Dabo Swinney isn’t afraid to acknowledge when a decision doesn’t pan out. Reflecting on the end of Wes Goodwin’s tenure as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, Swinney took responsibility for the outcome, admitting the hire three years ago might not have been the best move.
“It just didn’t work, and that is my fault,” Swinney said Wednesday. “It’s as simple as that. It’s not his fault. That’s my fault.”
Despite the outcome, Swinney expressed gratitude for Goodwin’s contributions.
“I love Wes Goodwin and his family,” he added. “I am thankful for the job that he did. Unbelievable work ethic. Nobody worked harder than Wes.”
Clemson’s success over the past decade, including multiple national title appearances and College Football Playoff runs, established a high standard for the program. Swinney knows the expectations are immense.
“We’ve created a high standard and high expectations,” he said. “My job is to make sure we are doing everything we can to be the best version of ourselves.”
To replace Goodwin, Swinney brought in Tom Allen, a highly respected defensive coach from Penn State. Confident in the decision, Swinney believes Allen is the right choice for the role.
“I do what is best for Clemson,” Swinney said. “You make a lot of decisions in this position, and while we’ve made a lot of good ones, sometimes you don’t make the right one. We all learn from those things.”
Clemson has fired Defensive Coordinator Wes Goodwin! 
