Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney shared his perspective on recruiting after longtime 2025 quarterback pledge Blake Hebert decommitted and flipped to Notre Dame on Monday. Describing recruiting as “fickle,” Swinney explained that he doesn’t get too caught up in these changes, noting that sometimes unexpected outcomes turn out to be beneficial.
“It can change in a moment’s notice, but I don’t ever get too emotional about it because I’ve been doing it a long time,” Swinney said on his radio show. Reflecting on how certain recruits have worked out, he added, “Some of the guys I’ve been so disappointed with — it’s been the best thing for us. And some of the guys that we got because we didn’t get somebody else is the best thing that happened to us. So God’s going to bring the right ones here, and that’s how I’ve always looked at it.”
Swinney also emphasized that the 2025 class is not expected to be large, as the Tigers have several key players who may return next season. He expressed confidence in his current roster and the upcoming talent: “We’ve got a chance to have a really good football team…We have a lot of guys back. We love the quarterbacks that we have.”
As for Clemson’s recruiting approach, Swinney affirmed that relationships are central. “It’s still very much relational around here, and I don’t ever see it not being that way here… It’s always going to be about relationships,” he said, pointing out that while some programs may rely on transactional elements, Clemson remains committed to its culture.