Dabo Swinney peels back the curtain on Garrett Riley, compares his personality to previous Clemson OCs

The Clemson offense has had plenty of ups and downs through the first two weeks of the season. Through it all, new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has stayed calm.

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney met with the media on Tuesday and shared that he loves the demeanor Riley has maintained so far this season.

“I just think that’s who he is. It’s how he’s been raised. He’s a very even-keeled guy. He has fun. He keeps it loose. … He doesn’t walk around like he’s got all the answers or anything like that. He wants collaboration, he asks a lot of questions. He wants input. I love sitting in the quarterback meetings with him,” Swinney said. “It’s just this chill environment. He’s not a high-strung guy. That’s just kind of who he is. He played quarterback, and he loves what he does. He loves it. He loves ball. He understands the good and the bad that comes with it. He likes to teach. It’s just who he is.”

Swinney added that current Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin is similar to Garrett Riley in that respect. However, Riley has a different demeanor than his predecessors.

That includes former offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, who is now the head coach at Virginia, and former OC Chad Morris, who is now back with Clemson in an analyst role.

“Chad [Morris] chewed eight packs of gum and drank 10 red bulls by halftime. That’s who he is. Tony was just very, very cerebral. … And everything had to be perfect all the time. He had to have an answer for everything. That’s how Tony was wired,” Swinney said. “He’s not going to bed unless he has an answer for everything. What he did for his time here was amazing. And G Money (Riley), he’s a little more of a free spirit. ‘Eh, that didn’t work. Alright, next play. We won’t try that again. That wasn’t good.’ And I love that about him.”

It has also helped that Swinney and Riley view college football through a similar lens.

Swinney played receiver in college and coached receivers, before becoming a head coach. Like Riley, his background is offense.

“He’s got a good understanding of it. And we also think a lot alike. It’s matchups. I mean it’s matchups. Let’s get the best players the ball. And he’s done a nice job of that to this point,” Swinney said. “And then also in-game, he’s got a good feel for what’s happening on the field. He’s got a good feel for that.”

Riley and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik are a perfect match, according to Swinney. Klubnik has the opposite demeanor of Riley, which ends up benefitting both the quarterback and quarterbacks coach.

“Oh, he’s been great,” Swinney said of Riley. “Cade’s a run through a brick wall guy, for sure. He’s been a good fit for him.”