Former Clemson Offensive Coordinator Garrett Riley Joins SEC Coaching Staff

Clemson's latest offensive coordinator has found his new home for next season, joining a coaching staff of a top 25 team.

Garrett Riley is heading to Missouri to take on an offensive assistant role, as reported by On3's Pete Nakos. Riley will look for a new opportunity in the SEC, joining head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff in 2026.

NEW: Missouri is set to hire former Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley as an offensive assistant, @PeteNakos reports🐯https://t.co/oymzEGV2cS pic.twitter.com/klqBrREM9e
— On3 (@On3sports) January 9, 2026

Riley spent three seasons with the Tigers from 2023-25. Fresh off of a Broyles Award at his previous school, TCU, the former offensive coordinator looked to formulate the Tigers into one of the top offenses in the country.

Over the three seasons, he developed three-year starter Cade Klubnik, allowing him to bloom in a 2024 season that saw the Tigers win the ACC Championship and make a College Football Playoff appearance. Clemson averaged 451.9 yards a game that season, which was 12th in the country and third in the ACC in doing so.

However, after the 2025 season, the numbers dipped following a highly anticipated season that saw almost the entire offense return from the previous year. The Tigers' scoring average dropped from 36.4 points per game to 27.2 this past season. It led to a 7-6 record on the season, being almost out of contention for the College Football Playoff and an ACC Championship appearance before the month of September ended.

Clemson finished outside the top 60 in scoring offenses this season, which led to Riley and the program eventually parting ways.

Head coach Dabo Swinney and the program announced at the end of December, following the Tigers' 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, that Riley would not be returning next season. Now, Riley will work under Drinkwitz, an offensive mind, while looking to contend in the SEC next season at Missouri.

Riley saw speculation of head coaching roles and offensive coordinator jobs at the beginning of December, but he will be working in a smaller role than he has been over the last six seasons.

On the other hand, Clemson's offense will be run by Chad Morris, who was officially hired earlier this week. Morris was the Tigers' offensive coordinator from 2011-14. Head coach Dabo Swinney said that he needed to return to his instincts with the hire, trusting a close colleague to revive the program's offense, which had led to six straight College Football Playoff appearances.

Only time will tell if that can occur, with plenty of decisions left to be made about personnel next season.