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Clemson Icon [25970]
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Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 28, 2025, 8:51 PM
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So Dabo breaks down portal players into three neat little boxes:
1. Guys not good enough to play at Clemson.
2. Guys who already know where they’re going.
3. Guys who go in to “see what they can get.”
Come on. That’s just lazy analysis. The portal’s full of legit talent. Players who transfer because of coaching changes, scheme fits, bad environments, or just wanting a fair shot. Acting like they’re all either untalented, shady, or greedy is just grossly over-simplifying things.
And here’s the funny part, we finally take three portal guys this year, and two of them are already big contributors. So under Dabo’s own logic, where do they fit? They’re clearly good enough. They didn’t have Clemson lined up in advance. And they’re not chasing NIL handouts. Too bad Tyler from Spartanburg isn't allowed to ask these types of questions anymore, because the Clemson media sure won't.
So either Dabo’s “three types” theory doesn’t hold up or he’s quietly realizing the portal isn’t evil after all. But is it too little, too late?
The game’s changing. Maybe it’s time our excuses did too.
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Ultimate Tiger [36610]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 28, 2025, 8:57 PM
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ol' Dabs is running out of words and cliches. The play doesn't back up the words these days.
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Orange Blooded [2145]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 29, 2025, 12:10 PM
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The “fan” base is a pos as well. If I’m a recruit and look at the posts on these boards I would absolutely not want to play at Clemson!! Look in the mirror fair weather “fans”!!!!
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Tiger Spirit [9435]
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Cry harder***
Oct 29, 2025, 7:42 PM
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Valley Legend [12800]
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I still think he believes portal players are beneath us***
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Oct 28, 2025, 8:59 PM
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Clemson Icon [25970]
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If he keeps thinking that he will be beneath this big salary.
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:00 PM
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If he already isn't.
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Valley Legend [12800]
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Hes been beneath it for five years now***
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:01 PM
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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False***
Oct 28, 2025, 9:57 PM
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Valley Legend [12800]
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true***
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:16 PM
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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Valley Legend [12800]
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no.....we can blame playing in the ACC for that hollow fallback achievement***
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:14 PM
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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Our avg SOS 2020-2024 was 16th.***
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Oct 29, 2025, 11:18 AM
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Clemson Conqueror [11128]
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Varsity [122]
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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Except hes been looking in the portal for 3 or 4 years.
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:53 PM
[ in reply to I still think he believes portal players are beneath us*** ] |
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I wonder if “best retention in America” makes sense to you, considering our usage of the portal has been nothing but simple math.
Teams utilizing the portal more than us don’t have NEARLY the retention we’ve had, so we haven’t needed to utilize the portal. Nobody in America has lost as little to the portal as Clemson.
Teams utilizing the portal use it because they have to. And just because teams are forced to use the portal, it doesn’t mean they’re automatically getting better, and in fact they may be worse.
Now make no mistake, we will have more attrition this year than we’ve had in awhile, and we’ve lost a couple commits as well. What dues that mean? We will finally have a need to sign 5,6, 8 portal guys.
And again, unless we don’t have a great QB between the guys on the roster, we better hope to find that instant solution in the portal. Can’t be a great team without a great QB… no matter who we do or don’t get in the portal.
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Valley Legend [12800]
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but we do and have lost to the portal 8-10/year average.....
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:07 PM
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that's 1/3 of a recruiting class (per old recruiting class standards)
the biggest problem is that DABO has an overinflated perception of what our talent is.
He doesn't see that we NEEDED a transfer RB b/c in his eyes Randall is "elite".....but he's not (good considering his situation, but not great)
He doesn't see that we NEEDED several secondary portal players b/c in his eyes our secondary is "elite".......but it's not and he thinks putting a failed WR in Hannafin is the right answer.
He doesn't see that a few years ago we needed MANY WR portal players b/c in his eyes our WRs were "elite"...........but they were FAAAAAAAR FROM IT and the cole turners and Will Taylors of the world were in his eyes "ELITE"
the list goes on over the course of the last 5 years and it's apparent that you are the one who "DOESN'T GET IT". It's a fool's argument to say "most of what we lost to the portal were backups"......yet the starters aren't good enough to begin with and DABO doesn't see it.
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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8-10 per year?!?!
Oct 29, 2025, 11:19 AM
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Please list the 40 transfers we’ve had since 2021
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Offensive Star [346]
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Top TigerNet [28432]
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Re: Except hes been looking in the portal for 3 or 4 years.
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Oct 28, 2025, 11:02 PM
[ in reply to Except hes been looking in the portal for 3 or 4 years. ] |
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All of these programs have good retention and still pursue portal players. All but us that is until we stuck our toe in this season.
“The best college football teams at player retention include Ohio State, Clemson, and Penn State, due to factors like successful roster management and strong program culture. Ohio State is highlighted for retaining players exceptionally well, which has contributed to their success. Clemson is noted for maintaining high retention, even in the NIL era, attributing it to coach Dabo Swinney's program and culture. Penn State is also mentioned for its high retention rate and a roster that is considered one of the nation's best.
Ohio State: Has been noted for retaining its roster better than most, which is seen as a key factor in its 2024 national championship season.
Clemson: Is frequently cited for its high player retention, especially in the current era of the transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. Coach Dabo Swinney's program culture is seen as a major reason for this success.
Penn State: Has a high retention rate, with analysts pointing to its strong roster from the previous year as a reason to watch them in 2025.
Oklahoma: Has shown strong defensive retention, with a 64% retention rate on that side of the ball, which is one of the best in the country.
Arizona State and Illinois: These teams led the nation in returning starters in a 2025 power ranking.”
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Clemson Icon [25970]
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Ultimate Tiger [34643]
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Have we lots more to the portal or gained more? AND that philosophy ONLY works
Oct 29, 2025, 9:30 AM
[ in reply to Except hes been looking in the portal for 3 or 4 years. ] |
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when your coaching staff can develop the non-portal players in to legit players... which CLEARLY Clemson is not
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Gridiron Giant [15983]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 28, 2025, 9:10 PM
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dabo nailed it... he is 100% accurate
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Clemson Icon [25970]
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Then in which category do you put Heldt and Smith? 1 , 2, or 3?
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:32 PM
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After all, he 100% nailed it, right?
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Gridiron Giant [15983]
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Re: Then in which category do you put Heldt and Smith? 1 , 2, or 3?
Oct 28, 2025, 10:48 PM
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Valley Protector [1449]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:11 PM
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4. Guys who got overlooked and went and played at App St or somewhere 1-2 years and are now mature dogs and have 2-3 years available to play. And who will fit the Clemson culture. Go get ‘em.
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CU Guru [1555]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:13 PM
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Definitely will not get a fair shot with Dabo. His loyalty will not allow him to play the best player
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National Champion [7527]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 28, 2025, 9:28 PM
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Dabo is right. Problem is, he is going to have to "portal tamper" and get players in the portal that know where they are going; Clemson.
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National Champion [7933]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 28, 2025, 9:48 PM
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Well, there have been several that have announced they will portal on Jan 2nd ..if announced to the media, I don’t think reaching to them would be considered tampering. Probably more will continue to announce as we get closer ..
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Gridiron Giant [15609]
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Wait what?
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:55 PM
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Several have announced that? Where is that story?
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Gridiron Giant [15983]
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Clemson Icon [25970]
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Thats actually a fair point. 1 was not in D1 so it's not technically tampering
Oct 28, 2025, 11:21 PM
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But that's only for Smith.
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CU Medallion [19048]
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They are good enough; you just wont play them coach.
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Oct 28, 2025, 9:49 PM
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You’ve burned that excuse for years letting talent ride the pine behind lesser talent. The difference now is that they will not wait. In today’s CFB, DW would have portaled out.
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All-American [598]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 28, 2025, 10:09 PM
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Most players in the portal don’t match. The talent is not there. Your analysis needs more information.
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Clemson Icon [25970]
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Mine does? hahaha***
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:33 PM
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Clemson Sports Icon [54082]
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And the Dabo girls just eat these lazy rationalizations up.***
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Oct 28, 2025, 10:18 PM
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Game Changer [2089]
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Going into the season, what positions should we have hit the portal for?
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Oct 29, 2025, 12:01 PM
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On defense, DE was obvious, and we did hit on Heldt.
Other than that, maybe one more lockdown corner to pair with Terrell is the only thing I can really point to where it looked like our starter was even a question mark. Parker, Woods, Capehart, Brown, Woodaz, Terrell, Barnes, Griffin were all seen as very solid starters, if not All-Conference level players.
Offensively, QB and WR were set with preseason All-Conference players. We also had 3 Offensive Linemen on the first-team All-ACC team in Parks, Miller, and Linthicum. Yes, you can make the argument that you go after even more offensive linemen, but, again, that was supposed to be a strength for us.
I could also see where you could say we needed a RB, but I don't think Adam Randall returns if we bring in a top RB. You could say that's fine, but he's been far from our worst player.
TE is another position where you can say we went into the season with a question mark, but I don't really think TE is our biggest problem.
I think the biggest issue for this season is just how overrated our players seem to be. Parker, Woods, and Klubnik were supposed to be top-10 picks in next year's draft. They've been incredibly average to a degree that seemed implausible in the preseason.
Plenty of other guys have also just failed to live up to expectations, and it's obvious that the talent of this team isn't what the national media propped it up to be.
So, yeah, going into next year, we now know we have a bunch of overrated players. The coaching staff knows we need to upgrade the talent in order to compete, even for an ACC title.
I'm curious to see what this offseason brings because Dabo has to now know that the players we have aren't going to cut it. If we just bring back guys like Vizzina and the OL guys we have, and hope they are the answer, that will be very telling. I mean, we all saw some things we liked from Vizzina, but he's not going to be a top-10 QB in college football next year.
The teams competing for the national title are willing to bring in a QB like Will Howard at OSU or Riley Leonard at ND last year or a Carson Beck at Miami, a Dante Moore at UCLA, or a Fernando Mendoza at Indiana this year. They don't worry about hurting the 4-star QB that's been waiting in the wings' feelings.
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National Champion [7324]
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I'm glad to hear 2/3 of Dabo's portal picks are working out so well.
Oct 29, 2025, 2:48 PM
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He's always been a fast learner.
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Rival Killer [2999]
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Evaluating talent is a coaches job
Oct 29, 2025, 7:06 PM
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To that point.
In spite of 2025 hype, we needed a proven RB, LB, DE & safety.
We got WR, LB and DE.
DE played because folks would have come out of the stands if they with the obvious talent difference.
WR sits, sits, sits finally good play then sits.
LB sits, special teams, sits. Guy in front of him misses tackles, poor coverage, xfer LB sits some more.
So question is why? I think I know the answer. Next question is this small sample shows the correct use of the portal enhances not destroys a team. JMO
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Head Coach [989]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
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Oct 29, 2025, 7:58 PM
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Listen…. I agree that we need to hit the portal hard….no doubt about that. But….look at our DLine for example. I don’t think they are playing to their potential. We have an embarrassment of riches there in terms of talent. We are not coached well.
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Paw Warrior [4824]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 29, 2025, 8:11 PM
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Amen
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Scout Team [85]
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Re: Dabos Three Types of Portal Players sounds like a poor excuse to me.
Oct 29, 2025, 9:40 PM
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Dabo needs to wake up and smell the coffee
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Replies: 40
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