The Clemson football team has fallen from its perch as one of the top programs in college football in recent years and now fans are demanding answers from Coach Dabo Swinney. Last season, the Tigers finished sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 4-4 conference record and a 9-4 overall record. They rebounded from a tough start win their last five games in a row, but many fans weren't fully satisfied, wondering why Swinney refused to utilize the transfer portal the way other high profile teams have in recent years.

On Wednesday, Swinney shared his thoughts on the portal with a puzzling take that is making the rounds across the college football landscape.

Swinney's take came amid the veteran coach's take on why Clemson football is not taking any transfer portal players this season. A Clemson football lawsuit against the ACC has brought a ‘confident' response from their well known football conference.

Swinney's most recent portal take was shared by College Sports on Sirius XM, and it has left many fans wondering about the former title-winning coach's thought process.

Swinney Says Portal Players Aren't Good Enough 

The 54-year-old college football living legend had a brazen take, saying that “most of the guys in the portal aren't good enough to play for (Clemson football).”

He explained to host Roddy Jones the three types of players in the portal and why none of them ended up in Death Valley, SC to play for the Tigers. Each type of player has limitations as far as what they can provide to the program, Swinney said, in an effort to explain why he prefers high school players.

Fans React to Clemson Football Coach's Comments

Fans were outspoken with their thoughts on the ACC and national college football legend Swinney's comments.

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“I can already hear the haters responding to this one phrase without even listening to exactly what Dabo said,” one fan said in response. “Predictably blind to the validity of the logical points he makes.”

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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is honored by IPTAY as the winning head football coach in school history before the Spring football game in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, April 6, 2024.

“Most kids hit the portal because they were promised all these things to come to said school and after a few months to a year, obviously those things don't happen,” another reader added. “Obviously those things don't (always) happen.”

Another reader seemed surprised at the stir Swinney's comments appeared to be causing.

“There is zero controversy,” they said. “You transfer to escape a bad program, get more PT, capture a bag, receive more national exposure, play for a specific coach or re-prioritize education/post-football life.”