More changes coming to Clemson staff, including new offensive line coach

ORLANDO — Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell received a Gatorade bath following the Tigers’ 20-13 win over Iowa State, and for good reason.

After coaching college football for 44 years, Caldwell coached his final game as an on-field assistant on Wednesday.

Caldwell is moving into an off-field role. He will run high school relations, sophomore transition and will do some scouting for the Tigers as well, Dabo Swinney announced following Wednesday’s game.

“That was a special moment on the field, and we had a special moment in the locker room,” Swinney said. “He’s been coaching 40-something years. He’s been leading young people. Man, I love Robbie Caldwell.”

Former Tigers offensive lineman Thomas Austin is taking over as Clemson’s offensive line coach moving forward after serving as an analyst this past season.

Austin was previously the offensive line coach at Georgia State.

Caldwell spent 11 seasons as Clemson’s offensive line coach. During those 11 seasons, the Tigers won at least 10 games each year.

Clemson went to the College Football Playoff six times and won a pair of national titles with Caldwell on staff.

This season was a tough one for Clemson’s offense as the Tigers dealt with several injuries, including on the offensive line.

But despite being down 28 scholarship players on Wednesday, Clemson finished the year by winning six consecutive games. The Tigers relied on the offensive line and the running game down the stretch.

“He and I talked about this last year, and he really wanted to go one more year. And man, I am so thankful that he did, because there ain’t many people that could have handled what we had to handle in that offensive line
this year,” Swinney said. “It took a dang salty, savvy veteran like Robbie Caldwell to be able to hold it together the way we did this year with such chaos up front.”

In addition to Caldwell and Austin moving into new roles, former Clemson offensive lineman Tyrone Crowder is being promoted to an analyst from a grad assistant.

Brandon Thomas, who played at Clemson and in the NFL, is joining the staff as a grad assistant.