Dabo Swinney blasted the return of NFL players to college football, calling the concept "embarrassing" on Tuesday as his team prepares to face an LSU squad that is attempting to roster multiple players who participated in NFL preseason games.
"Rarely am I at a loss for words," Swinney said. "But I'm at kind of a loss of words. I would just say it's kind of embarrassing. I mean, honestly, it's just embarrassing that that's where we are. I don't blame the kids and people trying to take advantage of the system. I just think it's embarrassing where we are with college football."
Clemson is a 10-point underdog for its road showdown at No. 11 LSU, and it's still unclear who will be on the field for LSU for the marquee Week 1 game inside Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Depending on the outcome of a Thursday court hearing in Louisiana, LSU could have multiple players in uniform who have been with NFL franchises during the preseason.
Most notably, first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin is attempting to roster tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris. Both were key starters for Kiffin at Ole Miss last season. Wright spent time with the Browns during the preseason while Harris did a stint with the Saints. Swinney pointed out that a coaching staff typically spends time studying how their Week 1 opponent's transfers played at their former schools.
He quipped about taking a different approach in preparation for the LSU game.
"Been spending this last week or so studying the Browns, the Cowboys, the Saints and the Bucs trying to get ready," Swinney said. "I actually got to go watch practice in early June for the Browns. So I'm probably going to get turned in for tampering, I don't know. I wish I'd have known. I'd have paid a little more attention. Yeah, it's crazy. It's hard."
Like the SEC, the ACC has passed a rule banning former NFL players from returning to their leagues. But LSU's legal challenge of the SEC's rule has left the door open for Wright and Harris to potentially earn eligibility. LSU is also "eyeing" former Utah cornerback Blake Cotton, according to Geaux247. Cotton was briefly with the Denver Broncos during NFL preseason camp.
Another potential NFL-to-LSU signee, defensive end Jack Pyburn, was claimed off waivers by the Chiefs on Monday after being cut by the Bucs, which hindered his ambitions of a potential return to LSU after he starred for the Tigers last year. Nonetheless, LSU's roster theatrics on the eve of the season have added a degree of wonderment to Swinney's preparation for Week 1.
"That outside stuff, we just kind of — no pun intended — we just stay in our lane here at Clemson. Try to. Every now and then, someone will ram into us. But we just try and handle our business here. But it's embarrassing; it really is. We have no rules. There's no governance. It's a joke. There's zero rules. When you enforce rules, someone 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."
