Clemson’s Board of Trustees Approve New Contracts for Football Coaches

It’s Official: Goodwin, Richardson Move Up to Assistant Coaches

Ken Ruinard

The Clemson Board of Trustees Compensation Committee held a called meeting Tuesday afternoon to approve new contracts for members of Dabo Swinney’s coaching staff.

The Compensation Committee approved new contracts for Brandon Streeter, Mickey Conn, Wesley Goodwin and Kyle Richardson, as Swinney promoted from within his staff to replace Brent Venables and Tony Elliott as defensive and offensive coordinators.

The committee also approved new deals for defensive tackles coach Todd Bates and cornerbacks coach Mike Reed.

Venables was named the new head coach at Oklahoma on Dec. 5, while Elliott was named the new coach at the University of Virginia last Friday.

Conn and Goodwin have been promoted as co-defensive coordinators, with Goodwin serving as the primary defensive coordinator and will be the new linebackers coach.

Streeter will own the title of offensive coordinator. Richardson was named the new passing game coordinator. 

Swinney, who released statements on these moves after the approvals, is holding a press conference this afternoon at the Allen Reeves Football Complex in Clemson to officially discuss what the four coaches’ responsibilities will be on his staff.

"Coach Swinney is a visionary leader from all aspects of his football program and especially in his staffing strategy," said acting Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff. "Clemson Athletics' finances are strong, both operationally, and with reserves. As we all know, Clemson Football serves as our economic engine for the athletics department and we are excited to continue to invest in all aspects of that ... staffing, infrastructure, programmatic support and facilities."   

Streeter will now make $925,000, an increase from the $615,000 a year he was approved for back on Feb. 9. It is a three-year deal that will run through January 31, 2025.

Goodwin will make $850,000 a year, which is also a three-year contract that will run through January 31, 2025.

Conn will make $800,000, which is a significant raise from his previous salary of $515,00, which he has made the last two seasons. His contract will run three years, as well, and is set to expire on January 31, 2025.

Richardson, who will also be the Tigers' new tight ends coach, will make $500,000 a year. His contract is two years, and runs through January 31, 2024.

Bates was named Swinney's new assistant head coach. He will have an annual compensation of $750,000, with a three-year contract running through January 31, 2025.

Reed will be the new special teams coordinator. His annual compensation will now be $700,000, with a three-year contract extending through January 31, 2025.

"I have had multiple discussions with acting athletic director Graham Neff and Coach Swinney over the last several days. I am very supportive of these actions and I feel very confident about the future of football," Clemson President Jim Clements said.

Goodwin and Richardson will be on on-field coaches for the first time on Swinney’s staff. Goodwin was previously the Senior Defensive Assistant under Venables, while Richardson was the Director of High School Relations and Special Assistant to the Offense.

Richardson made $210,000 the past two seasons, while Goodwin was making $108,070.

Streeter has been Clemson’s passing game coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach the last two seasons. He is in his seventh full season as the Tigers’ quarterbacks’ coach. He was also the recruiting coordinator from 2014-’19.

Conn has been Clemson’s special teams coordinator and safeties coach. He has been on Swinney’s staff the last six seasons, including the last five as his safeties coach. He served as the Tigers’ Senior Defensive Assistant in 2016.

Goodwin is in his fourth season as Clemson’s senior defensive assistant and his 10th with the program overall. He was a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2009-11, then served as a defensive analyst from 2012-14.

From 2015-17, he was with the Arizona Cardinals under Bruce Arians. Goodwin helped the Cardinals to a 28-19-1 record as Assistant to the Head Coach during that time, including a 13-3 record in 2015, when the Cardinals reached the NFC Championship Game.

He is a graduate of Mississippi State and began his career as a graduate assistant with the Bulldogs. He earned his undergraduate degree in 2007 and master’s degree from Mississippi State in 2009.

Kyle Richardson is in his sixth season on staff at Clemson, having served tenures as senior offensive assistant as well as director of player development & freshman transition during his first five years with the Tigers.

He was the head coach at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, S.C. from 2011-15. In that time, his program posted a 58-13 record and won state titles in 2013 and 2015. His 2013 team finished seventh nationally in the USA Today ranking and his 2015 team finished ranked nationally in multiple top 25 polls.

As head coach, Richardson guided Northwestern to three state title game appearances and won four region championships. He was 13-3 in postseason play in his five years as the head coach. Richardson was offensive coordinator at Northwestern before he became head coach and led the Trojans offensively to four region championships, three state championship berths and an undefeated state championship season in 2010.

He has previous coaching experience at the college level, having coached wideouts at Southeastern Louisiana University. He has coached high school football in North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina.

--Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story