While Clemson handled the PR poorly in this instance, I don't think that you're giving them enough credit here.
First off, Clemson offered Ray Ray an academic scholarship to complete his degree at Clemson. They committed to paying for two additional years of school, if that much time was necessary for him to graduate. Additionally, they also made a commitment to him that they would hire him as a graduate assistant in the athletic dept.
The Clemson coaches made it clear to Ray Ray that he would be a 4th or 5th string running back on the team, and the odds were pretty much zero that he would see playing time. He wanted to receive a football scholarship and play football, so he chose to leave instead.
Clemson doesn't have a history of running off players who don't succeed, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.