Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made his feelings pretty clear about the transfer portal and the future of the program quite clear this week.
During his weekly radio show on Monday, a caller told Swinney that he knows he gets a lot of criticism but is glad that he is principled with the way Swinney runs the program.
“We have conviction. You are never going to make (everyone happy), and there is always going to be criticism, especially when you have success, which is good because people care, and that’s fine. I would have been long gone, a long time ago, if I ran this program the way everybody else wanted me to run it. I wouldn’t be sitting here. At the end of the day you have to have conviction in what you believe in as a leader and understand that some people are going to like you and some people are not going to like you,” Swinney said, via 247Sports.
Dabo Swinney rants on transfer portal, conviction, success, future of Clemson football…
“I would have been long gone, a long time ago, if I ran this program the way everybody else wanted me to run it. I wouldn’t be sitting here. At the end of the day you have to have… pic.twitter.com/V1DCvn3XGD
— Clemson247 (@Clemson247) September 12, 2023
Naturally, college football fans had a lot to say about this.
Dabo is making this about Conviction and beliefs when the truth is he’s struggling to adapt to a changing landscape and some of his self righteous comments over the years has affect his ability to recruit certain kids. https://t.co/tIiLyX0ETg
— JAY RICHARDSON (@JayRichardson99) September 12, 2023
He said he’d leave if players started getting paid a couple years ago… https://t.co/CGTe5QMP9q
— Taddy Mason (@rod4short) September 12, 2023
There’s also the humility to admit what you are doing is a mistake. https://t.co/F0pCexGNyQ
— Kenneth (@TexasSports1015) September 12, 2023
This is great news for FSU. Don’t change, Dabo. There’s nothing in the transfer portal. https://t.co/a6G1tVHnPK
— José Vélez 🇵🇷🏈🍢 (@jvelez622) September 12, 2023
Yeah but what if you conviction gets you left in the dust and without a job? https://t.co/s09zAO3CDf
— Meg💛🌻 (@megandaie) September 12, 2023
“Does he not understand that as a human you have to learn and adapt? Core beliefs and consistency are important. Ignorance is not,” another fan tweeted.
Does he not understand that as a human you have to learn and adapt? Core beliefs and consistency are important. Ignorance is not. https://t.co/aroLJ1r3bN
— 2D (@daltdixon2) September 12, 2023
Clemson is currently 1-1 on the season and will face Florida Atlantic this Saturday.
We’ll see if Swinney’s ways lead to another title for the program.