Clemson Tigers See First Coaches Move Following 2025 Regular Season

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney said that there would be changes to the program’s coaching staff next season, and multiple have made the first moves to a different school.

Offensive analyst John Grass has accepted the position of head coach at Samford University, bringing former Clemson quarterback Paul Tyson with him to serve as the Bulldogs' quarterback coach. Grass is also bringing on assistant running backs coach, Andrew Zow.

Samford Names John Grass Head Football Coach

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— Samford Football (@SamfordFootball) December 3, 2025

The biggest name from the bunch, Drew Swinney, will join Sanford's staff as the wide receivers coach. He is the Clemson head coach's middle child, who played for the team from 2018-22, mainly as a placeholder for the Tigers.

With all of these hirings, Swinney is happy that it is Sanford picking up these coaches, having a strong connection to the program. Coming out of high school, the Clemson head coach thought about joining the program going out of high school, also calling a place where he "followed them forever".

In regards to his son, Drew, he is excited to see him grow into his potential as a coach.

"Man, he’s so prepared," Swinney said. "He’s a stud. I know he’s my son, but he’s a stud. He’s gonna be really, really good. "

Grass was the first to move, with the Bulldogs announcing during the week following Clemson’s Palmetto Bowl win on Nov. 30. He has spent the last four seasons with the Tigers, serving as the senior offensive assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator Garrett Riley since 2024.

The new head coach joined Clemson in 2021, ahead of the Tigers’ Cheez-It Bowl victory. Since then, Swinney raved about the influence that Grass has on the program in his role.

"He’s just been great, really a friend, and love, you know, how he has served our program for the last few years, and love his family and so I’m really happy for him," Swinney said on Monday. And then, through that, we’ve got a lot of auxilary staff that have got some oportunity and that’s been really cool.

It is not Grass's first time being the head coach, having been the coach of Jacksonville State from 2013-21 and being named the OVC’s coach of the year his first three seasons with the Gamecocks.

Tyson played for the Tigers in the 2023 season, moving into a player-coach role in 2024, but was also the emergency quarterback behind starter Cade Klubnik.

All coaches and analysts, however, will remain with the team ahead of Dec. 27's Pinstripe Bowl matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Swinney confirmed on Monday afternoon.

Assistant offensive line coach, Brandon Thomas, and offensive player-development intern, Montralius Mosley, are also rumored to be joining Grass at Sanford, though nothing has been officially confirmed.

Whether a decision to thin out the coaching staff to make things simpler, or to look to make new changes at both of these positions, there is set to be a lot more change that will be made to the Clemson coaching staff, especially with how the coaching carousel has gone throughout the college football world already.

One thing is for certain, however: the changes are just beginning for the team. Not only will Clemson need to hire or promote a new safeties coach, but there could be more coming soon.