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Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney made some history in the transfer portal on Thursday. The Tigers have had a stunning few weeks on and off the field. On December 8, they won an epic ACC Championship game over SMU, qualifying for the College Football Playoff. As Clemson has been preparing for Texas in the CFP, the new transfer portal period has overtaken the college football world. Shockingly, Dabo Swinney's program is participating in the portal.
According to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Clemson is adding Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt. This move marks the first time Dabo Swinney's program has signed a scholarship defensive player through the portal since it was launched in 2018.
Dabo Swinney is finally adapting to the times
Swinney's resistance to using the transfer portal has been well-documented. It's not a secret that this stubbornness has coincided with the Tigers' step down in the college football hierarchy. After the 2019 national championship, it looked like the future Hall-of-Famer had built the next great dynasty in the sport. Heading into 2024, however, the Tigers were coming off a three-year streak in which they didn't make the College Football Playoff.
It looked like this year would be another blown opportunity for the program, even in this new twelve-team format. However, Syracuse threw Clemson a lifeline after upsetting Miami, giving the Tigers an ACC Championship game berth. The rest is history.
While the Tigers have a tough road in the twelve-team playoff, they made it. Quarterback Cade Klubnik will likely need the performance of his life to pull the upset at No. 3 Texas. However, the Longhorns have not beaten a team of Clemson's quality this whole year, so the game could go either way.
Will Heldt is a sophomore defensive end out of Camel, Indiana. At 6'6, 265 lbs, Heldt recorded 56 tackles and six sacks. This stat line marked a significant improvement for the sophomore and showcased his potential to become an elite pass rusher.
Defensive ends are ultimately the positional group Clemson built its national championship brand on in the late 2010s. Many people remember the elite quarterback play of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence during this period. However, the Tigers also had elite players on the defensive line, such as Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, and Austin Bryant. All four players were key contributors to the undefeated 2018 Clemson team, which is among the greatest squads in college football history.
Overall, Dabo Swinney turned a page on Thursday. The Tigers' head coach is still among the best in the nation and has adjusted to the times. With the twelve-team College Football Playoff now, Clemson football should continue to be an annual participant in the field.
