Dabo Swinney clears the air around Clemson’s ‘Final Four’ failure

Dabo Swinney is well aware of the scrutiny Clemson has faced for missing the College Football Playoff in recent years. However, in an interview with CBS Sports, the Tigers coach sees the team’s recent runs with a “glass half full” lens, as the school has won 30 games over the past three seasons.

"There's a perception, a narrative that gets drummed up that we stink because we haven't made a Final Four," Swinney told 247Sports. "We made it six years in a row. It's hard, you know? You gotta have a little luck along the way, and we've had some tough breaks."

In the mid-2010s, Clemson enjoyed tremendous success, boasting eight ACC championships and maintaining 13 seasons with nine wins.

Last season, Clemson's streak of 10-win seasons ended, as college football has evolved with the advent of the transfer portal, player compensation for name, image and likeness and unrestricted player movement.

While most of the football programs in the country have adapted by heavily utilizing transfers, Swinney has largely resisted this trend, with Clemson being the only non-service academy that has refrained from adding any transfers this year.

Dabo Swinney is not a transfer portal fan

The 17th-year Clemson coach has time and again made his stance clear on the NCAA transfer portal. Discussing it once again on the "College Sports on SiriusXM" podcast, Swinney said:

"Most of the guys in the portal aren't good enough to play for us."

He believes that while some players transfer for more opportunities, many are focused on money, which doesn't align with Clemson's values. Since its inception in 2018, Clemson has accepted only two transfers, staying true to Swinney's belief in building his team from the ground up.

Dabo Swinney highlighted Clemson's stability, noting that only two players entered the spring transfer portal.

"We had 127 guys go through spring ball, and 125 are still on the roster after spring, post portal closing," he said. "That's a miracle in today's world."

His frustration with the criticism surrounding his approach was evident during a conversation with 247 Sports' Brandon Marcello at the ACC Spring Meetings.

"He's really kind of sick of the narrative out there," Marcello reported.

Swinney feels unfairly blamed for Clemson's recent struggles due to his reluctance to embrace the transfer portal.