Clemson fired offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and safeties coach Mickey Conn following a 7-6 season in 2025, head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed Tuesday. Riley's departure comes after two years coordinating an offense that ranked 91st nationally in scoring and failed to reach double-digit wins for the third consecutive season. The moves represent the largest staff overhaul since Swinney promoted coordinators internally in 2022.
Riley earned $2.05 million in 2025, making him the fifth-highest-paid coordinator in the ACC. His offense averaged 21.4 points per game in 2025, down from 28.1 the prior year. Clemson scored fewer than 20 points in five games, including losses to South Carolina, Louisville, and a bowl defeat to Texas Tech. Riley came from TCU in 2024 with a reputation for tempo-based passing attacks; his Clemson offense ranked 103rd in plays per game this past season. Conn, who coached safeties for three years, departs after a defense that allowed 412 yards per game, worst in program history since 2010.
The firings arrive six weeks before spring practice and three months after IPTAY, Clemson's booster collective, held closed-door meetings with athletic director Graham Neff regarding offensive stagnation. Two people familiar with the discussions said donors specifically cited Riley's scheme as incompatible with Swinney's recruiting footprint, which tilts toward physical runners and man-coverage cornerbacks rather than spread passing. Clemson's total offensive coordinator budget sits at $2.2 million for 2026, unchanged from Riley's previous allocation, meaning Swinney will either promote internally or hire a coordinator willing to work below market for ACC contenders. Comparable hires this offseason include NC State's new OC at $1.9 million and Wake Forest's at $1.6 million.
Swinney's remaining staff carries a combined salary of $7.8 million for 2026, excluding the open coordinator and safeties roles. Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin returns at $2.1 million, despite his unit's yardage struggles. Co-offensive coordinator Kyle Richardson, who coaches running backs, stays at $850,000 and becomes the senior offensive voice until a replacement arrives. Clemson has not hired an outside coordinator since Brent Venables left for Oklahoma in 2011; every coordinator since has been promoted from within or poached from Group-of-Five programs on limited budgets.
The timing affects recruiting. Clemson holds commitments from 18 prospects in the 2026 class, ranked 14th nationally by 247Sports. Four offensive recruits—two quarterbacks, a tackle, and a tight end—took visits in December specifically to meet Riley. One quarterback, a four-star from Georgia, has postponed his signing date until the staff is finalized. His father told 247Sports the family wants "clarity on scheme" before enrolling early in January 2027. Clemson's early signing period closed with 14 signatures, below the ACC average of 17.
Watch whether Swinney promotes from within by mid-January, when spring roster limits take effect, or conducts an external search through February. If internal, Richardson or tight ends coach Tony Elliott—who left Clemson for Virginia's head job in 2022 before returning as an analyst in 2025—become candidates. External hires would likely emerge from Sun Belt or Conference USA staffs where Swinney has prior relationships. Separately, watch IPTAY's next quarterly meeting in late January; donor comments on staff spending typically preview whether Clemson will adjust its coordinator pay scale for 2027, when contracts reset.
Clemson opens spring practice March 3. The new coordinator will inherit a returning quarterback who threw 11 interceptions in 2025 and a backfield that averaged 3.2 yards per carry, both program lows in a decade.
The takeaway
Clemson's **$2.05M** coordinator exits after two years of offensive regression, testing Swinney's internal-promotion model against donor pressure for schematic change.
clemsoncoaching changesdabo swinneyacc footballoffensive coordinatorcollege football
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