Anonymous ACC coaches talk Clemson, Tigers not highly regarded in 2026

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Anonymous ACC coaches didn’t hold back when discussing Clemson ahead of the 2026 season.

Athlon Sports released its annual anonymous ACC coach survey this week, and the commentary surrounding Dabo Swinney’s program carried a much different tone than the praise Clemson received during its run as the league’s dominant power.

After a disappointing 7-6 finish in 2025, several coaches questioned the Tigers on both sides of the ball, especially offensively after Clemson made the move to bring Chad Morris back as offensive coordinator following Garrett Riley’s dismissal.

One anonymous ACC coach suggested Riley never truly had full control of the offense.

“The same concepts that they ran in 2025, you can go back to the beginning when Dabo got there and see the same thing,” the coach said. “I don’t think it was Garrett Riley’s offense. It was essentially Chad Morris’ offense being called by Garrett Riley.”

Clemson’s offense took a major step backward last season. After reaching the College Football Playoff in 2024, the Tigers dropped from 11th nationally in total offense to 64th in 2025. Clemson also fell from 18th to 72nd in scoring offense.

The quarterback situation also drew criticism from opposing coaches.

With Cade Klubnik gone, redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina enters the season as the favorite to take over the starting job, while freshman Tait Reynolds impressed during spring practice and emerged as the clear No. 2 quarterback.

Still, one ACC coach isn’t convinced Clemson will improve offensively in 2026.

“Their backup QBs didn’t play much last year, and I didn’t think they were very good,” the coach said. “I’d be shocked if they were better on offense even if they’re coached better. When Clemson is good, their quarterback is really good.”

The criticism wasn’t limited to offense either.

Another anonymous ACC coach pointed to Clemson’s defensive approach, saying the Tigers may be overcomplicating things instead of allowing their talent to simply play fast.

“It’s almost like they overcoach their defensive players instead of letting them cut it loose and play,” the coach said. “There were some schematic things where you felt like you could get them out of position. Usually, teams that are really talented do a little less and try to just let those guys cut it loose.”

Clemson showed improvement against the run under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, finishing 16th nationally in rushing defense after ranking 85th the previous season. But the secondary struggled throughout the year. The Tigers finished 120th nationally in passing yards allowed and tied for last in the FBS with four completions of 70-plus yards surrendered.

The Tigers addressed those issues during the offseason by restructuring parts of the defensive staff and adding several defensive backs through the transfer portal, including Donovan Starr, Corey Myrick, Elliot Washington and Jerome Carter.

Clemson opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 against LSU in Baton Rouge. The primetime matchup on ABC will also mark Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU’s head coach.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football on a downward spiral? Anonymous ACC coaches share opinions

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