Dabo Swinney on Cade Klubnik criticism, Clemson football's spring transfer portal plan (2025)

CLEMSON — Dabo Swinneyreiterated his transfer portal stance Saturday after Clemson football's spring game.

The Tigers welcomed three transfer additions after taking only two in the previous six years of the portal's existence. Swinney has been criticized for his portal use, including for Clemson being one of four FBS schools not to land one after the 2023 season. Still, he is undeterred.

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"Last year, everybody said, 'I need to get rid of Cade Klubnik,' 'We're never going to win with Cade Klubnik,' 'He's terrible,' 'Swinney's crazy' and 'Go get this hot-shot quarterback,'" Swinney said. "Now, everybody says he's the front-runner for the Heisman. It's amazing.

"I told Cade, 'Better not listen to none of that. Don't listen to all that crap last year that you ain't good enough to get it done, and don't listen to when they tell you you're the Heisman guy, or you're the whatever.' Just do the work."

Swinney has been adamant about prioritizing high school recruiting then using the portal to fill roster availability and needs only if the Tigers' coaches believe the player is talented enough and fits Clemson culturally. It didn't have much roster flexibility in 2025 as it retained all of its end-of-year starters who had eligibility remaining, but it needed to fill holes.

Two of its transfers shined Saturday. Southeast Missouri State transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith had five catches for 137 yards with a touchdown, and Alabama transfer linebacker Jeremiah Alexander led Clemson's defense with seven tackles.

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Clemson dipped into the portal to land Smith after two wide receivers transferred away. It landed Alexander in January after initially wanting to wait until May to fill the need. It also nabbed Purdue transfer Will Heldt because four-star edge rusher Bryce Davis flipped his commitment to Duke, four-star signee Ari Watford tore an ACL and reserve defensive lineman A.J. Hoffler entered the transfer portal.

"As long as we're getting guys that we think will come, buy in and develop, that's always the route we go, but if you get a gap in your roster and you have kids leave post-spring, we'll use the portal," Swinney said.

MORE: Is Clemson football, Dabo Swinney's recruiting magic back? What latest commitments suggest

Will Clemson be active in spring transfer portal?

The spring transfer portal opens April 16 and closes April 25, and Swinney said Clemson's involvement depends on if players choose to depart.

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"If everything stayed the same today, we feel good about our roster," Swinney said. "We've got a lot of work to do, but we're ready to go to battle with the guys we got. Let's go compete. We like our guys."

Swinney added Clemson has been one of the best teams in the nation at retention rate, losing only five guys to the portal in the winter. It lost two players in the spring cycle last year and added no players.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him atdcarter@gannett.comand follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Dabo Swinney on Cade Klubnik hype, spring portal