Clemson, Dabo Swinney bringing back Chad Morris as next offensive coordinator: What it means for Tigers

Morris previously worked as Clemson's play-caller over a four-year stretch during the program's rise

Dabo Swinney has tapped a veteran colleague to fix Clemson's issues on offense, bringing back former OC and quarterbacks coach Chad Morris to call plays in 2026, according to Tiger Illustrated. Clemson247 also confirmed the news. 

This comes a week after Clemson parted ways with Garrett Riley after three seasons. The 2025 campaign fell well short of expectations as the Tigers were preseason top-five team before finishing with the program's worst record in more than a decade.

Before a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State ended the season at 7-6 overall, Swinney promised to make coaching staff changes. Clemson took a massive step back under Riley after quarterback Cade Klubnik went from preseason Heisman candidate to a mid-level option in the ACC. His touchdown total was cut in half from his junior to senior seasons.

Clemson's 28.7 points per game entering the postseason and its number of explosive plays were the program's lowest production numbers since 2021, leading to speculation about Riley's future and where Swinney wanted to continue with his scheme moving forward.

Morris worked as a Clemson offensive analyst during the 2023 season before spending 2024 as Texas State's wide receiver coach and passing game coordinator. After a successful previous run as the Tigers' OC from 2011-14, Morris coached three seasons at SMU and two at Arkansas, compiling an 18-40 record.

He returned to his strengths as an offensive guru at Auburn in 2020 under Gus Malzahn, but that season went south on the Plains and he was back in the Texas prep coaching ranks the following year.

Clemson's offense under Morris

Morris brought a tempo-drive scheme to Clemson for the first time in 2011 after the Tigers finished 6-7 during Swinney's second full season as coach. Over the next four years, Clemson went 42-11 overall with record-setting production offensively, led by quarterback Tajh Boyd, who developed as an All-ACC passer under Morris.

The hiring of Morris just as the solo transfer portal window opened on Friday means the Tigers will have to quickly assess their biggest needs offensively, specifically at quarterback and the skill positions. Clemson is reportedly in the mix for Michigan State signal caller Aidan Chiles and previously met with ex-Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway.

Morris brings a quarterback-friendly and rollout-heavy scheme to Death Valley that has worked before and is more akin to current, spread-based systems around the ACC. It is similar to Malzahn's scheme at Florida State with a RPO-based approach. His son, Chandler Morris, transferred to Virginia ahead of the 2025 season and went 11-3 for the ACC runner-ups under former Clemson OC Tony Elliott.

Morris recently petitioned the NCAA for another year of eligibility, citing his 2022 season at TCU.