Dabo Swinney thanks Brandon Streeter, predicts bright future for former Clemson OC

CLEMSON — Before Dabo Swinney introduced Garrett Riley as Clemson’s new offensive coordinator earlier this month, he first took a few minutes to thank former OC Brandon Streeter.

Streeter played quarterback at Clemson from 1995-99 and was on staff with the Tigers for more than a decade.

He spent the 2022 season as Clemson’s offensive coordinator, before being fired in January. Still, he contributed to the Tigers’ program in several different areas for about 15 years as a player and coach.

Clemson Athletics even presents the “Brandon Streeter Award” to a student athlete each year who overcomes injury to excel on the field.

“He’s a first-class person. And a beautiful family. Brandon Streeter and Ashleigh have represented Clemson. They’re Clemson people,” Swinney said earlier this month. “We give an award in Brandon’s honor and we continue to do that. He is a true Clemson man, and did a fantastic job for the Clemson Tigers. Worked tirelessly to make us better, and he made us better.”

Streeter was a grad assistant at Clemson in 2004 and 2005 and a decade later was hired as the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator for the Tigers prior to the Russell Athletic Bowl in 2014. He held those two roles through the 2019 season, when he was promoted to passing game coordinator and QBs coach.

When Tony Elliott left to become the head coach at Virginia following the 2021 season, Streeter was promoted to OC.

The Clemson offense improved in its one year with Streeter in charge. The Tigers went from 26.3 points per game to 33.2 and from 359.2 yards per game to 410.3. But Swinney didn’t feel that it improved enough and made a change following the Orange Bowl.

“I just felt like it was the right time. We weren’t quite where we needed to be,” Swinney said. “These are hard decisions, especially when you love the people that are involved. And I absolutely love Brandon Streeter and Ashleigh and [their children] Chamberlin and Foard and [Mason Morgan]. They’re family to me and always will be.”

During Streeter’s eight full seasons on staff at Clemson, the Tigers won seven ACC titles, reached the College Football Playoff six times and won a pair of national titles.

Streeter coached Deshaun Watson his final two seasons at Clemson and recruited and coached Trevor Lawrence for three years. He also signed current quarterbacks Cade Klubnik and Christopher Vizzina.

“From the time he got here in 2014, his first bowl game, he coached Deshaun for two years. He recruited Trevor Lawrence and coached him for three years to the first pick in the draft,” Swinney said.

“He recruited Cade [Klubnik] and [Christopher Vizzina] and DJ [Uiagalelei]. When we had a change last year with Tony going to Virginia, he absolutely deserved and earned the opportunity to lead the offense. And he did a great job. I mean he worked tirelessly. We got better. In really every area, we got better.”

While it ultimately didn’t work out for Streeter at Clemson, Swinney expects him to rebound in his coaching career.

Streeter is currently still searching for his next opportunity.

“Brandon Streeter will land on his feet,” Swinney said. “We made a change with Billy Napier, and I think he turned out OK. He’s the head coach at Florida. We’ve had some changes over the years. This is my sixth offensive coordinator, and when we’ve had changes, guys have moved on to be head coaches and different things. And Brandon Streeter’s got a great, great future ahead.”