Desmond Howard shares his ‘problem’ with Dabo Swinney’s transfer portal approach

ESPN’s Desmond Howard recently shared his thoughts on why Clemson may no longer be at the level it once was under Dabo Swinney. During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up , Howard discussed Swinney’s approach to player development, suggesting that Clemson’s refusal to engage with the transfer portal is impacting the program’s competitiveness.

Howard specifically highlighted Clemson’s struggles in bringing out the best in their highly ranked recruits, such as starting quarterback Cade Klubnik. “You look at Cade Klubnik , this is his third year in the program, his second year under OC Garrett Riley. You would expect Cade Klubnik, a guy who they recruited , five-star, to at least by year three show vast improvement ,” Howard said. He added that while many programs look to the portal to patch up holes in their roster, Clemson has stayed away from it entirely.

The lack of portal activity has drawn scrutiny , as Clemson is one of only four FBS programs that have not added any transfers this season, alongside Army, Navy, and Air Force. Howard believes that relying solely on internal development isn’t enough , especially when other top-tier programs, like Georgia, regularly reload with proven talent from the portal. “When you bring in this talent of this caliber and we don’t see the progress , the development, then that’s the problem that I have,” Howard explained.

Clemson’s 34-3 loss to No. 1 Georgia in the season opener further fueled doubts about the program’s trajectory. The game marked Clemson’s lowest scoring output since Swinney became head coach in 2008, raising concerns about whether the Tigers can keep up with the nation’s elite. Howard remarked, “When you’re going up against a team like a Georgia, who’s going to be the yardstick by which your team, which your players are measured, then at that point we can see just how well you’ve developed your talent.”

Howard also noted that Swinney’s philosophy of developing homegrown talent is admirable , but when the results fall short against the best teams, it raises larger questions about Clemson’s future as a national contender.