Coaching carousel season always moves the same way: whispers turn into calls, calls turn into interviews, and suddenly the names you only talked about in December feel a lot closer to reality.
That’s where Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley appears to be landing this week.
A Monday night report said Coastal Carolina has held conversations with Riley about its head coaching opening, with multiple sources indicating the two sides have spoken as the Chanticleers continue to shape their final list. The report described Riley as “entered the picture” and suggested he’s a serious factor in the process — the kind of candidate who doesn’t get floated unless there’s real traction.
Rubbing the Rock also indicated Riley is in the final group of candidates, adding fuel to a storyline that’s been building around him for years: at some point, the next move was going to be a head coach chair — it was just a matter of where and when.
Why Riley makes sense on Coastal’s shortlist
Riley has carried the résumé that gets athletic directors to pick up the phone: play-caller background, quarterback development credibility, and a modern offensive reputation that fits the way Group of Five programs often want to brand themselves.
He’s also long been viewed around the sport as a future FBS head coach, with the kind of trajectory that typically doesn’t stall — it just waits for the right opening with the right timeline.
What it could mean for Clemson
If Coastal’s pursuit continues to deepen, it puts Clemson in the familiar carousel posture: support the coach, keep business moving, and quietly prepare for contingencies.
Because even when the season ends, roster building doesn’t. Not with transfer portal decisions, staff planning, and offseason install looming. Any head-coach movement this time of year isn’t just a headline — it’s a calendar shake.
The bigger picture
Coastal is searching for a leader who can win quickly, recruit creatively, and keep the offense dangerous. Riley checks the obvious boxes, and the reports suggest the interest isn’t casual.
Now it’s about the next step: whether “conversations” turn into a full-court press — and whether Riley’s long-rumored head coaching future becomes a present-tense reality on the Carolina coast.