Clemson’s staff overhaul after a 7-6 season in 2025 comes with a hefty price tag.
Dabo Swinney shook up the Tigers after their second-worst season in his full 17 years, a year that ended with Clemson missing both the ACC championship game and the College Football Playoff despite entering the season as preseason favorites to reach both. The biggest changes were on offense and in the secondary: Garrett Riley was fired as offensive coordinator, Mickey Conn was let go as safeties coach, and Swinney turned to Chad Morris and Nolan Turner to fill those spots.
The money attached to the revamped 2026 staff is substantial. According to agreements obtained by The Greenville News through an open records request, Clemson will have six primary assistants earning at least $1 million next season. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen leads the way at $2 million, making him the highest-paid assistant on the staff.
Morris, defensive tackles coach Nick Eason and offensive line coach Matt Luke are all set to make $1.2 million. Defensive ends coach Chris Rumph will earn $1.1 million, while cornerbacks coach Mike Reed will make $1 million. Excluding the contracts that have not yet been finalized, Clemson’s primary assistants are scheduled to make $11.35 million in 2026.
A few contracts are still unresolved. Clemson’s FOIA office said second-year linebackers coach Ben Boulware does not have a new contract after making $193,160 in 2025, while new quarterbacks coach Tajh Boyd and safeties coach Nolan Turner still have not finalized their deals. Boyd and Turner were both elevated to primary coaching roles in 2026 after previously working on the support staff.
Swinney also brought in former NFL coach Rich Bisaccia to run special teams. His salary is listed at $900,000.
The rest of the staff’s pay breaks down like this: Kyle Richardson at $675,500, Tyler Grisham and C.J. Spiller at $600,000 apiece, Dennis Love at $450,000, Thomas Allen at $225,000 and Corico Wright at $200,000.
Here is Clemson’s 2026 staff under Swinney:
Chad Morris, offensive coordinator
Tom Allen, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach
Tajh Boyd, quarterbacks coach
C.J. Spiller, running backs coach/offensive run game coordinator
Tyler Grisham, wide receivers coach/offensive pass game coordinator
Kyle Richardson, tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator
Matt Luke, offensive line coach/assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator
Chris Rumph, defensive ends coach/defensive run game coordinator
Nick Eason, defensive tackles coach/associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator
Ben Boulware, linebackers coach
Mike Reed, cornerbacks coach/assistant head coach/co-special teams coordinator
Corico Wright, nickelbacks coach
Nolan Turner, safeties coach
Thomas Allen, defensive pass game coordinator
Rich Bisaccia, special teams coordinator
Dennis Love, strength and conditioning coach
Lorenzo Ward, special assistant to the head coach and defensive assistant
Lonnie Galloway, senior offensive assistant
DeAndre McDaniel, senior defensive assistant/assistant defensive backs coach/assistant special teams coach
Da'Quan Bowers, assistant defensive ends coach/defensive analyst
Carson Cramer, assistant offensive line coach/offensive analyst
Jody Evans, special teams analyst
Mike Miller, offensive analyst
Cole Stoudt, offense analyst
Carter Thomason, defensive analyst/assistant linebackers coach
Elijah Turner, defensive analyst/assistant cornerbacks coach
Ryan Allen, special teams player development/specialist coach
Corey Crawford, assistant defensive line coach/defensive player development
Tyrone Crowder, assistant offensive line coach/offensive player development
Jacoby Ford, offensive player development/assistant wide receivers coach
Brad Glenn, offensive player development/assistant tight ends coach
Artavis Scott, offensive player development/assistant running backs coach
Will Swinney, assistant wide receivers coach/offensive player development
Zach Terrill, defensive player development
Mike Houston, volunteer defensive analyst
Freddie Kitchens, volunteer offensive assistant
Hunter Helms, offensive player development intern
Jayron Kearse, student coach
In Other News...
National Analysts Just Took A Stunning Shot At Clemson In Death Valley
National analysts are already stirring the pot around Clemsons 2026 schedule, and the latest chatter out of the On3 Crain & Cone podcast centered on the idea that the Tigers could be vulnerable at home. The discussion included upset picks against both South Carolina and Georgia Southern, a pairing that naturally drew attention because Clemson is expected to be the more proven team in those matchups and has handled Georgia Southern comfortably before.
The skepticism only grows when you dig into the reasoning behind the Eagles case, which leans heavily on incoming transfer quarterback Max Johnson. Clemsons own history against Georgia Southern, along with what it did against Johnson last season at North Carolina, gives the Tigers plenty of ammunition to push back on the notion that Death Valley is suddenly a place where that kind of upset should be expected. Still, the fact that national voices are even floating the idea says plenty about how early 2026 projections are already starting to frame Clemson. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Landed Another In-State Recruiting Win Over A Rival
Clemson kept its recruiting momentum rolling with another in-state win, adding a defensive line prospect who fits the kind of board the Tigers have been building for the 2027 class. The commitment gives Dabo Swinneys staff another highly regarded front-seven piece and continues a run of success in South Carolina, where Clemson has made a habit of battling the regions biggest powers for top talent.
The appeal here was never just local familiarity, either. Clemson had to hold off South Carolina while also fending off national programs such as Michigan and Georgia, a reminder that the Tigers are still trying to protect their turf against heavy competition. With this latest pledge, Clemsons 2027 class keeps growing in both size and defensive emphasis, and the next question is how much more of the states elite talent the Tigers can keep close to home. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Took A Painful Recruiting Miss At Linebacker
Clemsons 2027 class took a hit at linebacker when Roman Igwebuike came off the board, a notable swing in a cycle where every blue-chip target matters. The four-star from Illinois is ranked No. 134 overall and would have landed among the Tigers most highly rated pledges, adding another premium piece to a class that already sits at 25 commitments and has been building real momentum on defense.
The timing made the miss sting a little more, even with Clemson adding defensive lineman Seth Tillman around the same window. The Tigers still have a strong linebacker base in place with Bryce Kish, Max Brown and R.J. Hudson all committed, but Igwebuike was the kind of prospect who could have changed the ceiling of the group and given the staff another major win in a key position battle. [Read more 🡒]