It’s no secret that the Clemson Tigers have not fared tremendously well on the gridiron thus far in the NIL Era. Head coach Dabo Swinney’s reluctance to embrace the transfer portal has played a big role in Clemson’s fall from grace.
Now, members of the Tigers’ brass are starting to show their stripes.
According to CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello and Matt Zenitz, “frustration is mounting behind the scenes among key figures at Clemson” with Swinney. Despite this, their sources say, “any Clemson hot-seat chatter is premature at this point” and that Swinney’s firing “remains highly unlikely,” mostly because of his “staggering buyout of at least $57 million.”
“The gigantic buyout tied to a contract running through 2031 is a primary deterrent [from firing Swinney],” CBS Sports wrote. “[Swinney’s] annual average salary is $11.5 million. It would require hefty financial support from Clemson boosters to fund that buyout, and one source familiar with Clemson’s inner workings doesn’t see any individual booster stepping forward to, for instance, cover half the buyout to soften the burden for the school.”
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CBS Sports’ sources also cited the Tigers’ “complex emotional attachment” with Swinney as reason a change is improbable. Regardless, those sources made clear that “discontent has grown among some influential people” associated with the university.
Clemson is just 15-9 in ACC play over the past 3 seasons. The Tigers lost 9 total ACC games from 2012-22.
Clemson hosts the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday afternoon (12:00 p.m. E.T., ESPN).
