Barrett Carter shares emotions of seeing Clemson teammates leave program

December has been filled with players entering the transfer portal and declaring for the NFL Draft, but Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter decided to do neither when the regular season came to a close. Instead, Carter announced that he’ll be returning to Clemson next season to close out his senior year for the Tigers and finish what he started.

Carter’s return puts a smile on the faces of Clemson fans, but seven Tigers’ players entering the transfer portal so far this offseason likely does the opposite. But in a recent press conference, Carter himself spoke on the feelings that come with having a teammate enter the transfer portal.

“You hate to see anyone leave the program, especially since you go to work with these guys every single day and they become a part of your family,” Carter said. “But like I said earlier, you have to adapt to whatever situation’s thrown at you and I think that applies to a lot of things.”

Names like Andrew Mukuba and Beaux Collins have not only entered the transfer portal following the regular season, but have already committed to their next destinations. Despite this, Carter continued to harp on the importance of adapting, comparing the current times to the state of Clemson during the 2021 season.

“Like when I came in my freshman year we were 4-3 and we had guys hurt, we had guys leaving. But at the end of the day the opponent that you’re playing that week they don’t care, and you just adapt to whatever’s thrown at you and go to work with the guys that are available,” Carter explained. “And if one guy says that he wants to leave, then like I said, you just got to adapt to it and be ready for the next opponent and whatever challenge is thrown at you.”

The Tigers’ next challenge is a matchup against Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, but the Wildcats have even more players than Clemson currently who have entered their names in the transfer portal ahead of the matchup.

Just like when coaches accept new jobs elsewhere heading into bowl games and other staff members have to step up, now more than ever teams across the nation will have more reserve players having to step up in the final game of the season due to transfer portal exits.

“So it gets tough but at the end of the day the opponent doesn’t care, and I think if everyone has that mindset you’ll become successful,” Carter concluded.

Clemson takes on Kentucky in the Gator Bowl on December 29 at noon ET in a game airing on ESPN and ESPN+.