CLEMSON — When Clemson Football opens fall camp next month, there will be a lot more coaching going on.

In case you did not know, the NCAA Division I Council approved a rule change earlier this week adopted by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committees to allow any staff member to provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes.

The change will be effective immediately. Moving forward, any staff member may provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes during practice and competition.

What does this mean for Clemson? It means a lot.

It means guys like Levon Kirkland, who played 11 seasons in the NFL as an All-Pro linebacker can now help Wes Goodwin with the linebackers. It means a guy like Robbie Caldwell, who has more than 40 years of experience as an offensive line coach, can now help offensive line coach Matt Luke if Luke chooses to.

The roles for some of Dabo Swinney’s analyst/player development coaches will not be finalized until July 15, but some of the burden for Clemson’s 10 on-field coaches has been lifted a little bit.

The proposal does not change the number of off-campus recruiters. FBS teams remain limited to up to 11 staff members (that includes the head coach) and FCS teams remain limited to 13 staff members who may participate in off-campus recruiting activities.

FBS programs also remain able to have up to four graduate student coaches and no more than five strength and conditioning coaches. Limits for student assistant coaches will be the same as the number of permissible off-campus recruiters for a football program.

However, when the 10 on-field coaches are out recruiting, they can recruit knowing someone else is back home coaching their players and getting them ready for spring and fall drills, of course while staying within the 20-hour rule permitted by the NCAA.

Other analyst and developmental coaches at Clemson who could help with coaching this fall are former Alabama quarterback Andrew Zow, former Clemson quarterbacks Tajh Boyd and Cole Stoudt, former Clemson defensive back DeAndre McDaniel and former Clemson defensive end DaQuan Bowers.

Former Clemson player and tight ends coach Danny Pearman is on Swinney’s staff too. Again, Clemson has not officially announced what anyone’s role will be on Swinney’s staff this coming season, other than his 10 on-field coaches.

Former South Carolina defensive coordinator, Lorenzo Ward, is also joining Swinney’s staff as a possible special assistant to the defense. Clemson nor Swinney has officially announced Ward as a member of the staff.

With Ward coming on board and Kirkland, who was a two-time All-American linebacker at Clemson, already in his role, Swinney has added a ton of coaching experience to a defense that already has NFL veteran coaches like Chris Rumph, Nick Eason and Mike Reed. Kirkland coached with the Arizona Cardinals for a couple of years when Goodwin and Eason were on staff there as well.

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!