The year 2026 has just begun, and Dabo Swinney’s program is already undergoing changes. Clemson has had an eventful start to the offseason.
The Tigers are trying to move past the disappointment of the 2025 season and improve for the future. After finishing 7-6 overall, it was inevitable that this offseason would see a bit of an overhaul by Swinney. In just the first month of the calendar year, we are starting to see how the program is being shaken up.
Clemson’s Offseason
New Offensive Coordinator
The first move made after the Pinstripe Bowl loss was the firing of former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. Riley was the offensive play-caller for three seasons, but things never seemed to gel well enough. It did not take very long for Swinney to find his new coordinator.
On January 3, 2026, Chad Morris was named the new Clemson offensive coordinator. This is Morris’s second stint as the leader of the offense under Swinney. Morris was the Tigers’ offensive coordinator from 2011-2014. Clemson went 42-11 in that time, as Morris introduced the fast-paced, RPO style offense the Tigers became known for.
Morris and his offense were credited for starting the ascension of Clemson in the 2010’s, which led to its four national championship appearances in five years. Much of that had to do with Morris’ development of quarterback Tajh Boyd and the recruitment of Deshaun Watson. After his time with the Tigers, Morris served as the head coach at SMU and Arkansas. He also spent time as an analyst for South Florida, Texas State, and back at Clemson.
While the hiring received mixed reactions from both fans and reporters, Morris is who Swinney believes best fits the role right now. It’s been mentioned that Morris played a large role in retaining star receivers TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco.
Roster Losses
It was well known going into the 2025 season that Clemson would lose significant veteran talent by the end of the season. Cade Klubnik, Adam Randall, and DeMonte Capehart have all exhausted their eligibility. Antonio Williams nearly entered the NFL Draft last season and will officially try his hand at the pros this time around. Peter Woods and TJ Parker were projected to be first-round picks for 2026 since the end of the 2024 season, so of course, they made the decision to move on.
Of course, in 2026, though, the draft is not the only thing to worry about. The transfer portal is a key part of roster building in college football today, and it has affected Clemson this year more than ever. The Tigers have lost 12 players to the portal. A majority of those players are guys looking for more playing time elsewhere. Names like Dee Crayton, Marquise Henderson, and Rob Billings weren’t going to get many more snaps. So, entering the transfer portal was probably the best option.
The most jarring losses for the Tigers, though, were safety Khalil Barnes as well as defensive tackle Stephiylan Green. Both players were going to be starters for Clemson in 2026. Barnes has been a three-year starter for Swinney, so his loss is major. Green is also a big-time loss as he was seen as the next star interior defensive lineman for Clemson. To make matters worse, Green transferred to the Tigers’ 2026 week one opponent, LSU.
Those two losses are quite impactful for a Clemson defense that was already going to be lacking depth. Tom Allen made sure his unit would not stay down for long, though.
Transfer Portal Moves
This offseason, Swinney and his program aggressively pursued the portal more than ever before. Whether it was out of desperation or adaptation, Clemson is finally getting active in the transfer portal.
The Tigers have signed 10 players out of the transfer portal in 2026. Nine of them are defensive players with just one on the offensive side. The defense has added talent to all three levels, while the offense added one of the fastest players in the country.
One of the biggest acquisitions Clemson made was actually retaining defensive tackle Caden Story. Story entered the portal following his four tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks performance against Penn State. He proved he can be an effective player against Power Four competition and used it as leverage. The Tigers made a good decision in retaining Story. He will be joined on the interior of the defense by Markus Strong and Kourtney Kelley. Clemson also recently flipped JUCO defensive tackle transfer Andy Burburija from Nebraska.
Rounding out the defensive front, the Tigers also signed two edge players. CJ Wesley transferred from Howard, and London Merritt is coming from Colorado. Wesley and Merrit had a combined 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2025.
The backend is where Clemson needs the most help, and it got lots of it. Two transfer corners and two transfer safeties will be joining the Tigers in 2026. Both cornerbacks are coming from Power Four programs. Donovan Starr is transferring from Auburn, and Elliot Washington is coming from Allen’s last stop, Penn State. The safeties are coming from a group of six schools, more specifically, the Sun Belt Conference. Jerome Carter III transfers from Old Dominion, and Corey Myrick was last at Southern Mississippi.
All four players will add immediate depth to a position group that needs it. Each of them should be competing for starting spots in the Spring.
Main Photo: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images