Clemson heads into the offseason with major questions to answer, and those changes began late Monday night when head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed a reset of his coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is out after three seasons with the program and safeties coach Mickey Conn will also move on while Clemson seeks to retool by 2026.
Swinney said the decision to part ways with Riley was one of the hardest choices he had to make, emphasizing that it was the product of a lot of thought and was rooted in performance rather than personal feelings.
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“I have made the decision to make a change at offensive coordinator,” Swinney said in a statement. “This was a very difficult decision. These decisions are never easy, especially when you truly love and care about the people involved, and I love and care deeply for Garrett Riley and his family. At the end of the day, we just didn’t get the production and results that we needed, and I just feel like it’s time for a change, and so we’re going to go in a different direction with a new offensive coordinator.”
Riley arrived at Clemson with high expectations after winning the Broyles Award at TCU and helping guide the Horned Frogs to the national championship game. While there was promise, including a productive 2024 campaign that ended with an ACC title and a trip to the College Football Playoff, the offense failed to maintain that momentum. In 2025, Clemson struggled to find consistency, especially in high-leverage moments and against quality opponents.
These issues were on full display in the Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State, where the Tigers were held to 10 points and managed just 236 total yards, including a stagnant second half. Clemson finished the season in the middle of the ACC in most offensive categories, far from the standard Swinney expected.
Despite the disappointing results, Swinney clearly spoke highly of Riley and his confidence in his future.
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“I just want to thank Garrett for everything he has done for us here at Clemson and led us and helped us win another ACC championship in 2024 and get us back to the College Football Playoff that year,” Swinney said. “I appreciate all of his efforts on behalf of our players and our program. Garrett is smart, he has a great work ethic and he is a great coach, but it just didn’t work out the way we both wanted. He has an incredible career ahead of him and he will be a great head coach in the future.”
THE Tigers finished 7-6, marking the program’s first six-loss season since 2010, and offensive struggles were a major factor in that result. Riley’s release means Clemson will now be looking for its third offensive player in five seasons, continuing a streak of turnovers on that side of the ball.
On defense, Conn’s departure closes the door to a long run with the program. He joined the team in 2016 and became one of Swinney’s most trusted assistants, coaching the safeties and playing a role in several championship seasons.
“We will also experience a change in the direction of our safeties with the departure of Mickey Conn,” Swinney said. “Coach Conn is someone I’ve known since 1990 and he’s truly family to me. He’s done an incredible job here at Clemson. He’s been with us since 2016 – 10 years – and he’s been coaching safeties since 2017 and has coached a bunch of great safeties for us, including RJ Mickens, who is a starting safety in the NFL as a rookie this year.”
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Swinney added that Conn’s impact went far beyond wins and losses.
“I am so grateful to Mickey and the great contributions he has made to Clemson over the past decade. I am also grateful to his family. I am excited about the upcoming opportunities he may have to call a defense and take the next step in his career. I will be forever grateful to Mickey and all of the outstanding players he has coached and all of the memorable victories and championships we have achieved together over the past decade.”
With both changes, Swinney emphasized that Clemson already has a vision for the future.
“I am excited about the plan we have in place for our secondary and defensive personnel, and I look forward to identifying the right leader for our offense to help us achieve our goals for 2026 and beyond.”
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The moves mark a clear turning point for Clemson, as the program looks to reset key leadership roles and regain the consistency that once defined its path among college football’s elite.
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This article was originally published on Clemson Wire: Clemson OC Garrett Riley will not return to program in 2026
