On the heels of introducing his 2023 recruiting class, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney explained how he would alter National Signing Day.
Per Sam Hellman of 247Sports, Swinney wants to give incoming athletes a chance to sign before they even begin their senior season.
“I wish they’d move signing day up,” Swinney said. I wish they’d make it Aug. 1 or after Aug. 1 your senior year you can sign any time.”
Six years ago, college football introduced an early signing period in December. The other signing window begins the first Wednesday of February.
Swinney stipulated that a player should be allowed to back out of a signing if the school changes its head coach. He believes a prolonged period would “protect high school recruiting.”
“High school recruiting is in a bad spot. You got a lot of kids that were getting offers that aren’t getting offers,” Swinney continued. “You’ve got a lot of kids that are committed that don’t have a spot anymore when the portal opens. All of our guys would have signed earlier if you let them.”
Clemson boasts the 11th-ranked recruiting class, per 247Sports. Peter Woods, a five-star defensive lineman from Alabaster, Alabama, headlines the program’s 26 signees.
The Tigers won the 2022 ACC Championship but fell short of their fifth College Football Playoff appearance. Swinney lamented a “loss of perspective” among fans disappointed in the team’s finish.