Swinney is Not in the Business of Begging Players to Remain at Clemson

The portal combined with the start of players "opting out" of bowl games to begin their preparation for the NFL Draft has made navigating rosters a significant challenge for coaches across the nation.

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The transfer portal opened Monday for non-grad transfers, and a bevy of big-name players have already made their intentions to enter the portal clear for teams across the nation. The portal combined with the start of players "opting out" of bowl games to begin their preparation for the NFL Draft has made navigating rosters a significant challenge for coaches across the nation.

That challenge is not lost on Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, who has already lost nine players to the portal since Monday. 

However, the fact that players would forgo an incredible opportunity not only to play in another game, but to also experience all that a bowl game has to offer, is something that he doesn't understand.

"I mean, it's an opportunity to play, first of all," Swinney said. "Not only play, but again to have an experience that is really special. It really is. I mean, again, I got to go to the Orange Bowl in 1999 when I was coaching at Alabama. It was Tom Brady's last game at Michigan there. That was special. That was the Y2K days. That was an unbelievable experience for me as a young coach."

Swinney added that in the rare instances that people have chosen to leave Clemson for another opportunity he wishes them well, but is not in the business of begging players to stay.

"Obviously, to get back a few times here at Clemson, to know those memories that have been built throughout our teams over the years, you share those things and all that," Swinney said. "At the end of the day, I mean, I don't think you really should have to convince someone. At the end of the day if somebody doesn't want to play, you respect their decision to keep moving."

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