Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says high player pay comes with high responsibility amid team's struggles

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Clemson coach Dabo Swinney believes the more college football players are paid, the more responsibility they should carry.

“I mean, you can’t have it both ways,” Swinney said this week, according to The Post and Courier. “It’s more than just a scholarship. Revenue-share is based on performance, right? These aren’t lifetime contracts. It’s no different than the next level. You've got to perform.”

Swinney’s comments come as he faces pressure from the Tigers’ 1-2 start. This is the first season where athletic departments are sharing revenue with players, up to a $20.5 million ceiling per school over the school year. Athletes remain able to secure third-party name, image and likeness agreements alongside school revenue shares.

Most of Clemson’s direct revenue sharing is going to football, as is the case for most top programs.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik, reportedly being paid $2.5 million, is struggling with three touchdown throws and three interceptions in three games. Defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker reportedly are earning seven figures. Swinney said Woods has been solid, but said Parker has been “good but not great.”

“I didn’t grow up dreaming to play college football to go make money. I grew up dreaming of playing college football and run out into a stadium with 100,000 fans,” Klubnik said. “It’s not necessarily (something) that I asked for, it’s just kind of something that’s happened. So I don’t feel like I should be held responsible for that, I guess.”

Swinney said its possible that money has affected some players' performances.

“I don’t think guys get too full of themselves,” he said. “I just think sometimes the expectations can become the focus as opposed to just the process. These are young people. So, yeah, for this particular group, they have never dealt with that.”

Arkansas, like Clemson, is grappling with revenue questions. Athletic director Hunter Yurachek said his program doesn’t have the money to compete for a national title, but there’s enough to be competitive in the Southeastern Conference.

“I don’t think there’s been any question that in the NIL era, we didn’t have the same amount of money, nor close to the same amount of money as a lot of teams that we’re competing against,” Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman said.

Pittman said the playing field is unbalanced for now because teams “pushed their money forward” and front-loaded deals before regulation took effect July 1. He believes revenue sharing should help down the road.

Klubnik just wants to focus on what he started playing for.

“We’ve just got to continue to love the game, man,” he said. “Just find joy in the game ... go play free and make it fun.”

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