The Clemson Tigers announced Monday that head coach Dabo Swinney has hired Chad Morris as the program’s offensive coordinator, a move finalized by the Clemson University Board of Trustees Compensation Committee.
Morris, who will be formally introduced later this month, returns to Clemson for a second stint after overseeing one of the most productive offensive eras in program history from 2011–14.
A Return to Familiar Ground
During Morris’ first tenure, Clemson went 41–11 overall and 27–6 in ACC play, highlighted by the 2011 ACC Championship. His offenses averaged 468.5 yards and 36.3 points per game, placing Clemson among the nation’s most explosive units and setting the foundation for the program’s rise into the national elite.
“There are always tough decisions that have to be made in this profession,” Swinney said. “Though I had to make a couple tough decisions, it was an easy decision to hire Chad Morris. The name of the game is points, and the one thing I know about Chad is he knows how to score points.”
Under Morris, quarterback Tajh Boyd set the ACC record for career touchdown responsibility with 133 total touchdowns, a mark that still stands. Wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins each finished their Clemson careers with a school-record 27 touchdown receptions, while Watkins’ 3,391 career receiving yards remain among the top totals in conference history.
Why Now
Swinney framed the hire as both timely and intentional, drawing parallels between Clemson’s current position and where the program stood more than a decade ago.
“Before this year, the last time we lost six or more games in a season was 2010,” Swinney said. “I went and hired Chad Morris because of the fit and alignment in how I think and what I wanted to do. From 2011–14, there were very few games we didn’t score 30-plus points.”
Swinney also noted hearing from former stars following the announcement.
“It’s pretty cool to have guys like DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins shooting me text messages with their excitement knowing what’s to come offensively,” he said.
Morris: ‘It’s Good to Be Home’
For Morris, the return carries both professional and personal significance.
“My previous time in this role at Clemson was truly one of the most joyful times of my career,” Morris said. “It excites me to have an opportunity to come back and to do it under very similar circumstances from where we were in 2011 and where we are in 2026.”
Since leaving Clemson, Morris has compiled a wide-ranging résumé. He served as an FBS head coach at SMU (2015–17) and Arkansas (2018–19), spent a season as offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2020, returned to Texas high school football in 2021, and later worked as a senior offensive analyst at USF. He was the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Texas State in 2024 and stepped away during the 2025 season to follow his son, Chandler, during Virginia’s historic year under former Clemson assistant Tony Elliott.
“I was able to travel and learn from so many different coaches,” Morris said. “I’m excited to bring all that wisdom and knowledge back to Clemson.”
Looking Ahead
Morris, 57, inherits an offense seeking consistency after recent changes on the coaching staff. Swinney made clear the expectation is production — and urgency.
“We’ve got elite offensive personnel,” Swinney said. “The name of the game is points.”
For Clemson, the hire represents both a reset and a reunion — one aimed at reconnecting with an identity that once powered the Tigers to national prominence.