Meet the 2025 Clemson football coaching staff: new hires, staff changes and more

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Fall camps have opened all across college football, and the Clemson Tigers held their first fall practice session on Thursday. Just three Saturdays now remain without Clemson football.

Clemson faces the LSU Tigers in the 2025 season opener on Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium in front of a prime time audience at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

For Dabo Swinney, he begins his 17th full season as coach. Swinney took over six games into the 2008 season and gradually turned Clemson into a national power with six straight trips to the College Football Playoff from 2015-2020, winning two national championships and coaching in two more national championship games.

The Tigers reached the expanded 12-team playoff last season after beating first-year conference foe SMU in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson now hopes to get back to the national championship game, set for Jan. 19, 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

To that end, Swinney has his best team since 2020 when Clemson made the original four-team playoff. The Tigers are loaded on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Cade Klubnik back for his senior year after an outstanding 2024 season in which he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns to six interceptions.

While Clemson's running back room is something of a question mark for now, Klubnik has no shortage of talent at wide receiver with senior Antonio Williams back after his finest season (75 catches, 904 receiving yards), and five-star recruits Bryant Wesco Jr. (41 catches, 708 yards) and T.J. Moore (45 catches, 651 yards) coming off promising freshmen seasons.

On defense, the Tigers return stud defensive linemen and projected first-round NFL draft picks T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, as well as leading tackler Wade Woodaz and former five-star recruit Sammy Brown at linebacker. Starting cornerback Avieon Terrell, another projected first-round pick in 2026, and safety Khalil Barnes are also back in the Tigers' secondary.

Clemson's coaching staff remains largely intact from last season, but the Tigers did make a change at defensive coordinator with the arrival of Tom Allen from Penn State. The team's new linebackers coach, Ben Boulware, is a beloved former national champion who served as an unpaid volunteer last season.

In addition to Swinney, here's a look at full list of coordinators, position coaches and analysts who make up Clemson's 2025 coaching staff.

Under Swinney, the Tigers became a national power with six straight trips to the College Football Playoff from 2015-20, winning two national championships and finishing as runner-up twice. Clemson returned to the CFP last year in Swinney's 16th full season after winning the ACC for the ninth time in his tenure as head coach and the second time in three seasons.

Swinney's individual honors include being a three-time winner of the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award (2015-16, '18) and two-time ACC Coach of the Year twice (2015 and '18).

Swinney begins his 18th different season as Clemson's head coach in 2025 and his 17th full season. With the Tigers' 29-13 win over Florida State last October, Swinney moved past legendary Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden (173 career victories) to become the winningest coach in ACC football history.

Under Riley, Clemson's offense totaled 451.9 yards per game last season, good for 11th among FBS teams and sixth among Power Four schools. Riley helped quarterback Cade Klubnik to a career year in 2024 as the junior threw for 3,693 yards and 36 touchdowns to eight interceptions in 14 games.

Under Allen, Penn State finished seventh nationally in total defense last season and allowed 4,716 yards (4.67 AVG, sixth nationally) in 16 games. The Nittany Lions recorded 44 sacks (23rd in FBS) for 403 sack yards, and their defense allowed 28 touchdowns, tied for sixth fewest among FBS teams and fifth fewest among Power Four schools.

Boulware begins his first season as linebackers coach after joining the coaching staff full-time in 2025 with first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

One of the most celebrated players in Clemson history, Boulware played in 47 games from 2013-16 and helped the Tigers to their first national championship in 25 years. He recorded 259 tackles (140 solo), 27 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, six forced fumbles and five interceptions in four seasons at Clemson.

Under Grisham's coaching, Antonio Williams had an explosive 2024 season, catching 75 passes for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns, all career-highs. Freshman sensation Bryant Wesco Jr. had a stellar debut season with 41 catches for 708 yards and five touchdowns. Fellow freshman T.J. Moore caught 45 passes for 651 yards and five scores.

Richardson enters his fourth full season as the Tigers' tight ends coach and his 10th season as a member of the Clemson coaching staff. He previously served as an offensive assistant from 2016-21.

Spiller enters his fifth season as Clemson's running backs coach in 2025. Under Spiller, the Tigers rushed for 2,427 yards last season with Phil Mafah leading the way with 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns. With Mafah and Will Shipley in 2022, Clemson has had two 1,000-yard rushers under Spiller.

As a player at Clemson from 2006-09, Spiller was one of the most dynamic stars in ACC football history. He finished his college career third in school history in rushing yards with 3,547 yards on 606 carries.

Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021, Spiller owns the ACC's single-season record for all-purpose yards with 2,680 yards (1,212 rushing, 503 receiving, 965 kick and punt return yards) during his senior year in 2009. For his career, his 7,588 all-purpose yards are the most in ACC football history.

Luke begins his second full season as Clemson's offensive line coach after joining the Tigers' staff ahead of their 2023 Gator Bowl victory over Kentucky. Luke was the offensive line coach at Georgia from 2020-21 and previously the head coach at Ole Miss head coach from 2017-19.

Reed begins his 13th season as the Tigers' cornerbacks coach. An ace recruiter, he was part of the staff that led Clemson to seven ACC championships, two national championships, and four national championship game appearances from 2014-2020. Prior to joining Swinney's staff, Reed was the defensive backs coach at NC State from 2007-12.

A defensive back and teammate of Swinney's during their playing days at Alabama, Conn begins his 10th season on the Tigers' coaching staff in 2025. He enters his first season as Clemson's defensive passing game coordinator and co-special teams coordinator.

Rumph enters his second full season as Clemson's defensive ends coach in 2025. He's in his second stint with the program after serving as defensive ends coach from 2006-10 under Tommy Bowden and later Swinney. Rumph was the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2022-23.

McDaniel enters his second season in an on-field role on the coaching staff, though he joined the Tigers' staff as a defensive analyst in 2018. He played at Clemson from 2007-10 under Swinney and Tommy Bowden, finishing with 15 interceptions and 21 tackles for loss in 53 games.

Here's a rundown at Clemson's support staff, including offensive, defensive or special teams analysts according to the athletic department's website.