Clemson has officially turned back to a familiar name to lead its offense.
The Tigers have hired Chad Morris as offensive coordinator, the program announced, bringing back one of the most influential offensive architects of the early Dabo Swinney era as Clemson looks to reset its identity heading into the 2026 season.
Morris returns to Clemson after more than a decade away from Death Valley, where he previously served as offensive coordinator from 2011 to 2014. During that stretch, Clemson’s offense underwent a dramatic transformation, becoming one of the most explosive units in college football and helping propel the program into national relevance.
The hire comes after Clemson moved on from Garrett Riley following an inconsistent 2025 season that saw the Tigers struggle to find rhythm, efficiency and balance on offense. In Morris, Clemson brings back a coach deeply familiar with the program’s culture, expectations and infrastructure — while also betting on a proven play-caller with roots in the system that helped spark Clemson’s rise.
During his first tenure, Morris oversaw offenses that emphasized tempo, spacing and quarterback confidence, producing some of the most productive seasons in school history. Those years laid the groundwork for Clemson’s sustained success in the ACC and on the national stage.
Since leaving Clemson, Morris has held head coaching and coordinator roles at multiple stops, gaining experience across different levels of the sport. His return marks a rare reunion in modern college football — one that blends nostalgia with urgency as Clemson looks to regain its offensive edge.
Morris will be tasked with stabilizing a Tigers offense that showed flashes but lacked consistency in recent seasons, while also adapting his approach to the modern realities of college football, including NIL, the transfer portal and evolving defensive schemes.