Swinney, Stoops lament impacts of transfer portal

David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterDec 7, 2023, 04:56 PM ET

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• ACC reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the University of Delaware.In a media session previewing their date in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

  , Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and Kentucky coach Mark Stoops lamented the challenge of roster management this time of year.Stoops stated his QB position is especially thin after a number of recent transfer portal entries, while Swinney said he may require to suit up and play cornerback himself against Kentucky.Still, Swinney stopped short of placing the blame for roster scarcities on NIL or the website, instead suggesting that tampering by a number of other programs is at the

  heart of the problem.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated”The issue is tampering,” Swinney stated, with Stoops nodding in arrangement.”And we might fix it easily if they ‘d let football people fix it. But they generally don’t listen to us. “Swinney implied stiffer

  sanctions and charges for coaches and programs tampering outdoors designated transfer windows would dramatically decrease concerns, but echoing a frequent complaint from coaches, he said he does

  n’t believe the NCAA is interested in following the lead of head coaches.Both coaches said they spent the days right away following the end of the regular-season meeting with their own groups, “just getting a pulse of where whatever is at, “Stoops stated.”Rosters are not the exact same because of the website, because of the pattern of guys not

  playing, and you can get in a bad spot pretty fast,”Swinney said.Since completion of the routine season, Clemson has seen eight players get in the website, including starting security Andrew Mukuba and former

  first-class corner Toriano Pride Jr. Clemson will likewise be without linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., corner Nate Wiggins and protective tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, who all strategy to enter the NFL draft.Swinney, who is on the road recruiting, stated he has a team conference scheduled for Sunday in which his bowl lineup will likely be finalized.Kentucky currently has 13 players in the portal, including the bulk of the quarterback space beyond starter Devin Leary.Stoops stated Thursday that leading rush Ray Davis stays undecided on whether he will play in the Wildcats’bowl game.”He’s going back and forth, “Stoops said. “He’s going to go pro and trying to choose whether it’s best for him to play in this game or not.”On the other hand, Swinney recommended he’ll likely be more active in adding players through the transfer website this offseason, too. Recently, Clemson’s portal additions have been minimal, which a couple of backup QBs working as the only noteworthy additions.Clemson figures to

  be in the market for offending and protective linemen, receiver and DB.”It’s a two-way street,”Swinney said.”You can like people all you want however they need to like you too.”We will fill our lineup when it’s all said and done. We don’t have a lot of spots open. We truly like the guys can be found in our recruiting class. Possibly a couple of areas we have to fill, so we’ll see how it goes.” While Swinney regreted losses on his own

  roster ahead of Clemson’s championship game, he likewise expressed his dissatisfaction with the College Football Playoff committee for snubbing undefeated ACC league mate Florida State since of the loss of QB Jordan Travis,

  whose season ended with a leg injury against North Alabama in Week 12. “I feel so bad for those players and coaches,” Swinney said. “It’s a flawed system but it’s what we got at this time. Simply hate that they made it all

  about one player and minimized the effect and importance of all those other players. Football is a team sport. “