Tag: Garrett Riley

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley on being linked to the ECU head coach job

Riley responds to ECU rumors.

Following the recent firing of East Carolina’s head coach Mike Houston, Clemson football’s offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has surfaced as a potential candidate for the position. Riley previously spent three seasons at ECU, starting as a graduate assistant in 2013 and 2014 before becoming the outside receivers coach in 2015 under former head coach Ruffin McNeil.

Given his ties to the program, it’s no surprise his name has been linked to the opening. However, when asked about the rumors on Wednesday, Riley brushed them aside. “I know chatter will happen at times,” Riley said. “But I am where my feet are.”

Riley emphasized that his focus remains fully on preparing Clemson for their upcoming game against Louisville, to the point where he was a few minutes late to his press conference due to game prep. “I was in a rabbit hole, and that is why I was a couple of minutes late here,” Riley explained. “Doing some red-zone and goal line.”

Now, in his second season as Clemson’s offensive coordinator, Riley had previously held the same role at TCU for one year. Could Riley make the jump after this season?

It’s possible, but it’s difficult to say how likely it is as college football is ever-changing. If the Tigers were to make a serious playoff run, bigger jobs could come calling.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is a top candidate for the ECU head coach job

Riley could be a popular name for open head coaching positions.

With Clemson football’s offense ranked among the nation’s best this season, offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is being floated in discussions for head coaching jobs. One such opportunity opened up at East Carolina University (ECU) after the Pirates fired Mike Houston, who was in his fifth season at ECU. CBS Sports named Riley as a possible candidate for the job, along with LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.

Riley’s connection to ECU runs deep. He began his FBS coaching career there as a graduate assistant, working alongside his brother, Lincoln Riley, and later served as ECU’s wide receivers coach through 2015 before moving on to Kansas.

Dawson, one of Riley’s fellow candidates, has a background at North Carolina’s Wingate University, while Sloan is an ECU alum who also coached at Louisiana Tech.

ECU’s coaching salary budget may be limited, as CBS Sports notes that the school might focus on adjusting its budget to balance coaching salaries with athlete compensation. Riley, who made $2.05 million last year at Clemson, may need to weigh the financial landscape and the opportunities that ECU can offer. Houston, who had a strong run at James Madison, struggled to find similar success with the Pirates, concluding his ECU tenure with a 27-38 overall record and a 3-4 start to the 2024 season.

As ECU’s athletic director Jon Gilbert put it, “We are confident we will identify the right leader for our football program…My hope is Pirate Nation will rally around our student-athletes.”

Garrett Riley ‘worth keeping an eye on’ for head coaching job

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley made ESPN’s list of names to keep an eye on for potential head coaching jobs after the 2024 season.

The Clemson Tigers have had no trouble finding the end-zone in their last two games. The offense erupted for 66 points in Clemson’s Week 2 victory over Appalachian State, while 52 of the 59 points in the Tigers’ win over NC State last Saturday came from the offense.

Against App State in Week 2, Clemson amassed an eye-popping 712 yards of offense in a 66-20 win. Against NC State, the offense tallied 523 yards in a 59-35 drubbing of the rival Wolfpack.

Those numbers led ESPN college football writer Adam Rittenberg to add offensive coordinator Garrett Riley to his list (subscription required) of Power Four coordinators “worth keeping an eye on” as a potential head coach in waiting at another school.

Rittenberg said of Riley:

“Name recognition isn’t a problem for Riley, and not just because of his older brother, Lincoln. Garrett Riley won the Broyles Award in 2022 as the nation’s top assistant, helping TCU reach the national title game as the Horned Frogs’ playcaller. His first season at Clemson was bumpy, as the offense ranked 50th in scoring and 98th in yards per play. A 3-point opener against Georgia to begin the season didn’t ease concerns, but Clemson has scored 125 points (118 on offense) in its past two games, as quarterback Cade Klubnik is surging. If Clemson can maintain its trajectory and return to the College Football Playoff, Riley, only 35, could be on the radar for certain head-coaching jobs.”

Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and Penn State Nittany Lions offense coordinator Andy Kotelnicki were listed as the top names to watch among Power Four coordinators.

At the Group of Five level, UNLV head coach and former Missouri Tigers coach Barry Odom, South Florida’s Alex Golesh, Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell and Tulane’s Jon Sumrall were listed as some of the biggest names available for Power Four jobs.

Clemson, which rose four spots to No. 15 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll, hosts the Stanford Cardinal this Saturday in Death Valley. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ESPN.

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Garrett Riley on what Cade Klubnik needs to take the next step as a quarterback

Riley shares what’s next for Klubnik.

Clemson football quarterback Cade Klubnik has found his groove in recent games, turning things around after a tough start. Following a difficult outing against Georgia’s defense in the season opener, where he completed 18 of 29 passes for just 142 yards with an interception, Klubnik has shown major improvement. He’s now delivered standout performances in back-to-back wins against App State and NC State, completing 80% of his passes for 587 yards and accounting for 11 total touchdowns (eight through the air and three on the ground).

On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Garrett Riley highlighted the strides Klubnik has made, crediting both the quarterback’s individual efforts and the team’s overall progress. “He’s definitely grown,” Riley said, noting how everyone around Klubnik has stepped up, which has helped foster his development. “If we’re not all operating at a higher level, it’s hard for the quarterback to make such noticeable improvements.”

Klubnik, a former five-star recruit, showed flashes of his potential last season, completing 64% of his passes for nearly 2,850 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also contributed four rushing scores. Now, after a strong start to this season, Riley acknowledged there’s still work to do. Reflecting on the recent NC State game, Riley said, “We left a few plays on the field, and there’s always more room to grow, but Cade’s been playing really well.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game against Stanford, Klubnik has been efficient, completing over 73% of his passes for 729 yards, adding eight passing touchdowns and three on the ground, with just one interception so far this season.

Jake Briningstool on Clemson football getting better every day under Garrett Riley

The Tigers get better by the day under Riley.

Clemson’s dominant win over Appalachian State last Saturday showed just how well the team could recover after a tough start to the season.

The Tigers scored a record-setting 56 points in the first half, making ACC history and moving past their Week 1 loss to Georgia. The team’s resilience and determination were on full display, and tight end Jake Briningstool credited their ability to stay focused on constant growth. “Our biggest thing is just trying to get better every single day,” Briningstool said, pointing to the influence of offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. The philosophy instilled by Riley, which began during his arrival two springs ago, is starting to bear fruit as the offense finds its rhythm.

Briningstool played a significant role in the win, leading the tight ends with seven receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He highlighted the competition within the tight end room, saying, “I think we’ve got a really good tight end room… Just being able to come here, have competition, go to work every single day, and make each other better.” The tight ends combined for 130 yards off nine catches, contributing significantly to Clemson’s offensive dominance. Alongside Briningstool’s stellar showing, quarterback Cade Klubnik shined with seven total touchdowns and 378 passing yards, further demonstrating the potential this offense has. With confidence building, Briningstool believes there’s no limit to what the Tigers can achieve moving forward. “There’s no telling where we can go,” he said.

Fans have patiently waited for Riley’s stamp to be felt on this team and it was definitely felt on Saturday.

Garrett Riley on potential future head coach offers

With a big year, Riley could be a top head coach target.

Even if the 2023 college football season wasn’t what the Clemson football program was hoping for on offense, they have one of the brightest young minds as their offensive coordinator.

Garrett Riley was an incredibly hot name when he joined the Tigers as a young, up-and-coming coach. Helping lead TCU to the national championship in 2022, Riley also won the 2022 Broyles Award for the top coordinator in college football. While he didn’t reach expectations in 2023, the upcoming season could be very different.

During Dabo Swinney’s Media Outing at the Allen Reeves Football Complex on Tuesday, Riley addressed the possible head coaching offers down the road. While they are a real possibility, he’s focused on right now with the Tigers.

“You have long-term goals and try to set out some things for yourself in your professional career and life,” Riley said. “But I definitely am one of those that man, wherever I’m at, I’m there. If something happens, we’ll see. But I’m certainly happy with where I’m at.”

Clemson’s offense didn’t meet high expectations last season, but they still had notable achievements. Under Riley, the team ranked No. 15 nationally in first downs per game with an average of 23.4, the ninth-best in school history. They also averaged 76.8 plays per game, their highest since 2016. These stats show Riley’s strategy was effective despite the team’s overall performance.

“Just a lot of organizational things, and obviously the program and just the way he carries himself and how consistent he is every single day. Those are things that certainly stick out,” Riley said. “It’s definitely been a joy to just be a sponge and be around him, as well as a lot of the other staff that have been here a long time. It’s been great.”

Clemson’s ceiling on offense in 2024 is one of the best in the country.

Garrett Riley outlines expectations for Cade Klubnik in 2024

Garrett Riley talks about his expectations for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik ahead of the 2024 college football season.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley met with reporters during Dabo Swinney’s 2024 media gathering at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex Tuesday. Not surprisingly, quarterback Cade Klubnik’s name came up a lot.

One of the questions asked was about Riley’s expectations for Klubnik in 2024. Klubnik will be in his second full season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback after starting all 13 games a year ago.

“A guy that’s not going to panic, a guy that’s going to understand what we’re trying to do,” Riley said. “Minimizing some of the bad plays. Those are some of the things off the top of my head that we should be able to see this fall.”

Klubnik’s first full season was far from perfect as the Tigers began the year 4-4 with losses to Duke, Florida State, Miami and NC State. But Klubnik showed signs of improvement down the stretch, leading Clemson to five straight wins to close the year on a positive note.

In the Tigers’ 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky, Klubnik helped rally the team for 28 points in the fourth quarter to escape with a thrilling victory and hopefully give the former five-star quarterback from Austin, Texas, some momentum going forward.

“With all the things that kind of went on in our season, a good problem to have with a guy like Cade is at times he’s one of those that really believes in himself,” Riley said. “Which is awesome, but at times you can try to do a little bit too much.”

Riley pointed to injuries and depth issues that he believes resulted in Klubnik feeling added pressure a season ago.

“When certain guys were missing or maybe a little thin in certain spots, maybe the added pressure (of feeling) like he had to do a little bit too much probably crept in at times,” Riley said. “But as the season went on, I think he learned (from) that. I think he understood that a little bit better, and really I think the game kind of slowed down for him each and every week. That’s really what I saw as you look through it chronologically.”

Klubnik and the Tigers will open the 2024 season as underdogs against probable preseason No. 1 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for noon EDT. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.

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Garrett Riley looking for leadership going into 2024 season

Clemson’s offensive coordinator mentioned Phil Mafah, Cade Klubnik and Jake Briningstool as leaders on the Tigers’ offense heading into the season.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley believes there’s a lot of potential for leadership on the offensive side of the ball heading into the 2024 season.

Riley and other coaches spoke to the media Tuesday at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex. When asked about leadership, Riley highlighted quarterback Cade Klubnik, running back Phil Mafah and tight end Jake Briningstool in particular.

Mafah is unquestionably the leader at running back for the Tigers after Will Shipley declared for the NFL Draft following his junior season. Mafah rushed for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns on 179 carries a season ago.

Riley described Mafah as a quiet leader.

“He’s gonna do it by his actions and his play and is just always doing the right thing,” Riley said of the Tigers’ senior tailback. “He’s certainly a guy that our guys look to.”

Briningstool, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound tight end out of Brentwood, Tenn., is also entering his senior season. He emerged as a true threat in 2023, catching 50 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns in his first year as a full-time starter.

“Jake Briningstool comes to mind as someone who’s really improved and kind of emerged in that (leadership) role,” Riley said. “I’m really proud of him and his maturity and what he’s done in kind of taking that thing by the horns a little bit through the spring and this summer.”

As for Klubnik, Riley said he believes that a year of experience as the Tigers’ quarterback will help going forward. Klubnik started all 13 games a season ago and threw for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdowns to nine interceptions.

“I know Cade has certainly improved on (leadership) as well now that he’s played and kind of has some credibility that (he’s) been the guy for a year,” Riley said.

When asked if he’d had a conversation with Klubnik on taking the reins, Riley said that it was always a topic of conversation in the team’s quarterback room.

“That whole quarterback room, that’s something you’re always trying to evolve and get better with, and it’s one of those things where there’s a little bit of a fine line,” Riley said. “You can’t be a fraud and try to overdo it. You can’t do too little. In my mind, there’s kind of a balance and a happy medium to it and he’s certainly finding his own with it.”

Riley also spoke of the Tigers’ leadership up front and mentioned offensive linemen Tristan Leigh and Blake Miller as “guys that bring a lot to the table from a leadership standpoint.”

Phil Mafah gets second-round grade by this NFL Draft analyst

Clemson running back Phil Mafah drew praise from college football and NFL Draft analyst Damian Parson.

Clemson running back Phil Mafah is one of the best running backs heading into the 2024 college football season.

That’s from Damian Parson, a college football analyst for The Draft network and co-host of the Locked On NFL Draft podcast. Parson recently gave the Tigers’ senior tailback a second-round grade for the 2025 NFL Draft.

“This is a grown man,” Parson said of Mafah, noting the tailback’s 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame. “Physical, downhill runner, what could be a kind of one-cut style. They run some zone, some gap stuff … One of the things I liked about him is that he worked on being a pass-catcher (this off-season) and he caught the ball effectively. He ran decent routes for a big-body guy. He runs with tempo and patience and follows his blocks. He gives his blockers time to set up.”

Playing alongside Will Shipley in the backfield a season ago, Mafah played in all 13 games in 2023, finishing just shy of a 1,000-yard rushing season. He totaled 965 yards and 13 touchdowns on 179 carries — all career-highs. The Loganville, Ga., native also caught 21 passes for 108 yards.

Mafah figures to play a star role in Garrett Riley’s offense this season, taking over the reins at tailback from Shipley, who declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and was a fourth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles.

“This is a guy who, if you are not prepared for what’s to come in the alley, this is going to be a fight that you’re not going to win,” Parson said of Mafah. “He’s one of those guys that falls forward, leans forward. He’s got a really good stiff-arm, but for 230 (pounds), he’s got a burst to him.”

Parson even compared Mafah to former LSU running back Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 3,830 yards in three seasons with the Bengal Tigers and ranks fourth on the school’s all-time rushing list.

Fournette was the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick (4th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft and had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons before winning a Super Bowl ring with the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“The last guy I’ve seen built this way that I recall that had a good burst that I was impressed with was Leonard Fournette,” Parson said. “So with Phil Mafah catching the ball, running the ball, (he’s) scheme-versatile. But it’s the patience… and this is a guy that to me, I think this year he’s going to be that lead back.

“Garrett Riley, as he calls it, the ‘Dirt Raid,’ he wants to run the ball and pound defenses into the turf. I see it, and I think with Phil Mafah, I see the full skill set.”

Clemson opens the 2024 season August 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against the Georgia Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for noon EDT. The game will be televised nationally by ABC.

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Clemson offense could shape the College Football Playoff this season

Could Clemson’s offense turn it around in 2024?

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have boasted some outstanding offenses during the Swinney era but things haven’t been the same since the departure of Trevor Lawrence for the NFL.

Things can be different in 2024. Starting quarterback Cade Klubnik heads into his second year as the starter under center, with improvement from the junior quarterback essential for the Tigers’ success. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley enters year two with the Tigers with expectations that he can help Clemson’s offense the way he did for TCU when they made a historic run to the National Championship. 

According to Saturday Down South, the Tigers’ offense could shape the CFP in 2024. 

Clemson didn’t make Garrett Riley the highest-paid assistant coach in college football last season to get worse on offense, but that’s exactly what happened. The Tigers averaged just 5.25 yards per play, down from the 2022 season and continuing a trend of remarkably mediocre Tiger offenses.

  • 2023: 5.25 (98th)
  • 2022: 5.60 (72nd)
  • 2021: 5.17 (103rd)
  • 2020: 6.89 (15th)
  • 2019: 7.38 (4th)
  • 2018: 7.35 (3rd)

The Tigers gave up more negative plays in fewer games than they did the year prior to Riley’s arrival, were worse on third downs, and had just as many turnovers. The run game wasn’t a strength and the passing game didn’t improve the way fans hoped given the change from DJ Uiagalelei to Cade Klubnik.

Now, in Year 2 with Riley, Klubnik has to show something. The Tigers chose not to add to the quarterback room via the 2024 class (high school or transfer) and have pushed their chips all in on Klubnik being the guy to reverse the slide.

While the entire offense will need to perform, most eyes will be on Klubnik and Riley. If these two lead by example and show that they’ve taken the next step, the Tigers’ offense should return to form.