As Clemson gears up to get spring practice on this Wednesday, the vibe around the program is less “fresh start” and more “throwback Thursday.”
The head coach put it differently in his framing of Dabo Swinney’s decision to bring back Chad Morris as offensive coordinator as part of an overdue pause to advance the team. But to a national audience, it seems like a program that is holding onto some dusty scrapbook and the rest of college football is moving ahead.
USA TODAY columnist Blake Toppmeyer took no prisoners on that latest analysis, calling the move “the ultimate YOLO hire” for a program that has notoriously struggled for success in the NIL and Transfer Portal era. Toppmeyer’s critique of the hire is anchored in a brutal reality check: the Chad Morris of 2026 isn’t the wunderkind behind the Tajh Boyd era over a decade ago. Since leaving Clemson in 2014, Morris’s trajectory has been, in a sense, a downward spiral.
"What is Dabo Swinney thinking? Seriously, inquisitive minds would like to know," Toppmeyer wrote. "Leave it to Dabo to think he’ll fix Clemson’s ailments by bringing back a coordinator who was part of the Tigers’ ascent... Morris went on to become one of the worst coaches in SEC history, winning four games in two seasons at Arkansas."
Toppmeyer argued that this “nostalgia move” could be the first note of a “Clemson farewell tour” the team has held for Swinney, whose grip felt tighter and tighter after a seven-six campaign last season. Taking over Garrett Riley, who managed a 72nd in points and 64th in yards offense this season, is a desperate reminder to return to a "Orange Crush" of offensive power.
The numbers show Swinney is running after a ghost:
The Glory Days (2011-14): Morris’ Clemson offensive average for that period was 468.5 yards and 36.3 points per game.
The Most Recent Truth (2020): At Auburn, those figures fell to 383 yards and 25.1 points (88th nationally) last season as a Power 4 coordinator.
Now is the time for Morris to demonstrate he isn’t “stuck in coaching purgatory.” From spring practice this week to a March 28 game in Death Valley, the spotlight will be intense. Swinney’s legacy is predicated on the possibility the old chemistry can be bottled up, again.
The rest of the country, meanwhile — as well as the upcoming 2026 foes Bobby Petrino (UNC) and Charlie Weis Jr. (LSU) — is on the lookout for Clemson to see if it’s really getting anywhere, or as much of a repeat business.