’m not just saying that. I really believe that.” Despite the regular season woes, Clemson’s second-worst under Swinney.

This favor carried deep weight, given Tyler’s family ties. Tyler is the son of Oklahoma HC Brent Venables, who was also the former Clemson defensive coordinator. However, even after Brent went on to coach the Sooners, Tyler chose to stay in Clemson. Brent supported the decision, telling his son to chase his dreams independently. Over six seasons, Tyler logged 114 tackles, a sack, an interception, and eight pass breakups in 50 games. And now that he is gone, it has left a major gap in the roster that Lyrik Rawls can efficiently fill in.

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