CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney has always believed you cannot have a championship team without having a great defense.

That’s why Swinney brought Brent Venables in to coach his defense in 2012. As result, the Tigers became one of the best defensive units in college football in his 10 seasons at Clemson. As a result of that, the Tigers won two national championships and played for it two other times.

Swinney continues to lean on his philosophy of having a good defense and on Friday he took more steps to assure that carries on for years to come.

As earlier reported, Clemson’s Board of Trustees Compensation Committee approved a $550,000 raise for defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, bringing his annual salary to $1.4 million—not including bonuses or incentives—while also adding another year to his contract, which runs through January 31, 2027.

Swinney just did not sew up his defense by giving Goodwin a raise, but he gave defensive tackles coach and run game coordinator Nick Eason a $300,000 raise. Eason’s salary increased from $800,000 to $1.1 million. He also had one year added to his contract.

Cornerbacks coach Mike Reed and safeties coach Mickey Conn also saw their salaries increase from $800,000 to $900,000. Back in December, defensive ends coach Chris Rumph was approved for compensation of $950,000 this coming year.

Reed and Conn, like Rumph, are signed through January 31, 2027.

In 2023, Clemson led the ACC in total defense (287.8 ypg), while ranking No. 8 nationally. The Tigers also ranked inside the top 10 nationally in eight other defensive categories, including pass defense (No.8: 173.2 ypg) and interceptions (T 10th: 16).

At the start of the 2026 season, depending on if Swinney’s defensive staff is still intact, every one of his defensive coaches will be making over a million dollars. Goodwin will graduate to $1.5 million dollars in 2025 and $1.6 million in 2026.

Eason’s salary will increase to $1.2 million according to the terms of his contract in 2026, while Rumph, Reed and Conn will all join the million-dollar club that same year. Rumph is expected to move to $1 million next year and then $1.1 million in 2026.

Reed and Conn will see their salary increase to $950,000 next year and then to $1 million in 2026.

What it all means, Clemson will have a $5.9 million defensive staff by the start of the 2026 football season.

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