Why Dabo Swinney's assistants didn't receive raises, extensions in February
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Clemson‘s Board of Trustees meeting in February usually signals raises and extensions for Dabo Swinney’s staff.
Not this year.
None of Clemson football‘s primary assistants received raises and contract extensions when the Board of Trustees compensation committee met on Feb. 6.
Only Clemson’s new strength and conditioning coach, Dennis Love, received a new contract: a two-year deal worth 450,000 annually. He was promoted from assistant strength coach in 2026 and will take over for Joey Batson, who made $625,000 last season and retired after being the team’s strength coach since 1997.
“His rapport and camaraderie with the program and the student athletes is significant and phenomenal, and his transition will be incredibly smooth and bring a different energy level to our strength room,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said Feb. 6.
Swinney’s assistants not receiving raises and extensions come after the Tigers went 7-6 in 2025. It was their second-worst season in Swinney’s full 17 seasons as Clemson missed the ACC championship despite being favorites to win the conference and failed to make the College Football Playoff despite returning the most production of any school in Division I.
The poor season led to Swinney firing offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley and safeties coach Mickey Conn. Swinney promoted Tajh Boyd to quarterbacks coach and Nolan Turner to safeties coach.
Swinney also had to replace members of his support staff after Samford hired Jon Grass as its new coach in December, and he took multiple Clemson staffers with him to the FCS level.
Clemson’s Board of Trustees compensation committee approved only one contract this year: new offensive coordinator Chad Morris’ deal in January. Other than Morris, Clemson’s assistants will earn based on their current contracts.
In February 2025, Clemson gave contract extensions to Riley, offensive line coach Matt Luke, defensive tackles coach Nick Eason, defensive ends coach Chris Rumph, running backs coach CJ Spiller, wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham and tight ends coach Kyle Richardson. Spiller, Grisham and Richardson all received raises, too.
Clemson will have six assistants making at least $1 million in 2026: defensive coordinator Tom Allen, cornerbacks coach Mike Reed, Morris, Luke, Eason and Rumph.
Clemson women’s basketball coach Shawn Poppie gets raise
The other contract that Clemson’s Board of Trustees compensation committee approved was women’s basketball coach Shawn Poppie.
He received a five-year extension worth $42.5 million that will run through 2030-31. His base salary increased from $535,000 in 2025-26 to $800,000 starting on March 1 that will go up annually by $25,000 and max out at $900,000.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Clemson University and Graham Neff for their Commitment to me, my staff and our entire Clemson women’s basketball program,” Poppie said in a school release. “We’re proud to represent the Paw and to make Clemson University proud in everything we do, both on the court and in the community. We’re thrilled to continue building something special here at Clemson!”
In his second season, Clemson is 16-8 (7-5 ACC) with a chance to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football assistants don’t receive raises after 7-6 season in 2025
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