Add Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney to the long list of coaches against professional athletes returning to college sports.
Swinney, whose Tigers ironically play LSU to kick off the season on Saturday, Sept. 5, said on Tuesday, Sept. 1 the sport is in a "no-governance" state.
"It's kind of embarrassing," he told reporters in his pre-LSU news conference. "I mean, honestly, it's just embarrassing that that's where we are. I don't blame the kids. People trying to take advantage of the system I think it's just embarrassing where we are in college football. And we've been there for a while, so I just keep my energy, keep my focus on the things that I control
and the things that matter with these kids here and our team."
Swinney then dropped an interesting sentence before finishing his thought.
"No pun intended but we’re just going to stay in our lane."
He continued: "It's embarrassing, I mean it really is. We have no rules. There's no governance. I mean, it's a joke. There's zero rules, and when you enforce rules, somebody just goes and finds a judge to say 'no, you can't enforce that rule.' Never did I think I'd be living in an era like this, but that's where we are."
Swinney and Clemson have only started dipping into the transfer portal in recent seasons out of necessity, after he disagreed with the recruiting process that has become way of life in college football. It's a stark difference from first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who has agreements in place to bring back several players who went through the NFL draft process and attended camps.
Kiffin defended his stance on adding former Ole Miss players tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, who are both currently eligible. The SEC is fighting back on the ongoing legal subject.
"Every one of them was emphatic that if they can help us win, bring them," Kiffin said Aug. 31. "We understand we have a team that's practiced together and worked together all off season, but one of them said, 'Hey, this is how it works at the next level and this is how the real world works.'
Swinney also made a subtle jab at LSU and the overall subject of NFL players returning to college on Aug. 31, mentioning Clemson could've added former running back Adam Randall, a fifth-round pick in 2026 that was placed on injured reserve to start the season.
"He's playing for the Ravens now," Swinney said. "Maybe if they would've waived him, we could've gotten Adam back. That would've been nice."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dabo Swinney calls out LSU, NFL players returning to college: 'It's embarrassing'
