Clemson Fires OC Garrett Riley After Offensive Struggles: What Went Wrong and What’s Next
Change is officially underway in Clemson, and it started with a big one. On Monday night, head coach Dabo Swinney made the first major move of what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason by firing offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. The decision comes just days after the Tigers mustered only 10 points in a frustrating Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State - a performance that capped off a season of offensive inconsistency.
Riley, who was brought in with high expectations in 2022 after an electric run at TCU, never quite found his rhythm in Death Valley. Clemson hired him after moving on from Brandon Streeter, hoping Riley could inject new life into an offense that had grown stagnant.
At the time, it felt like a home-run hire. Riley had just helped lead the Horned Frogs to a national title game appearance, with an offense that averaged 38.8 points per game - good for 9th in the country - and earned him the prestigious Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.
But the magic that defined his TCU tenure never made it to Clemson.
Over his three seasons with the Tigers, the offense never consistently clicked. Clemson finished 52nd, 18th, and 65th nationally in scoring offense during Riley’s time - a steep drop from the explosive units fans had grown accustomed to during the program’s peak years. Despite having a roster loaded with talent, including a former 5-star quarterback in Cade Klubnik, the Tigers simply couldn’t generate the kind of firepower that had become synonymous with Clemson football.
So what happened?
Part of the disconnect may come down to quarterback development - or the lack of it. Riley had built a reputation as a quarterback whisperer, thanks to his work with Shane Buechele and Tanner Mordecai at SMU, and Max Duggan at TCU.
Those quarterbacks thrived in his system, putting up big numbers and leading high-powered offenses. But at Clemson, Klubnik - once seen as a Heisman hopeful and potential first-round NFL Draft pick - never took that next step.
His development stalled, and the offense stalled with him.
It’s not that Riley forgot how to coach. But the fit just never materialized the way many expected.
At SMU, he had NFL-caliber weapons like Rashee Rice and Grant Calcaterra. At TCU, everything clicked in one magical season.
But at Clemson, the offensive identity never quite formed. Whether it was scheme, execution, or a combination of both, the results weren’t there.
Now, both sides get a reset. For Riley, this likely won’t be the end of the road.
He’s still young, still highly regarded in coaching circles, and he’ll almost certainly get another opportunity - maybe even this offseason. For Clemson, it’s a chance to reboot an offense that’s fallen behind in a rapidly evolving college football landscape.
With the expanded College Football Playoff looming and the ACC becoming more competitive, the Tigers need to find answers - and fast.
This move signals that Swinney knows it. The standard at Clemson hasn’t changed, and neither has the expectation. The Tigers aren’t content with being average on offense, and this decision reflects a desire to get back to the elite level that made them national champions not so long ago.
What comes next will be critical. Clemson needs not just a new playcaller, but a new offensive vision - one that can unlock the potential of its talent and bring back the kind of explosiveness that once made Death Valley a nightmare for opposing defenses.
The offseason is just getting started in Clemson, but the message is clear: the Tigers are ready to turn the page.