Swinney Announces Staff Assignments

Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney released his staff assignments for the 2009 season on Monday. Swinney, who took over for Tommy Bowden as interim head coach on October 13, was named head coach on December 1.

He led the Tigers to a 4-2 record over the second half of the regular season, including Clemson’s first win over Boston College since 1958. The Tigers lost to Nebraska in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.

Swinney announced that Billy Napier will serve as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Naper, who finished his third season as a full-time assistant coach this past season, had helped Swinney coordinate the offense over the last seven games of the season. He coached Clemson’s tight ends the first two and a half years and the quarterbacks the second half of the 2008 season. He also served as a graduate assistant at Clemson in 2004 before coaching the 2005 season at South Carolina State.

“Billy and I have worked together for four of the last five years,” said Swinney. “We have a good working relationship and the same philosophy, the same approach. We will have some changes next year. We will basically be a spread formation team. What will be different next year is that we will use the quarterback more in the running game. Billy is one of the fine young coaches in the nation. He will be a head coach some day.”

There will also be a slight change in terms of offensive line assignments this year. Brad Scott will continue to serve as associate head coach and he will coach the offensive guards and centers. Previously he had coached all five offensive line positions. Danny Pearman, who joined the staff at the end of the regular season from Maryland, will coach the offensive tackles and tight ends and serve as assistant head coach. Pearman is a former Clemson tight end.

Andre Powell will continue to coach the Clemson running backs and will be in his second year as special teams coordinator. Jeff Scott, Brad Scott’s son, will coach the wide receivers, a responsibility he handled over the last seven games of the 2008 season when Swinney was hired. The Scotts will be the first father-son full-time coaching combination in Clemson history.

Kevin Steele, who helped Alabama to a top 10 national finish this past year, will serve as defensive coordinator, an appointment Swinney announced last Friday. He will coach the linebackers. Charlie Harbison will serve as co-defensive coordinator and will coach the defensive backs, a responsibility he held at Clemson from 1995-97 when he helped Tommy West’s teams to three consecutive bowl games.

David Blackwell and Chris Rumph will both coach the defensive line. Blackwell will coach the tackles and Rumph will coach the defensive ends.

Clemson Football Staff Assignments for 2009 Season
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney

Offensive Assistants
Billy Napier—Offensive Coordinator, quarterbacks
Danny Pearman—Assistant head coach, tackles, tight ends
Andre Powell—Running backs, Special teams coordinator
Brad Scott—Associate Head Coach, Offensive guards and centers
Jeff Scott—Wide Receivers

Defensive Assistants
David Blackwell—Defensive tackles
Charlie Harbison,--Co-Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs
Chris Rumph—Defensive Ends
Kevin Steele--Defensive Coordinator, inside linebackers