Clemson Safeties Coach Nolan Turner Breaks Down Corey Myrick, Jerome Carter III's Progress

Clemson’s safety room needed a change after busted coverages and missed assignments. Fortunately, Dabo Swinney pivoted to one of his best leaders at the position in his time: Nolan Turner.

A two-year captain and five-year letterman with the Tigers, Turner became the program’s safeties coach in January, looking to bring back previous secondaries that he was once apart of. Now, he has plenty of quality in his room that he will look to mentor.

Clemson went out and brought in two safety transfers, seeing departures from previous starters, Ricardo Jones and Khalil Barnes. In place of the duo, the program brought in Southern Miss transfer Corey Myrick and Old Dominion’s Jerome Carter III, and the two have made waves over the course of 2026 already.

“They’ve been great,” Turner said. “You know, the reason we went and got two guys that have played a lot of ball, have a lot of experience, made plays at a high level.”

The two have plenty of differences, although Turner admits they’re “somewhat similar” at the same time. With Myrick, it is more about his versatility while being intelligent from his previous three seasons.

“He actually played a lot of free [safety] at Southern Miss last year, and kind of the thing I like about him is his versatility,” Turner said. “He was a guy on day one or two of practice; he’s like, ‘Coach, it’s not too much for me, like I can play both.’”

When it comes to Carter, it’s about his ability to make plays on the ball. After all, the Old Dominion safety finished with six interceptions last season, which was tied for second in the country.

“I think the big thing with Jerome, especially when you go back and dig into the tape from a year ago, was his ball production,” Turner said. “I mean, he had six interceptions at ODU and just flashes big-play ability.”

One thing is for sure about both of the players, however: they both have a type of swagger that Clemson has been missing in the secondary since last season.

“Just a super intelligent kid,” Turner said about Myrick. “You can tell he’s played a lot of ball; he’s been coached well; he can handle a lot, he can play multiple positions. He’s a great athlete; he can run; he’s physical; he’s tough and just bringing guys that have that toughness, that swagger, is what we need.”

“With Jerome, just his toughness, his competitiveness, kind of the swagger he brings about his game,” Turner added, “things that were all attractive to use and getting him here and just the level of appreciation the way he’s come and worked and just put his head down, grind. Trying to grow as a leader as well.”

There isn’t a complacency with the duo, either. Although both come to the Tigers with multiple years of experience each, Swinney has stressed that nobody is getting any position for free.

However, there’s a great chance that Myrick and Carter are the two who go into Baton Rouge in several weeks as the two main safeties Clemson will run with.

“So, just the way they’ve come in and done what they’re supposed to do, have worked, put their heads down and ultimately just get close to the group,” Turner said.

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