By Matt AudiletShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberDabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers finished their 2025 regular season strong, notching four straight victories to close out the year.
With a 7-5 record, Clemson now awaits its bowl game assignment. And after their postseason contest, Swinney and the Tigers will fully turn their attention toward gearing up for the 2026 college football season.
Preparation for 2026 begins with some serious work in the recruiting and transfer portal spheres.
Swinney, Clemson's head coach for the last 18 years, has always been vocally hesitant about buying in to the rapidly-evolving transfer portal and NIL world of college football. But during a press conference on Wednesday, the longtime Tigers leader admitted that the team will lean more heavily on the transfer portal leading into the 2026 season.
Swinney said his philosophy on the portal hasn't changed, but "there's no choice" when it comes to keeping up with the current state of college football.
"I know what our needs are, but I don't know if we're gonna sign two guys or seven guys, because our roster isn't settled," Swinney said, via Clemson beat writer Chapel Fowler of The State Newspaper. "... Those things are all really fluid until they become reality."
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Clemson is set to have a significant void at the quarterback position this offseason as three-year starter Cade Klubnik will graduate and leave the program. Swinney was asked directly if the program will pursue a quarterback in this year's transfer portal.
"We just signed two guys that wanna compete. We've got (Christopher) Vizzina, who's chomping at the bit. And Chris Denson ... a lot of guys who want to compete," Swinney replied, via Fowler.
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The Tigers just signed two three-star freshmen quarterbacks, Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley, as members of their 2026 recruiting class.
Swinney and his Clemson program will receive their bowl game assignment on Dec. 7.
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