Clemson reportedly adding former SEC defensive coordinator to staff
From 2016 through 2021, Dabo Swinney and Clemson fielded a defense that ranked among the top 10 in scoring defense in college football all but once (2020).
Brent Venables left Swinney's staff after producing the second best scoring defense in college football in 2021 to become the head coach at Oklahoma, and in the years since his departure have ranked a solid (but not elite) 22nd and 30th, respectively, the past two seasons.
To bring in some additional experience, Dabo is reportedly set to bring in a former SEC defensive coordinator in a support staff role
Former South Carolina defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward is joining the Tigers staff, according to multiple reports.
Wes Mitchell adds that Ward will have an off-the-field role similar to an assistant to the head coach position. There, he will have an opportunity to bring valuable defensive perspective to the table alongside Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin.
Ward most recently served as the defensive coordinator at UT-Chattanooga (FCS), and since serving as the Gamecocks defensive coordinator from 2009-15 has also been the defensive coordinator at Fresno State for a season in 2016.
He spent the next few seasons on staff at Louisville as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach before being tabbed the team's interim head coach during the last two games of the 2018 season following the dismissal of Bobby Petrino after a 2-8 start
