Clemson hires Garrett Riley as new offensive coordinator. Here are contract details
Garrett Riley is officially the new offensive coordinator for the Clemson football program.
The school’s board of trustees compensation committee approved Riley’s hire on Friday afternoon. Riley most recently held the same position at TCU and was named the Broyles Award winner as the nation’s top assistant coach. He replaces Brandon Streeter, who was fired Thursday after one season as coordinator.
“Garrett has an incredible track record,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said in a statement. “His body of work speaks for itself.”
TCU reached the national championship game and was ninth nationally in points per game and 27th in total yards per game in 2022. Quarterback Max Duggan was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Before TCU, Riley worked at Southern Methodist University as well as East Carolina, Kansas and Appalachian State.
At SMU in 2020 and 2021, his offenses ranked in the top 15 both seasons.
The 33-year-old Riley — whose brother is Southern Cal coach Lincoln Riley — will be paid an annual salary of $1.75 million in a three-year Clemson contract that runs through Jan. 31, 2026. He also received a $300,000 signing bonus.
Riley’s salary would be third among offensive coordinators based on USA Today’s salary database for assistant coaches. Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken made $2.01 million last year and Oklahoma‘s Jeff Lebby made $1.8 million.
An introductory press conference will be held after the January recruiting period is over, according to the school.
“The opportunity to join a program with such a rich tradition and renowned culture was simply too good for me to pass up,” Riley said in a statement.
Some of Riley’s contract bonus incentives include $50,000 for a top-10 offense or $100,000 for top-five offense. He gets a $20,000 bonus for an eight-win season with a bowl victory.
If Clemson makes it to the college football semifinals, Riley earns $50,000 bonus or $60,000 if they make it to championship game. He gets a $25,000 bonus if Clemson wins a national championship.
Riley’s contract does not have a buyout if he is hired as a college or NFL head coach. He will owe 25% of his remaining contract to Clemson if he leaves for an assistant coaching position at another school.
Clemson has ranked in the top 20 nationally in total offense seven times in the Swinney era, or in half of his 14 full seasons as the Tigers’ coach. That includes the two recent national championship seasons of 2016-17 (No. 12) and 2018-19 (No. 3).
Clemson’s offense ranked 100th and 48th nationally in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, respectively.
The Tigers have missed the playoffs both of those seasons after six consecutive appearances as one of the final four teams in college football.
“Though we took a step forward offensively in 2022, after evaluating our offense in-depth, I felt it was in the best interest of our program to seek new leadership at that position,” Swinney said through a school press release. “These decisions are never easy, but it is my job to evaluate and assess every part of our program every year, and this was just the right time to make a change.”
Clemson will owe Streeter the $1.85 million remaining on his three-year contract, according to the deal’s buyout clause. He was making $925,000 annually. That $1.85 million would be reduced if Streeter takes another college football job for either of the next two seasons.
“As I contemplated this change, Garrett was at the top of my list,” Swinney said in his statement. “I am thankful that he shared my belief in Clemson University and our football program, and I am thankful that he wants to be part of our tradition and family. He is a dynamic, young offensive coordinator who will bring a lot of excitement and explosiveness to the Clemson offense. “
Clemson offensive rankings
Where Clemson’s offense ranked nationally in total offense since Dabo Swinney has been full-time head coach. Clemson national championship seasons in bold.:
2009: Billy Napier, 362.4 yards per game (74th)
2010: Billy Napier, 334.6 (88th)
2011: Chad Morris, 440.8 (26th)
2012: Chad Morris, 512.7 (9th)
2013: Chad Morris, 508.1 (10th)
2014: Chad Morris, 408.3 (61st)
2015: Tony Elliott/Jeff Scott, 514.5 (11th)
2016: Tony Elliott/Jeff Scott, 504.3 (12th)
2017: Tony Elliott/Jeff Scott, 430.5 (38th)
2018, Tony Elliott/Jeff Scott, 528.0 (3rd)
2019: Tony Elliott/Jeff Scott, 528.9 (5th)
2020: Tony Elliott, 502.3 (10th)
2021: Tony Elliott, 360.8 (100th)
2022: Brandon Streeter, 410.3 (48th)
CFP history: Final four teams
Clemson national championship seasons in bold
2014-15: Alabama, Oregon, Florida, Ohio State
2015-16: Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma
2016-17: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Washington
2017-18: Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama
2018-19: Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma
2019-20: LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma
2020-21: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame
2021-22: Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Cincinnati
2022-23: Georgia, Michigan, TCU, Ohio State
