MONDAY STAFF UPDATE & NUGGETS
By: Larry Williams
A few football-related thoughts and insights as the football program gets into bowl-prep mode:
-- The new-look offensive staff is going to be quite youthful.
As we've been framing, Dabo Swinney is filling Tony Elliott's vacancy by promoting Brandon Streeter to offensive coordinator and elevating Kyle Richardson to a position-coach role.
We believe Streeter will be the play-caller while retaining his duties coaching quarterbacks, and Richardson will coach tight ends while getting the title of passing-game coordinator.
As of the end of the 2019 season, the average age of Clemson's five offensive assistant coaches was 48.
Two years later, Swinney's reworked offensive staff moving into 2022 will be an average of 38 years old.
This assumes Robbie Caldwell will indeed move either into retirement or an administrative role, as we have reported. It's not official yet, but over the last week we have heard nothing indicating Caldwell will be back as offensive line coach beyond the bowl game.
Newly-promoted full-time Clemson assistant coach Kyle Richardson. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Here were the ages of the offensive staff entering the national 2019 championship against LSU:
Caldwell 65
Danny Pearman 54
Streeter 42
Elliott 40
Jeff Scott 40
Here's what the ages will look like at the start of the new year:
Streeter 44
Richardson 43
Thomas Austin 35
Tyler Grisham 34
C.J. Spiller 34
We anticipate that the new staff assignments will be announced Tuesday. We know that the Board of Trustees has called a meeting of its compensation committee for tomorrow at 2:30 PM, and a few hours later Swinney will have a press conference.
As we've reported, we anticipate Mickey Conn and Wes Goodwin to be named co-coordinators on defense with Goodwin tabbed as the play-caller replacing Brent Venables.
We did pick up something interesting this morning regarding the staff composition for the bowl game. Our information points to Richardson having to undergo back surgery and he will not be available for the Dec. 29 Cheez-It Bowl or the practices leading up to it.
In his absence, it's expected that Austin will move into an on-field role and coach tight ends.
As we've reported, Austin is expected to succeed Caldwell as offensive line coach. Austin was a position coach at Georgia State, and he was in line to take a job at Tennessee before Swinney brought him back to his alma mater with that succession plan in place.
Caldwell has coached Clemson's offensive line since 2011.
-- Tyler Venables might not be gone after all.
At the time of Brent Venables' departure for Oklahoma last week, it appeared son Tyler would stick around for the bowl game and then head to Norman to play football for his father.
Over the last several days we've picked up word that Tyler might actually be electing to remain in Clemson to finish out his career.
That's been the consistent buzz emanating from the Venables camp, and we'd anticipate Swinney will offer some clarity on that at his Tuesday press conference.
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
By: Larry Williams
A few football-related thoughts and insights as the football program gets into bowl-prep mode:
-- The new-look offensive staff is going to be quite youthful.
As we've been framing, Dabo Swinney is filling Tony Elliott's vacancy by promoting Brandon Streeter to offensive coordinator and elevating Kyle Richardson to a position-coach role.
We believe Streeter will be the play-caller while retaining his duties coaching quarterbacks, and Richardson will coach tight ends while getting the title of passing-game coordinator.
As of the end of the 2019 season, the average age of Clemson's five offensive assistant coaches was 48.
Two years later, Swinney's reworked offensive staff moving into 2022 will be an average of 38 years old.
This assumes Robbie Caldwell will indeed move either into retirement or an administrative role, as we have reported. It's not official yet, but over the last week we have heard nothing indicating Caldwell will be back as offensive line coach beyond the bowl game.
Newly-promoted full-time Clemson assistant coach Kyle Richardson. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Here were the ages of the offensive staff entering the national 2019 championship against LSU:
Caldwell 65
Danny Pearman 54
Streeter 42
Elliott 40
Jeff Scott 40
Here's what the ages will look like at the start of the new year:
Streeter 44
Richardson 43
Thomas Austin 35
Tyler Grisham 34
C.J. Spiller 34
We anticipate that the new staff assignments will be announced Tuesday. We know that the Board of Trustees has called a meeting of its compensation committee for tomorrow at 2:30 PM, and a few hours later Swinney will have a press conference.
As we've reported, we anticipate Mickey Conn and Wes Goodwin to be named co-coordinators on defense with Goodwin tabbed as the play-caller replacing Brent Venables.
We did pick up something interesting this morning regarding the staff composition for the bowl game. Our information points to Richardson having to undergo back surgery and he will not be available for the Dec. 29 Cheez-It Bowl or the practices leading up to it.
In his absence, it's expected that Austin will move into an on-field role and coach tight ends.
As we've reported, Austin is expected to succeed Caldwell as offensive line coach. Austin was a position coach at Georgia State, and he was in line to take a job at Tennessee before Swinney brought him back to his alma mater with that succession plan in place.
Caldwell has coached Clemson's offensive line since 2011.
-- Tyler Venables might not be gone after all.
At the time of Brent Venables' departure for Oklahoma last week, it appeared son Tyler would stick around for the bowl game and then head to Norman to play football for his father.
Over the last several days we've picked up word that Tyler might actually be electing to remain in Clemson to finish out his career.
That's been the consistent buzz emanating from the Venables camp, and we'd anticipate Swinney will offer some clarity on that at his Tuesday press conference.
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
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