Adam Randall opens up about saying at Clemson over the transfer portal

Adam Randall entered the final stretch of last season carrying a mix of frustration and uncertainty. He felt overlooked in the offense, and even during Clemson’s ACC Championship win, that sense of being stuck never fully left him. His big kickoff return that night gave the Tigers a spark, but it didn’t erase how he’d been feeling about his role.

The next morning, Randall walked into Dabo Swinney’s office with a clear plan: he wanted to enter the transfer portal. Swinney didn’t simply accept it. Instead, he asked Randall a question that shifted the entire conversation — What do you do best with the football? Randall told him he was at his best when he had room to work in open space. Swinney immediately saw a possibility Randall hadn’t considered.

Rather than let him leave, Swinney asked him to stay through the spring and test a move to running back. If it didn’t fit, he promised to help Randall find a new home. That idea ended up reshaping the year. “Coach Swinney just saw what I could do with the ball in my hands,” Randall said. He called the transition “a blessing in disguise,” grateful for how the switch opened doors he didn’t expect.

The results have spoken for themselves. Randall has emerged as Clemson’s most productive runner, piling up 675 yards, scoring eight touchdowns, and giving the offense a new dimension. More importantly, the move has positioned him for a chance to keep playing beyond college — something that didn’t seem likely months earlier.

Now his Clemson career is reaching its final chapter. Soon he’ll make one last run down the Hill, meeting the coach who refused to let his story end too soon. Despite the tough moments that nearly pushed him away, Randall is finishing exactly where he hoped he would. “I didn’t want to leave, but everybody wants to play,” he said. “I’m just glad that I’m still here… it’s just really been a blessing… and just kind of go out on top.”

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson RB Adam Randall explains why he stayed with the program