Clemson announces changes in football staff – official Clemson Tigers athletics site

CLEMSON, SC – Head coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson Football today announced a number of staff changes finalized by the Compensation Committee of the Clemson University Board of Trustees on Tuesday afternoon.

Defensively, Clemson promoted Wes Goodwin from main defensive assistant to defensive back Linebackers Coordinator / Coach and added the role of Defensive Co-Coordinator for Safety Coach Mickey Conn. Cornerback coach Mike Reed added the special teams coordinator role previously held by Conn, while recruiting coordinator / defensive tackles coach Todd Bates announcedreceived the title of deputy chief Coach.

Offensively, Clemson promoted Brandon Streeter to the offensive coordinator / quarterback coach. Clemson appointed Kyle Richardson, who had served as high school relations director and special offense assistant, as the passing play coordinator / tight ends coach.

“I’m really, really excited with the people we have in place,” Swinney said. “I have always been very proud to develop our players and develop our team, but I am also very proud to develop our staff. “

Swinney’s full comments are included after the conclusion of this release.

Goodwin is in his 10th season overall at Clemson, spanning two terms with the Tigers. As a 2012-14 defensive analyst and 2018-21 senior defensive assistant, Goodwin held a critical off-court role for former defensive coordinator Brent Venables, overseeing defensive breakdowns and spotting opponents, helping with recruiting on on campus and also serving as one of the program’s primary liaison with NFL scout staff and coaches.

Goodwin first arrived at Clemson in 2009, as a graduate assistant from 2009-2011. He joined the full-time staff in 2012 during Venables’ first season as the head of defense and oversaw the secondary for their 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over LSU. In the final season of their first stint at Clemson in 2014, Clemson finished as the top-ranked unit in the country in terms of total defense, third-down percentage, first tries allowed and tackles for loss, all by placing in the top five in many other statistical categories. .

Between his stints at Clemson, Goodwin spent three years with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL, as assistant to head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals teams Goodwin worked for compiled a 28-19-1 record, including a 13-3 NFC West championship season in 2015 in which Arizona reached the NFC championship game.

“Wesley is one of the best young defensive minds I’ve ever worked with,” said Arians, who led his Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV title last season. “He’s been with my team for three years in Arizona and I’ve watched him grow defensively and offensively the whole time. He has a bright, bright future. One thing is for sure – they’re going to be an offensive defense type and I know he’s going to do great things with this opportunity.

A native of Grove Hill, Ala, Goodwin, who turns 37 on the eve of Cheez-It Bowl 2021, is a Mississippi state graduate, received his undergraduate degree in 2007 and his master’s degree in 2009 while working as student assistant and graduate assistant for the Bulldogs.

Conn is in his sixth season with the Clemson squad and his fifth as a field coach. Since his initial arrival at Clemson in 2016 after his acclaimed career as a head coach at Georgia’s Grayson High School, Clemson has gone 60-8 and produced a Top 15 unit in total defense every season.

In 2017, Conn transitioned from his role as Senior Off-Field Defensive Assistant to an on-field role as Clemson’s Safety Coach. Since then, he’s led four different safeties – Tanner Muse, K’Von Wallace, Nolan Turner and Andrew Mukuba – to a total of five All-ACC caps. This season, his guidance helped Mukuba win the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year as well as Freshman All-America status by consensus after helping the young safety become the first true first-year defensive back. to start an opening game at Clemson since the NCAA instituted permanent freshman eligibility in 1972.

Two of Conn’s students, Muse and Turner, won All-America honors in 2019 and 2020, respectively, marking the first time Clemson had a safety honored by All-America selectors recognized by the NCAA in consecutive seasons since. 1981-82, when Terry Kinard played AP and FWAA First Team Honors in 1981 to Unanimous All-American Honors in 1982. Conn and Reed were named Defensive Coaches of the Year by FootballScoop for 2019.

Reed has helped the Tigers to a 109-15 record, six ACC championships, four appearances in national championship games and national titles in 2016 and 2018 since joining the Tigers in 2013.

Prior to joining the Tigers, Reed spent six seasons as a defensive back coach at NC State from 2007 to 2012. He was on the coaching staff for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002 to 2006, helping the Eagles win at least 10 wins in four of its five seasons and contributing to teams that have played three consecutive NFC Championship games and earned a spot in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Reed has produced 12 All-ACC caps for cornerback during his nine seasons at Clemson, including six first-team caps and four first-team picks in the past three years. This season, Reed’s starting cornerback duo Andrew Booth Jr. and Mario Goodrich took first-team All-ACC honors, becoming the first pair of cornerbacks from one school to take first-team honors. Team since Dr Bly and Robert Williams of North Carolina in 1997.

Bates is in his fifth season at Clemson after joining the Tigers in 2017. Between his terms at Jacksonville State (2014-16) and Clemson (2017-20), every main starter under his leadership over the past eight years has won. at least a selection from all career conferences.

Clemson has made the nation’s Top 10 for sacks in Bates’ five seasons with the Tigers. This year, Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee both won All-ACC honors, a year after Bresee was an All-American Freshman and won the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.

In addition to his success in developing Clemson’s defensive interior, Bates has been recognized as one of the nation’s top recruiters. In 2019, he was appointed Rivals recruiter Year for his contributions to the 2020 Clemson Recruiting Class which ranked # 1 nationally by ESPN, # 2 according to Rivals, and # 3 according to the 247 Composite. He was appointed as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator after the 2019 season.

Streeter is in his seventh full season as a full-time assistant coach at Clemson after joining the program ahead of the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl. Clemson is 89-10 since returning, including six ACC titles, six places for the college football qualifiers, four places for the national championships and two national titles.

During his tenure, Streeter helped produce two different Heisman Trophy finalists, including double finalist and 2016 finalist Deshaun Watson, as well as 2020 finalist Trevor Lawrence. Watson twice won the Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards as the nation’s top quarterback, while Lawrence finished his career 34-2 as a starter, the third best winning percentage by a quarterback starting with at least 30 career starts. since Division I of the division in 1978.

In addition to his role as quarterback coach, Streeter served as the team’s recruiting coordinator from his arrival in December 2014 until the end of the 2019 season. During this time he helped Clemson produce the Top 10 classes in five of those six recruiting cycles. That role moved to Bates in 2020 as Streeter made the transition to passing play coordinator over the past two seasons, including a 2020 campaign in which Clemson set a school record with 348.5 passing yards. per game.

Richardson is in his sixth season with the Clemson squad having held a number of positions including as Senior Offensive Assistant and Director of Player Development and Freshman Transition.

Richardson has been a key off-field contributor to Clemson’s offensive success since joining in 2016. Clemson’s balanced attack has made the Tigers one of only three teams in the country with at least 16,000 cumulative rushing yards and minus 23,000 yards total. through these six seasons.

Prior to coming to Clemson, Richardson was one of South Carolina’s most successful high school coaches during his tenure at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, SC. From 2011 to 2015, he led the Trojans to a 58-13 record, including four regional championships, three appearances in state title matches and state championships in 2013 and 2015.

Richardson, 43, received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State in 2001 and has two master’s degrees, including a master’s degree in athletic leadership from Clemson.

“I am excited and energized by this deserved opportunity for so many of our staff in new roles, ”said Swinney. “But above all, I’m happier for our players. More than anyone else, they know what this group of coaches is capable of, and the enthusiasm of our players to see them in these roles has been incredible.

The promotions and changes come following the departures of Brent Venables and Tony Elliott, both of whom have benefited from Clemson’s immense success in their combined 21 seasons at Clemson ito the Power Five conference head coach jobs this month. Current Clemson staff will coach the Tigers during the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl, where Clemson takes on the Iowa State Cyclones in Orlando, Fla. On Wednesday, December 29. Fans are encouraged to visit ClemsonTigers.com/Bowl2021 for information on tickets, travel packages, merchandise and more.