As the coaching carousel ramps up across college football, Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley finds himself once again hearing his name mentioned beyond Memorial Stadium. Ahead of the Pinstripe Bowl, Riley addressed the speculation head-on—but made it clear it has nothing to do with where his attention lies as Clemson prepares for its postseason finale.
“I feel like I’m almost used to it,” Riley said when asked about being mentioned for other jobs since the end of the regular season. “It’s just a wild time, you know, as you get towards the amount of reasons. But you’ve just got to take it day by day.”
That perspective, Riley explained, isn’t avoidance—it’s necessity. December is a time when futures are discussed openly across the sport, but Riley said the only productive approach is staying rooted in the present. For Clemson’s play-caller, that means pouring everything into one final opportunity with his players.
“What I would say is the focus now is just, ‘Hey, let’s go. Let’s go win this game,’” Riley said. “Let’s go have a great bowl experience.”
That experience comes against Penn State, one of college football’s most respected programs, on a rare stage in New York City. Clemson’s appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl represents more than a postseason destination—it’s a measuring stick and a chance to close the year with momentum.
“Certainly excited about the opportunity to go play a program and compete against a program like Penn State,” Riley said. “And up in New York, of all places, and to be with our team one last time for this season.”
Riley didn’t shy away from acknowledging the broader realities of the profession. Decisions loom in December. Conversations happen. But he stressed that none of that has altered his day-to-day commitment to Clemson’s staff and players as the Tigers look to finish the season the right way.
“Sometimes, I know there’s decisions to be made and all that stuff, big picture wise,” Riley said. “But I’m telling you, I mean, my whole focus is being here, being the best I can for our staff, being the best I can for our players, and I’ve given us the best chance to finish this thing out the way we have been the last few weeks, and go cap it off with a great bowl win.”
Riley admitted his answers may sound like familiar coach speak, but he emphasized that the mindset is genuine—and essential.
“That’s honestly the reality of it,” he said. “You just have to be that way.”
For Clemson, that focus could be pivotal. With an offense still carving out its identity and a staff evaluating what the season revealed, the Pinstripe Bowl is a final chance to leave a lasting impression. And for Garrett Riley, amid all the outside noise about what could come next, the message was clear: right now, everything is about finishing strong.