Clemson coach Dabo Swinney took 30 seconds to pick new coordinators. Now they take the field.
ORLANDO, Fla. - No interim labels, no tryouts, no auditions.
This is it.
Clemson football lost both of its top strategic organizers following the regular season and replaced them in a skinny minute before heading into a Cheez-It Bowl appearance here Wednesday (5:45 p.m., ESPN) as the Tigers (9-3) take on Iowa State (7-5) at Camping World Stadium.
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Defensive coordinator Brent Venables is now the coach at Oklahoma and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is the coach at Virginia. Their replacements, according to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, were decided in about 30 seconds each. That’s probably an overestimate. Swinney never even interviewed anyone. He said he had a plan in place all along and didn’t need any time to think.
Swinney promoted just-turned-39 analyst Wes Goodwin from an off-the-field role and paired him with veteran safeties coach Mickey Conn, 50, to replace the venerable Venables. For the offense, quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter was elevated to replace Elliott.
There will certainly be heavy scrutiny on the new coordinators from outside, a spotlight brighter than normal for coordinators at a bowl game.
Bring it on, they said.
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“I’m not trying to show anything different,” Conn said. “My deal is I just want our defense to go out there and play the way they have been playing. That's my goal and that's what we've seen so far in practice, the level of intensity, the level of leadership from guys like [senior linebacker James] Skalski and (senior safety) Nolan Turner, I mean, those guys just bring it. They bring it every day, and I love it and I know we're going to do a good job of putting them in position to be successful. Really excited to watch them play.”
Conn was a longtime high school head coach, a state champion from a start-up program, and seems to enjoy this elevated pulpit, literally on stage in front of the media and a national audience. Goodwin, on the other hand, is a man of few words and you get the feeling he’d rather be studying tendencies and drawing up ingenious schemes.
That’s a big reason they were paired up by Swinney.
Goodwin, though, the man behind the curtain as Venables became the highest paid assistant in the country, more than $2 million per season, is warming up to the front side.
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“Everyone’s bought in,” he said. “It’s been a great week of preparation. Week and a half. Great energy every day. Great focus. Everybody’s come to work every day with the right mindset, right focus, and it’s been real fun to see.
“... It’s been a great opportunity for us to embrace the new roles and challenges and it’s been great so far.”
Streeter, meanwhile, has been groomed for his position ever since he left Clemson in 2006 following his playing days as quarterback and then a coaching boost as graduate assistant. He was offensive coordinator at Liberty and FCS program Richmond before rejoining the Tigers in 2015. In last season’s College Football Playoff game against Ohio State, Streeter took the lead because Elliott was sidelined with COVID.
“Having the comfort level of being around the people that I’m around and having them trust in me gives me a lot of confidence,” Streeter said. “I’ve just got to do the best I possibly can and that’s working alongside with this great staff that we have. And, man, I’m just excited about attacking the opportunity.”
Clemson senior linebacker James Skalski, who has been with the team since 2016 and was appropriately referred to as “Coach Skalski” at Sunday’s news conference, said the coordinator transition was as smooth as changing plays as he barks out pre-snap signals.
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“How long has it been now?” Skalski said. “(Goodwin has) been chopping wood, just getting better and better being literally Coach V’s right-hand man. I have the most confidence in the world that things are going to keep going the way they have been going and I'm really excited for someone like Wes to get this opportunity.”
Did the players know beforehand about the transition plan from Venables? Were they uneasy during the week or so before an announcement?
“Uneasy is not a word to describe it,” Skalski said. “Everybody understand what Coach V has brought to the program the last 10 years and it's been great. But everyone is super excited for him and super happy for him and that is his next step. I mean, it was going to happen, and we are all very happy for him.
“But uneasy? No. We are all excited for the new pieces that are coming in and now we get to build something a little different, a little new, and I think all the young guys that are coming back are super excited. I know I'm excited to play one last game led by these guys. But no, not one ounce of uneasiness.”
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: New Clemson coordinators talk preparations for Cheez-It Bowl
