Clemson fires defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin

CLEMSON, S.C. (WCSC) - After days of speculation, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made things official Monday morning when he announced that Tigers defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin would not be returning to the team in 2025.

“After meeting with Coach Goodwin on Sunday evening, I have decided to make a change at our defensive coordinator position.” Swinney said in a statement from the school. “I want to thank Wes for his character, commitment, leadership and dedication as well as the relentless work ethic with which he approached his job every day. Wes has been a part of our program for 13 of the past 16 years, and he played an instrumental part in all of our success. I love Wes and his family and wish him all the best as he continues his journey. I know he has a bright future ahead.”

Goodwin, who had spent the previous 3 seasons with the team as a defensive analyst, took over the position before the 2022 season after Brent Venables left to become the head coach at Oklahoma.

His first two seasons were solid as Clemson ranked 26th in the country in Yards Per Play in 2022 and were 9th in the country in 2023. But the team dropped to 64th in the country in 2024.

Swinney said he will move quickly to find a replacement.

“I will start the interview process immediately and will hope to have our new defensive coordinator named by the end of the month or sooner. Our staff has been hard at work on our roster, and we look forward to solidifying our defensive coordinator position to help lead this extremely talented group as we pursue our goals for 2025.”