The NIL era hasn’t proved kind to Dabo Swinney.
Clemson spent years as a perennial title contender, but the Tigers have lost some ground in recent years. At 9-4, they finished the 2023 season with single-digit wins for the first time since 2010.
Swinney has received considerable scrutiny for not utilizing the transfer portal. When appearing on the Punch Line Podcast hosted by new Baltimore Ravens teammate Marlon Humphrey, former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins claimed the head coach also isn’t fond of NIL.
“He don’t do the portal,” Wiggins said of Swinney. “But he hates NIL too, though.”
Humphrey theorized that every college coach dislikes NIL. Wiggins added that they have no choice but to make sure players get paid to construct a roster.
“If he don’t pay nobody, eventually they’re going to leave,” he said. “So you ain’t going to have a team.”
Wiggins explained that NIL was introduced during his sophomore season. He considered transferring after spending his freshman year on the bench before staying and enjoying a breakout 2022 campaign.
At that point, his agent requested more money to stay. Wiggins was interested in Oregon because he heard the school had deep NIL funds.
It’s hardly a bombshell that Swinney doesn’t love the new state of college football.
Two years ago, Swinney said he built the Clemson program on “God’s name, image, and likeness.” This February, he said he’s “against the professionalization of college athletics.”
Swinney feels the sport has “lost our way” but claimed he supports players getting paid.
“I’m all for the NIL. I think NIL is awesome. I’m all for enhancing the scholarship however we want, but I also understand the reality that 98 percent of these kids aren’t going to play in the NFL,” Swinney said. “We need to educate our young people in this society. Nobody talks about the value of an education anymore.”
Whether they admit it publicly or not, most college football head coaches likely harbor some resentment toward NIL. Others have still navigated that new territory better than Swinney.