After a 7-6 season that fell well short of expectations, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney wasted no time shaking up his staff. On Monday, the program announced the firings of offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and defensive passing game coordinator Mickey Conn-two major moves that signal Swinney’s urgency to get the Tigers back on track.
The decision came just 48 hours after Clemson wrapped up its season with a 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl. It was a frustrating end to a campaign that began with high hopes and plenty of returning talent.
In fact, no team in the FBS or FCS brought back more production than Clemson heading into the year. But after a rocky 1-3 start, the Tigers never fully recovered, missing both the ACC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
“This was a very difficult decision,” Swinney said of Riley’s dismissal. “At the end of the day, we just did not get the production and the results that we needed, and I just feel like it is time for a change.”
Riley came to Clemson in 2023 with big expectations, tasked with revamping an offense that had grown stagnant. But despite a full offseason to install his system and a roster featuring returning quarterback Cade Klubnik, a veteran offensive line, and a stable of skilled playmakers, the Tigers couldn’t find their rhythm.
Clemson averaged just 27.2 points per game-good for 70th nationally-and struggled mightily in key areas. The run game never got going, managing only 124.5 yards per game (104th in the country), and the offense sputtered on third downs, converting just 34.4% of its attempts (114th nationally).
For a program used to competing for titles, those numbers simply weren’t going to cut it.
On the defensive side, Conn had been a fixture in Clemson’s program since 2017, coaching safeties and gradually taking on more responsibility over the years. In 2025, he added passing game and special teams coordination to his plate. Swinney made it clear the decision to part ways wasn’t easy, calling Conn “family” and praising his contributions to multiple championship runs over the past decade.
Still, the message is clear: the bar at Clemson remains sky-high, and back-to-back seasons of underperformance have prompted tough choices. This marks the second straight year Swinney has fired a coordinator, a rare move for a coach who has long valued continuity. But with the program now seven years removed from its last national title, patience is running thin in Death Valley.
“I am excited about the plan we have in place for our secondary and our defensive staff,” Swinney said. “I’m looking forward to identifying the right leader for our offense to help achieve our goals for 2026 and beyond.”
Clemson fans have seen this program reach the mountaintop before. Now, with more changes on the horizon and a pivotal offseason ahead, the pressure is on to climb back up.