David Hale
Clemson is nearing a deal with Chad Morris to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator, sources confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
The multiyear deal to bring Morris back to Clemson is near completion and is expected to be finalized at a board of trustees review on Monday, sources added.
Morris served as Clemson’s playcaller from 2011 through 2014 before taking the head coaching job at SMU. He was credited with building the framework of a high-powered offense that would lead the Tigers to national titles in 2016 and 2018, and was instrumental in recruiting former star QB Deshaun Watson to Clemson.
Clemson’s offense has struggled without elite QB play in recent years, including a nadir in 2025 in which the Tigers finished 11th in the ACC in scoring offense and 10th in Total QBR. The struggles, including a 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, led to a 7-6 record — the team’s worst season since 2010, the year before Morris’ initial run — and the firing of offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.
Morris took a woeful SMU program from 1-11 before he arrived to a 7-5 season in 2017 before leaving for the head coaching position at Arkansas. Morris was just 4-18 in parts of two seasons with the Razorbacks, however, before being fired. After that, he served as offensive coordinator at Auburn for a year in 2020, and as an analyst for former Clemson assistant Jeff Scott at USF and again at Clemson in 2023. Morris spent the 2025 season in an advisory role with Virginia, where his son, Chandler, was the Cavaliers’ starting QB.
Morris’ hire was first reported by Tiger Illustrated.
