Okay, so this whole “portal season” thing ain’t simple. Seriously, it’s messy. Clemson, we had those solid seniors graduate, right? And the draft took another bite. Suddenly, looking at the roster for next year? Felt way too light. Real quick, you start sweating. Gotta reload, no choice.
First Step: Figuring Out the Gaps
Me and a couple guys from the staff, we huddled. Like, literally just sat in that film room with cold pizza for hours. Went down the roster name by name. Needed points? Gone. Needed that lock-down wing defender? Gone. And size inside? Thin. Honestly, it looked grim. Hit every single portal database and highlight reel we could find, daily. Filtered for positions we needed hard.
The Scouting Grind
This part? Brutal. Watched so much shaky, handheld game footage my eyes crossed. Seriously, some of that tape looks like it was filmed on a flip phone. Focused on three things:
- Can the dude fit our style? Fast pace, pressure defense. No slowpokes.
- Do they got grit? Saw too many highlight heroes without heart. Nope.
- Can they ball RIGHT NOW? Freshmen are cool, but portal’s gotta plug holes instantly.
Found a few names. Some from smaller schools balling out, one sitting kinda buried on a power conference bench. Took notes, argued about fit, made our lists.
The Reaching Out Phase
Phone calls. So. Many. Phone calls. And texts. And video chats. Let me tell ya, talking to recruits and their people? It’s delicate. Gotta be real. No fake hype. Laid it out plain: “Here’s where we are. Here’s where you fit. Here’s how you help us, and how we help you.” Gotta listen more than talk. One kid? Super worried about role. Another? Worried about academics because his last school sucked. You gotta hear that stuff.
Getting Them On Campus
Nothing beats getting a guy here. Show ‘em the facilities? Sure. But more important? Smash those unofficial visits. Let them hang with the guys we got coming back. Let ‘em feel the vibe in the locker room. Took one kid to a football game – packed house, crazy loud. Saw his eyes get wide. That matters. Gotta see if they mesh with the team, not just the coaches. That’s make-or-break.
Closing the Deal
This is the nerve-wracking part. You think you got a connection, then boom – another school jumps in offering bigger NIL nonsense or flashier promises. Had one we thought was a lock drag it out for weeks. Tug-of-war ain’t fun. Just gotta keep plugging. Reinforce why Clemson: the family feel, the development we’ve shown, the chance to compete in the ACC. Finally got calls from that shooter from the mid-major and that tough big man from the SEC bench. Big exhale when they said yes.
Now? Roster feels solid. Not done maybe, way better than last month. But the work ain’t over. Now it’s putting these pieces together fast come summer practices. Portal moves got us back in the fight. Hope it translates.