CLEMSON — In the lead-up to Clemson’s matchup against Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl on December 27, much of the attention has focused on offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s future with the Tigers.
The embattled Riley, who is finishing up his third season running the Clemson offense, was a candidate for the North Texas and Coastal Carolina head coaching jobs, but both programs ultimately went in a different direction.
With the bowl game now less than two weeks away, Riley is now choosing to put his attention on preparing the Tigers for the Nittany Lions. Whatever comes after that, he will deal with head-on when the time comes.
“Every year this is kind of a wild time for everybody,” Riley said on Wednesday during the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Virtual Press Conference. “With as much change as there is, you are trying to figure out your team for the bowl, who is playing, recruiting, we would usually be on the road recruiting, but now that rule has changed. I feel like I am almost used to it. It is just a wild time as you get toward the end of the season. For a lot of reasons. You just got to take it day by day with this job.”
Coming into the season, with a senior in Cade Klubnik returning at quarterback, what was thought to be one of the better group of wideouts in the country, and a veteran offensive line, expectations were extremely high for Riley’s offense.
However, the Tigers have been up and down throughout 2025. While Clemson ranks No. 20 nationally in passing offense, the team ranks just No. 47 in total offense, No. 60 in scoring offense and a dismal 99th in rushing offense.
“My whole focus is on operating here at Clemson,” Riley added. “It is an unbelievable place to work and an unbelievable place to live. Certainly did not have the season we all wanted, but sometimes that is sports.”
For those reasons, questions are swirling about Riley’s future with the Tigers. When asked directly if he expected to return in 2026, the offensive coordinator readily admitted there are still some decisions head coach Dabo Swinney will have to make.
For now, Riley is choosing to do what he can to help Clemson finish the season on a high note, with a win over Penn State.
“I know that there are decisions to be made and all that stuff big picture-wise, but I am telling you, my whole focus is being here,” Riley added. “Being the best I can for our staff, the best I can for our players and giving us the best chance to finish this thing out the way we have been the last few weeks and go cap it off with a great bowl win. That is 100% the focus.”
Photo by Bart Boatwright