ESPN analyst says one issue might be keeping Clemson out of transfer portal

ESPN's Tom Luginbill hints that Dabo Swinney isn't willing to play the game in the portal to get the top prospects, and then his Tigers roster is better than most of the rest left in the portal.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Thursday, September 05 2024

It sounds easy enough.

Want a really good player (or multiple)? Go into the transfer portal and secure the deal to get them to your school.

But ESPN's Tom Luginbill says it isn't that easy, and he sees how Clemson hasn't dipped into the portal for a starter-level player yet.

“I think we have to acknowledge the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about, and that’s tampering," Lugbinbill said on ESPN this week. "Because it’s one of the biggest problems in college football when it comes to the transfer portal. If you’re not going to be willing to jump into that pool, the reality of the situation is that if there’s a great, elite player – let’s just say there’s ten of them. If they’re really, really good, there’s a high likelihood they’ve been tampered with, and the deal’s already done. They’re signed, and they’re gone.

"So if Clemson doesn’t want to jump in that pool, that’s fine. That’s their choice. But he’s not wrong when he says, if you look at recruiting rankings and the product he’s put on the field, you look at the caliber of player they’re playing with – he’s not wrong when he looks at the portal and sees 27 other guys – 98% of them can’t play for Clemson…So whatever it is that he’s doing with his current roster, we can debate that all day long…"

Luginbill will be on the broadcast for Clemson's game with Appalachian State this weekend in Death Valley (8 p.m./ACCN), and one area he identified on video is Cade Klubnik's speed in decision-making as a passer, but overall, he isn't filled with questions on the Tigers for the whole roster.

"They have some things that they have to address at the quarterback position," Luginbill said, "but I think they’re going to be really, really good on defense for the entirety of the year.”

Fellow ESPN panelist and former defender Sam Acho is looking for more from that defense.

“Let’s have Clemson’s defense be really, really good for the entirety of a game," Acho said. "The first half against Georgia, they played really good football. Dominant-level football, but then second half, there was six explosive plays. They were giving up plays left and right. Some people might say, ‘Well, they got tired’ – it’s the first game of the season, No. 1…What I’m saying is the same defense that was better than Georgia last year by yards per play…the same defense that played great ball in the first half, extend that to a full game and let the defense carry while the offense continues to develop…"