Facts to Know About Corico Wright, Clemson’s New Nickelbacks Coach

The Clemson Tigers’ secondary will have a different structure next season, with former linebacker Corico Wright hired as the team's nickelbacks coach. He also served as a graduate assistant for the program following his playing career.

Before Wright’s arrival, DeAndre McDaniel, another former Clemson player, carried the official on-field responsibility for the nickelbacks while serving as senior defensive assistant.

With that move now officially in place, here’s what to know about Wright entering 2026.

Previous Coaching Stints

Following his four-year playing career with the Tigers, Wright began his coaching journey as a defensive graduate assistant at his alma mater. He spent three seasons working under longtime defensive backs coach Mike Reed before taking the cornerbacks job at FCS program Murray State.

His first season with the Racers was a struggle, as the unit finished among the nation’s weakest passing defenses. However, Wright sparked a significant turnaround in year two.

In 2017, he guided the secondary to a top-25 national ranking, allowing just 181 passing yards per game and finishing top-10 in the FCS in interceptions, with defensive backs accounting for 16 of the team’s 17 picks.

Wright then decided to head to James Madison — which was still an FCS program at the time — following his two-year tenure with the Racers to serve as the assistant cornerbacks coach. In his lone season with the program, he helped the defense finish in the top 25 in passing yards allowed as the team surged to a second-round playoff appearance.

He then moved on to the Furman Paladins, where he began as the safeties coach before expanding his role to work with the entire defensive back unit, helping guide the program to two FCS playoff appearances, including a quarterfinals run in 2023. In his first season with the Paladins, he helped lead the team to the No. 6 overall passing defense.

After four years in Greenville, South Carolina, Wright joined the Delaware coaching staff in February 2023 as the team’s cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator.

When the Blue Hens competed at the FCS level, their secondary consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50. And while the transition to the FBS level presented challenges this past season, the unit still performed comparatively well, finishing ahead of the Tigers by allowing just over 245 passing yards per game. Additionally, the defense ranked 22nd nationally in interceptions with 14.

Notable Players Produced

Wright has made many stops throughout his coaching career, and given how well he’s done at each, there’s a handful of players he’s helped guide to All-Conference and All-American honors, and even to the NFL Draft.

During his two-year stint with Murray State, the young defensive backs coach helped develop cornerback D’Montre Wade, who earned multiple All-Ohio Valley Conference honors after totaling 83 tackles, 31 pass deflections and 9 interceptions during Wright’s time there.

He spent a brief time with the Kansas City Chiefs after going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft and was later selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL, now known as the UFL.

In his short stint with James Madison, Wright coached Consensus First Team All-American Jimmy Moreland.

During the 2018 season, Moreland started all 13 games and racked up 56 tackles, 15 pass deflections and five interceptions — three of which he returned for touchdowns — while finishing sixth in balloting for the 2018 Buck Buchanan Award, which is handed out annually to the top defensive player in the FCS.

The Washington Commanders selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 Draft, and he jumped around the league for a few years before most recently signing with the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL before being released six months later.

Considering he spent four years with Furman, Wright helped guide several players to All-Conference honors, including cornerbacks Travis Blackshear and Dominic Morris in 2021.

Most recently, with Delaware, Wright produced two All-Conference USA corners in Nate Evans and Tyron Herring, who signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers following the 2025 NFL Draft, spending this past season on their practice squad.

Playing Career

The 230-pound linebacker played for the Tigers from 2009 to 2012, and totaled 200 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five sacks, 11 quarterback pressures, two pass breakups, and one recovered fumble over 52 games in his career.

Wright’s time at Clemson University spanned multiple roles, and across his years as both a student-athlete and a coach, he experienced postseason play eight times, with Clemson winning five of those bowl games.

As a player, he contributed to bowl victories in the 2009 Music City Bowl and the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl, and also competed on the national stage in the Orange Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Connection with Dabo Swinney

But, beyond the postseason appearances and successful four-year career, Wright’s journey is closely tied to his relationship with head coach Dabo Swinney.

After Wright departed to begin his first full-time role as a cornerbacks coach at Murray State, Dabo Swinney emphasized the leadership Wright consistently displayed during his time in the program.

“He was a leader for us, a good player,” Swinney said. “It’s fun to see a guy like that not only get his first job, but get a job coaching a position he never played.”

Despite playing his entire career at linebacker, Wright earned praise from Swinney for his dedication to mastering responsibilities outside his natural position, demonstrating a deep commitment to learning the finer details of a different unit within the defense.

“He really went above and beyond to really learn our entire defense and system, and he’s been working with the secondary for the past year trying to learn the craft back there,” Swinney said.

Wright credited Swinney with shaping his mindset over the years, saying, “The biggest thing [Coach Swinney] taught me was believing. He really instilled the element of belief in everybody, from the janitorial staff to the highest-paid coach on staff.”

“You have to continue to develop that within your room and within your team. You have to believe in yourself, in your team collectively, and the things your coach asks you to do.”